Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-11-07


complete that laughed aloud, assured
by that one glance that the gambler,
confident that was dead, would never
by any possibility recognize me in this
guise. or while habilitated In such
nondescript garments.
But the girl-Rene? And SO this
was how l had appeared to her. No
wonder she questioned me; doubted
my first explanation. 1 had ap-
preached her confident that my ap-
pearance as gentleman would awak-
en- her trust; had felt myself to be
a most presentable young man, In
whom she must instantly repose faith.
Yet this had not been true at all
instead ] came to her with the out
ward bearing Of q worthless vaga-
bond. stubble-bearded outcast. And
yet she had trusted me; would trust
me again. More: she could never be
deceived, or fail to recognize nv pres
ence aboard II she had the free -om Of
the deck. Kirby might be deceived.
but not Rene. II / could only plan to
meet with her first alone, the peril of
her recognition would not be extreme.
But I must also figure upon the
| other woman. Who could she be7 Not
Eloise Beaucaire surely, for the mate
had only mentioned one of the two as
being sufficiently white to be notice
able. That one would surely be Rene,
and It was scarcely probable that
Eloise, with no drop Of negro blood In
her veins, could appear colored. Per-
haps this second woman was Della,
the quadroon mother. But If so how
did she chance to fall alone into Kir-
by's clutches? Was she aboard the
keelboat, locked below In the cabin,
when It rammed into us? If she had
been captured at Shrunk's camp dur
ing their murderous raid, what had
become Of her companion? Where was
Eloise Beaucaire? The harder /
sought to straighten out this mystery
the more involved 1t became.
With every additional glance at the
face reflected by the mirror my conf
dence strengthened in the ability to
encounter Kirby and pass unrecog-
nized. Convinced as he undoubtedly
was Of my death In the black waters of
the river he could not possibly imag-
Inc my presence aboard the Adven-
turer, while my personal appearance
was so utterly changed as to suggest
to his mind no thought Of familiarity.
The conditions were all in my favor.
I was smiling grimly at this conceit.
well pleased at the chance thus af.
forded me. when the stateroom door
was suddenly flung open and the hairy
face Of the mate thrust within.
'T reckon yer better tote them wet
duds down ter the boiler room," he
said gruffiy, "an' then git sum grub.
Likely 'nough yer wouldn't mind
eatin' bit. Be yer a river manT
"Pve never worked on a steamboat
IL that is what you mean.'
"No; well, l reckoned not, but the
captain he thought maybe yer had. ]
toP him yer didn't talk like no steamer
hand. Howsumever, we're almighty
short o. help aboard, an maybe yer'd
like Job ter help pay yer wayP
My fingers involuntarily closed on
some loose goldpieces in my pocket
but a sudden thought halted me. WHY
not7 In what better way could
escape discovery? As an employees
Of the boat would go about the decks
unsupported, and unnoticed. KIRBY
would never give me a second thought
or glance, while the opportunity thus
afforded Of speaking to Rene and be
ing of service to her would be immeas
urably increased. / withdrew m,
hand, swiftly deciding my course o1
action.
81 suppose might as well earn .
Bit" admitted, hesitatingly. "Only
had about decided I'd enlist If tn,
war was still going on when we got III
there"
"That'n be all right. Well keep We
busy till then, enyhow. Go on dow
below now an eat, an when yer ri
through climb up the ladder an repor
ter me. What'll 1 call yerT
"Steve."
"steve-hey; sorter handy man
amt yer?"
swell, I've done little of every
thing In my time. I'm not afraid t
work."
During most of the remaining hour
! Of the morning the mate kept me en-
ployed below, in company with a nun
Der Of others of the crew, in sortin
over the miscellaneous cargo, whic
|, had evidently been very hastily loat
/. ed. The work was hard and dirt,
and after a few hours of 1t l mus
, have looked my assumed part to pel
, fection. The overseer gave me a hs
which added little to my personal al
pearance, and by the time we wer
called to knock Off for the noon me.
l was thoroughly tired and disguise,
Keeling as much a roustabout as I CO
tainly looked.
The meal was served on an II,
planed plank, the ends resting on kes
In front Of the boilers. | was sti
I busily munching away on the coars
I poorly cooked food when Mape
I prowling about, chanced to spy II
among the shadows.
"Hullo; Is that you, SteveY" |
asked gruffiy. "Well, when yer o
done eatin' got another Job fer v,
on deck. Yer hear meF
l signified that did. and indeed w,
| even then quite ready to go, my hea
throbbing at this opportunity to su
4 vey other sections of the boat. fC
n lowed him eagerly up the ladder, ar
n ten minutes later was busily employ,
H with scrubbing brush and a bucket
y water In an endeavor to improve Il
. outward appearance of the paint
~ the upper deck. was engaged bust
scraping at the dingy paint of the pill
" mousse when negro. evidently a COO
ID from his dress. came up from Il
D. lower deck, bearing a tray well lad,
IS with food In one hand, and disa
s. peared aft. He did not even mott
K my presence or glance about, but
d. instantly shrank back out of sight {
ID became Immediately conscious til
* someone was closely following hi
to This second man proved to be one