Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-10-21
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say, deeply, touched by the pathetic
droop of her figure, and In truth un'
certain In my own mind as to whether
or not we had chosen athe wiser
course. SAll + dared do was 10 silently
reacS cat one hand and rest i gently
on those fingers clasping the rail. She
did not remove her hand from beneath
mine, nor indeed give the slightest .evi-
dence that she was even aware of my
action. ,-f...
- .Wus All to turn nor, sah?" 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
fhere?" 's
: ..No, sab; dar's JUS one cabin, bout
a mile upstream, but dar amt nobody
liyin thar now. Whar yer all aim
ferlter gop
s I hesitated an instant before I an
y swered, yet almost as quickly decided
that the whole truth would probably
serve US best. The man already had
one reason to use his best endeavors;
now would bring before him Sec
4ond.
"Just as far up the river before day
light az possible, Sam. Then hope
to uncover some hiding place where
we. can lie concealed until it is dark
again. Do you know any such placer
"On de Illinois shore, sab? Les see:
thar's Rassuerl creek, bout twenty
mile up. All 'speets you all knows
whut yer headin' fer?"
aTo a certain extent-yes; but we
had to decide on this action very
quickly, with no chance to plan it out.
/ am aiming at the mouth of the ILL
nois.n r..
He glanced about at me, vainly en-
deavoring to decipher my expression
In the gloom.
"De Illinois ribber, boss; what yel
hope fer ter find thar?"
"a certain man I've heard about
Did you ever happen to hear q white
man mentioned who lives near tlierei
His name is Amos Shrunk."
could scarcely distinguish HIS eyes
but I could feel them. / thought for
q moment he would not answer.
"Yer'll surely excuse me, sah," he
said at last, humbly. his voice with 9
note Of pleading 1t it. "Ah's feelin
friendly 'nough an all dat. sab, but
still yer mus member dat Abs talkin
ter perfect stranger. If yer wut
sure tell me furst just whut yer wa.
aimin' at, then maybe Ah'd know {
heap morn All do now"
81 guess you are right, Sam. I'll tel
you the whole Of it. / am endeavor
ing to help this young woman ts
escape those men back yonder. Yol
must know why they were there; NJ
doubt you overheard them talk coming
up7"
"Yas. sab; Massa Donaldson he wa.
goin' up fer ter serve sum papers feI
Massa Kirby, so he cud run Off dt
Beaucaire niggers. But dis yere gal
she amt no nigger-she's just white
pusson."
+ "She is>a slave under the law" !
said gravely. as she made an effort tt
move. "and the man Kirby claims her.
I could see his mouth fly open, bu
the surprise of this statement haltet
his efforts at speech.
"That explains the whole situation
I went on. "Now will you answer
me?"
"'Bout dis yere Massa Shrunk?"
"Yes-you have heard Of him be
fore?"
"Ah reckon as how maybe All has
= sah." q
"Do you know where he can be
found?"
"Not perzackly, sab. All amt never
onct bin thar, but All sorter seems fei
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, Ah'd mos likely find dis
Amos Shrunk. Good Lord, sah!" and
his voice sank to a whisper, "Ah just
can't git hop O. all dis-Ah sure can't,
sah--'bout her bein' 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
woman and am asking your help.
can trust you, can l 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 q tone of convic-
tion which made my heart leap. "Ah's
bin a slave-nigger fer forty-flve years,
but Just de same All amt never bin
mean ter no woman. Vas, sab, yer
don't neither one oh yer eber need ter
ask Sam no mOr'-he's a-goin' thro'
wild yer all ter de end-he sure am,
ma'am."
Silence descended upon us, and ]
slipped the pistol back into my pocket.
Rene rested her cheek on her hand
and gazed straight ahead into the