Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-11-07
CHAPTER XI.
The Story Of Elsie Clark.

The next two hours dragged dread
fully slow, in spite of my pretense at
steady work, and the fact that nv
thoughts were continuously occupied.
A cautious whsper, sounding almost
at my very ear. caused me to glance
up quickly, startled at the unexpected
sound. ] could perceive nothing, al
though 1 instantly felt convinced that
whispering voice had issued from be-
tween the narrow slats defending the
small stateroom window. No one was
in sight along the deck, and the rag
1 was welding hung limp in my hand.
"Who was It that spoken" I ven
tured, the words barely audible.
"Ah did-the prisoner in the state
room. Have both those men gone?"
"Yes; / am here alone. You are a
woman? You are Rene Beaucaire?"
mo, An am not her; but Ah know
whar Rene Beaucaire is"
"You know? Tell me first who you
are"
"Elsie Clark. All am a mulatto, a
free negress. All bin helpin' Massa
Shrunk, an cookin' fer him. Yer
know whut 1t wus whut happened
down tharT
"I know part of 1t, at least-that
Shrunk has been killed. l was at
Shrunk's cabin and found the bodies.
Tell me exactly what occurred there"
"Whut's yer name?"
STEVEN Knox; am a soldier. Rene
must have told you about me-"
mo. sab; she never done tol' me
nuthin'. All didn't much morn see
her enyhow, fur as thet goes"
mot see herl. Then she is not con.
fined there with your"
"Wiv me? Oar amt nobody con
fined yer wiv me. All just amt SCI
eyes on nobody since All done got on
board, 'cept de cook. All reckon dem
white men aim fer ter tote me soufe
an sell me fer slave; dat's why Abs
locked up yere dis way. But All sure
does know whar dis yer Rene Beau
caire wus."
"Where?"
"Wal, sab, 1t wus bout like dis
Long bout three o'clock in de mau
ming OF Bill Skies cum up frum d,
lower pint, a-drivin' his kivered wag
on, an made Massa Shrunk git up ou
er bed fer ter git him anodder team O
hosses. Den dey done routed me VI
fer ter hustle up sum grub"
"Sikes; who was Sikes?"
He lives down by de lower pike
sab; he's an abolitionist, sah."
"Oh, 1 see; he and Shrunk worke,
together. He helped with the runawa,
slaves"
"Yes, sab. Abs bin called up the
way afore. So All just nat'larly wen
ter work cookin', an purity soon de-
all ov 'em cum stragglin' in ter d
: cabin fer ter eat. Oar was four O
'em, sah," her voice husky whisper
J "Bill Skies, tOtin' a gun in his han,
free niger whut dey called Pete, ar
two wimmin. De bigger one was
quadroon, maybe bout forty years oil
an de Odder she want much more'
gal; an dar want nuthin' ov de ME
ger bout her. 'cept it mought be d
} hair, an de eyes-dem was sure blac
! 'nough."
"You learned who they were?"
Course All did. Skies he 'splaine
. all bout 'em ter Massa Shrunk, an A
: heerd whut he sed. All was a waitir
on 'em. We all ov US helped fer te
put 'em In de wagon, hid undeh lot
truck, an den Skies he done drove 'eI
| out thro' de bluffs. All done wake
wifi de gal, an she toll NOR bout he
t self, an whar she cum frum; an ds
!. wus her name, sah."
"Her name? What name?"
] "Rene Beaucaire; de quadroon won
:, an, she wus her mother"
a l could scarcely voice my surpris
r the quick throbbing Of my heart threa
d ening to choke me.
"She claimed that name? She actua
e ly told you she was Rene Beaucairei
r "She sure did. Why? Want the
s her nameT
II do not know" I confessed. "Pe
+ haps shall understand better, If yo
y go on. What happened after the
: leftT
i why, we Just went back ter be