Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-12-15

1
ness of one bird tossed into the bag
escaped his attention. 1t was perhaps
due to the haste with which he had
| to make on with his prisoners. He
was blinking cautiously about, to
make sure the coast was clear, when
a voice startlingly close to his own
portly carcass called out with q sud
den warning:
Look out for the Iron Claw"
"How's dat?" was the answering
cry Of the tingling Rastus
Look out for the Iron Claw" re-
peated the voice so close behind him.
For Tito, averse alike to restraint and
confinement. had thrust a bright-col-
ored head through a hole In the gun
nysack, and was barking that cry with
an indignation born of gross ill-treat-
ment.
"Wha-what iron claw" demanded
the sweating Rastus
I'll get you" announced the bode-
full voice behind him. And at that
threat utter and unreasoning panic
seized the terrified Rastus, who, with
throaty below of agony, charged
across a newly-dug garden and bound
ed like rotund jackrabbit down a
moonlit alley bordered with shadowy
fences.
At the end of this alley Rastus
plunged through q narrow gate. and
charged bodily into the peaceful beer
garden belonging to the roadhouse Of
one Antonio Dibello, where sat four
men in quiet conference about one Of
the little iron tables we'll out of pub
lie ken.
These men showed prompt resent
ment at this unheralded interruption
to their talk. But as the parrot. with
its head thrust through a hole in the
gunnysack, repeated its shrill cry Of
Look out for the Iron Claw" these
men rose in a body to their feet
Their leader, who in even the dim
light from the garden lamps showed
himself to be a one-armed man with
a strangely-scarred face. sprang for
the terrified negro. Rastus, however,
was in no mood for either interruption
or argument He merely emitted a
whoop of reawakened terror and head
ed for home.
There he burst In upon the astound
ed Jemima and collapsed with a
Quavering groan Of exhaustion. But BE-
fore Jemima could either understand
the nature Of his ailment or investi-
gate the contents Of his gunnysack.
second and even more violent irrup-
ton took place. Legar and his men
dragged the quaking and gasping Ras-
tus to his feet. showed him into chair,
and snatched up the gunnysack From
1t they took out the protesting
green parrot and wonderingly ex.
amined II.
Where did you get that parrot?"
was the quick demand of the man who
wore an iron hook where hand ought
to be. Rastus merely wheezed and
shook in the legs and showed the
whites of his eyes. 1t was indeed,
several minutes before he was so
much as awakened to the fact that he
was not in the grip Of the law. But
once convinced of that fact. he became
voluble enough in his protestations to
oblige the white genl'men" with any
they desired. He even led
those white gentlemen back to the
of Hannahs chicken
coop.
SO engrossed were they in their dis
coveries that they thereupon paid
scant attention to Rastus himself.
who took advantage of that diversion
to disappear.
There were certain phases Of that
hurried pursuit, however. which had
not entirely escaped the attention of
tored casually about the quiet streets
Of Cedarton earlier in the evening.
Aunt Jemima Watson. In fact, had
recovered from the shock
upon the sudden invasion
Of her cottage when she discovered
herself confronted by still another
stranger. And the fact that this
stranger wore a yellow mask did not
add to her immediate peace of mind.
All | want to know, my good wom-
an. is where those men are taking
your husband
"Dey's takin' him back { whar he |
lone got dat bird" explained the me-
Sress The stranger started for the |
ioor. Then he stopped. dead short. |
For lying overlooked on the floor, |
close beside a battered water bucket, |
10 caught sight of a familiar-looking |
,blong Of yellow paper. In another
moment he had possession of it.
Where did that paper come from"
lie demanded. For he knew that it
vas the long-sought Golden chart
which he held in his hand
Dat done come from nah offus
weepin's." explained the other. But
nah Rastus allows it haint even wuff
green tradin' stamp"
Your Rastus may be right" was
he strangers quiet reply. But it's
worth this much to me-" And Aunt
emima found a ten-dollar bill thrust
nto her astonished pink palm. That
5 yours. my good woman. IL you do
ust one thing. and do 1t quickly.
Fant you to go to the sheriff's. wake
i'm up. and get him to the house
There that woman called Hannah
FORKS. Tell him to get there In a
urry. and to bring his men. or thereu
o murder done In this village before
he sun rises!''
The man in the yellow mask waited
Or nothing more. A minute later he