The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-11-06
CHAPTER vi.
The Home Of Judge Beaucaire.

The Home Of Judge Beaucaire.
The road we followed appeared to
be endless, and SO rough that soon
climbed down from my seat, an I'M
planed board, uncomfortable enough
under any conditions, In the swaying,
Dumping cart, and stumbled blindly
along behind, tripping over stumps in
the darkness, and wrenching my
ankles painfully in deep ruts.
It was considerably after ten
o'clock when we emerged upon an open
plateau, and a glimmer Of stars over
head revealed to me afar Off the silver
thread of the great river. Pete
stopped the straining mule, feat not
at all difficult Of accomplishment, the
animals sides rising and falling as he
wheezed for breath, and came back
TO where stood. staring about at the
dimly perceived objects in the fore
ground.
"Out dar am de Beaucaire place."
ne announced, as soon as he could dis
tinguish my presence, waving his arm
to indicate the direction. San l
reckon we bettah not ride no further,
fer II Alick shud smell corn, he'd
natTarly raise dis Who'll neighborhood
he's got powerful voice. sah."
Equal to his appetite, no doubt"
''Yas, sab; that's mostly whut Alick
am"
"How far away is the house?"
"Likely bout a hundred yards Yer
see dat light out yonder; well dat 1t,
an / reckon de ladies mus be up vet,
keepin' de lamp burnin'. Here's de
slave cabins long de edge OBJ de
woods, but dey's all dark. What's yer
a goin' fer ter do now, Massa Knox"
was conscious that my heart was
beating rapidly, and that my mind was
anything but clear. The problem 'front.'
ing me did not appear so easily
solved, now that I was fairly up
against 1t, and yet there seemed only
one natural method Of procedure. i
must go at my unpleasant task bold
ly, and in this case only the truth
would serve. I was an officer In the
United States army. and had In my
pocket papers to prove my identity.
These would vouch for me as gen.
tleman, and yield me measure Of au-
thority. And this fact. once estab-
lished, ought to give me sufficient
standing in the eyes Of those girls to
compel from them respectful hear
ing. would tell the story exactly as
i knew 1t, concealing nothing, and add
ing no unnecessary word, outline my
plan of action, and then leave them to
decide what they thought best to do.
Strange, unbelievable as the situation
was, proof was not lacking. Della
could be compelled to acknowledge
that Rene was her child-she would
scarcely dare deny this truth In face
OF my positive knowledge-and she, at
least, must know that Judge Beau
caire had never during his lifetime
given her her freedom. This fact
could be established beyond question,
and then they must surely all compre-
bend the necessity of immediate flight
that there remained no other pos
sible means Of escape from hopeless
slavery. Desperate as the chance APP
peared, it was the only one.
1t dawned upon me now with more
intense force than ever before. the po-
sition In which 1 stood, and ! shrank
from the ordeal. A perfect stranger.
not even chance acquaintance of
those directly involved in this tragedy,
4 would have to drag out from the
closet, where II had been hidden away
Tor years, this old Beaucaire skeleton,
and rattle the dried bones of dishonor
before the Mortified understanding of
these two innocent. unsuspecting girls.
The conviction came to me that had
best do this alone; that the presence
OF the negro would hinder, rather than
help the solution Of the problem.
"Pete." said. measuring my words.
my plan Of action shaping itself even
as I spoke. "What lies In there be-
tween Ms and the houseT
"A <wuck patch mostly, wild fence
round It. Den thar comes SOM flower
beds"
mo pathr'
well, I done reckon as how thar
might be-a sorter path, sab. but you'd
hardly find 1t In de dark. De bes'
way'd be ter sorter feel long de
Fence. It'll yer git sight O. de front
porch"
~All right, then. am going to leave
you here while scout around. Keep
your eyes open, and have the mule
ready to leave at any ninutar