The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-11-20

right.
1t was in my heart to speak to her,
In effort to strengthen her faith, but I
hesitated. scarcely knowing what to
say, deeply touched by the pathetic
droop of her figure, and in truth UNI
certain In my own mind as to whether
or not we had chosen the wiser
course. All dared do was to silently
reach out one hand and rest II gently
on those fingers clasping the rail. She
did not remove her hand from beneath
mine, nor indeed give the slightest EVIL
dence that she was even aware of my
action.
"Wus All to turn nor, sah2" asked
the negro suddenly.
"Yes, upstream; but keep in as close
to the shore as you think safe. There
Is no settlement along this bank, Is
therep
"No, sab; dar's JUS one cabin. bout
mile upstream, but dar amt nobody
Twin thar now. Whar yer all aim
fer ter go?"
I hesitated an instant before I an
swered, yet almost as quickly decided
that the whole truth would probably
one reason to use his best endeavors
now would bring before him Sec
ond
"Just as far up the river before day
light as possible, Sam. Then / hope
to uncover some hiding place where
we can lie concealed until 1t is dark
again. Do you know any such placer
"On de Illinois shore, sab? Les see:
thar's Rassuer creek, bout twenty
mile up. All 'spects you all knows
whut yer a headin' fer?"
ITO certain eXtent-yes; but we
had to decide on this action very
quickly, with no chance to plan 1t out.
am aiming at the mouth Of the ILL
| nois."
He glanced about at me, vainly en-
deavoring to decipher my expression
in the gloom.
ode Illinois ribber, boss; what yer
hope fer ter find thar?"
"A certain man I've heard about.
Did you ever happen to hear white
man mentioned who lives near there?
His name is Amos Shrunk."
could scarcely distinguish his eyes,
! but 1 could feel them. l thought for
q moment he would not answer.
"Yer'll surely excuse me, sah," he
said at last, humbly, his voice with a
note of pleading it it. "Ah's feelin'
friendly 'nough an all dat, sab, but
still yer mus member dat Abs talkin'
ter a perfect stranger. If yer wud
sure tell me furst just whit yer was
amin at, then maybe Aid know a
heap morn All do now"
81 guess you are right, Sam. I'll tell
you the whole Of 1t. l am endeavor-
ing to help this young woman to
escape those men back yonder. You
must know why they were there; no
doubt you overheard them talk coming
up?"
"Yas. sab; Massa Donaldson he was
goin' up fer ter serve sum papers fer
Massa Kirby, so he cud run off de
Beaucaire niggers. But dis we're gal,
she amt no nigger-she's just white
pusson."
"She is slave under the law" i
said gravely. as she made an effort to
move, land the man Kirby claims her."
I could see his mouth fly open. but
the surprise Of this statement halted
his efforts at speech.
"That explains the whole situation"
I went on. SNOW will you answer
me?"
"'Bout dis yere Massa Shrunk?'
"Yes-you have heard Of him be-
fore?"
"Ab reckon as how maybe All has.
sah."
"Do you know where he can be
found"
"Not perzackly, sab. All amt never
onct bin thar, but All sorter seems fer
ter recollec' sum'thin' bout whar he
mought be. All reckon maybe All cud
go thar, If All just he'd to. All reckon
if yer all held dat pistol plum 'gainst
nah he'd, Aid mos likely find dis
Amos Shrunk. Good Lord, sab I" and
his voice sank to whisper, "Ah just
can't git hol' o. all dis-Ah sure can't.
sah-'bout her ben' a Niger"
Rene turned about, lifting her face
into the starlight.
whether I am white or colored.
SAM" she said quietly, "can make
little difference to you now. I am a
woman and am asking your help.
can trust you, can 1 not?"
The negro on his knees stared at
her, the whites of his eyes conspicu-
Gus. Then suddenly he jerked off his
old hat.
"Ah 'spects yer kin, missus," he
pledged himself in a tone of convic-
ton which made my heart leap. "Ah's
bin a slave-nigger fer forty-five years,
but just de same All amt never bin
mean ter no woman. Vas, sab, yer
don't neither one OBJ yer eber need ter
ask Sam no mor'--he's a-goin' thro'
wild yer all ter de end-he sure am,
ma'am."