Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-12-29

had killed one antagonist before re-
celving his death blow. This was all
plain enough, but what had become OF
Kirby az the two womep-Eloiss and
the quudroOn motherf
Uncertain what 10 DO or how TO act.
I could only turn 10 the waiting girl
and the negro TO tell them what had
found.
They listened rs though scarcely
comprehendlng. Sam utterlng little
means of horror. and appearing help
less from fright, but Rene quiet, mere
IN exhibiting her emotion In the white
ness of her face and qulckencd breath
Ing. Her eyes. wide open, questioning,
seemed 10 sense my uncertainty. As
ended the tale and concluded with my
theory as 10 what had occurred fol.
lowing the deed OF blood, her quick
mind asserted itself.
but this must have happened very
lately; the fire still smoldered, you
said. When do you think that steamer
could have landed here|
"Why, perhaps early last evening
"And II has not occurred to you that
the boat might have waited here while
the man Kirby went ashorcT
mo: that could scarcely be true. II
the steamer was transporting troops
what was II you were thinking aboutF
at is all dark. OF course" she said
slowly. 1--WE can only guess ut whit
happened. But to me II seems impos
slble that the man Kirby could have
accomplished this alone-without as
sstanCe. The boat we saw ut the
landing was not his: 1t must have
been Pete's, and there is no evidence
of any other trail leading here from the
river. If, rs you imagine, he knew
the captain of that steamer, and some
of the other men aboard were Mlssou.
rlans and defenders of slavery. he
would have no trouble In enllsting
| their help to recover his runaway
| slaves. They would he only too glad
| 10 break up an abolltionsts nest.
That is what believe has happened;
they came ashore In party, and the
steamer waited for them
"And you think the prisoners were
taken along? Yet Kirby would not
want to transport them up the river"
| AS to that" she insisted, she could
not help himself. He needed TO get
away quickly, and there We're no other
means available. He could only hope
| TO connect later with some craft south
| bound on which to return"
"You may be right" l admitted. I'M
pressed. yet not wholly convinced.
| Put what can we dO?"
She looked at me reproachfully.
"You should not ask that Of girl"
! The words stung me.
"NO; this is my task. I was
thOughtlessly cruel. Neither can we
remain here, only long enough 10 bury
those bodies. 1t would be inhuman
not to do that. Sam, there Is an old
spade leaning against the cabin wall
/ 20 over and get it,
! He started on his mission reluc-
family enough, glancing constantly
| backward over his shoulder to insure
himself OF our presence and carefully
avoiding any approach to the open
door
Unpleasant as our task was II
proved to be less difficult of accom-
plishment than | had anticipated.
| There were blankets In the cabin
hunks, and in these i wrapped the
bodies. They were too heavy, how
ever, for me to transport alone, and it
required some threatening to induce
Sam to give me the assistance neCcs-
sary to deposit them in the shallow
grave. Only the fear that / would
not have him with us longer compelled
his joining me. He was more fright
ened ut the thought Of being left alone
than Of contact with the dead. SaIl
filed in the loose earth. rounding 1t
into form, and the two of us stood
above the fresh mound, our bent
heads barred to the sunlight, while
endcavored TO repeat brokcnly rev
words of prayer. Now our first neces-
sty was food OF this | found fair
supply, and compelling Sam to assist
me, we hastily prepared n warm meal
over the open fire. 1t was eaten with
out. no one of us desiring to remain
I'm the midst of that scene of death !;
and the very knowledge that the
dread burial was completed and that
we were now free to depart brought TO
all of us renewed courage.
1t scarcely seemed probable that one
man alone, or even two men, had com
mitted this crime, and the sole sur
vivor disappear so completely with the
prisoners. | had turned each detail
over and over in my thought, while
I worked. yet to but little purpose.
The only present solution of the prob
lem seemed to be our return to that
hidden basin where our boat lay. and
then remaining there in concealment
until the darkness of another night
rendered it safe to once more venture
the river.
I smoke OF this to her, ms I finally
opproaChcd where she rested on the
stump, eager and glad to escape from
all memories of that soInbcr cabin |
had just left.
"You-you are no longer so conf
dent" she said; your plan has
fnilcd?"
Il am afraid It has" I admitted
'for 1t was based altogether on the
assistance of Amos Shrunk. He Is no
longer alive. and | do not know where
to turn for guidance. There would
seem TO be danger in every direction
the only question is--in which way lies