The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-12-04
Of the Block Hazxk Wat.
Randall
Parrish

lem, Illinoy, an | amt got but just one
job right nOw-that'S ter make them
boys tote this stun. an ] reckon
; they're goin' ter do it,"
With the exchange of another word
or two they parted, and not until
thirty years later did | realize what
that chance meeting meant, there in
The clay mud of Yellow Banks. at the
edge Of the Indian wilderness. when
Abraham Lincoln Of Illinois and Jeffer-
son Davis OF Mississippi stood in com
radeship with clasped hands.
We had unlOaded perhaps a quarter
Of our supplies, when an officer sudden
ly appeared over the crest of the bank
and hailed the captain. There was a
tone of authority in his voice which
caused us TO knock off work and lis
ten.
rs Captain COrcoran there? bring
orders from headquarters. You are TO
discontinue unloading, captain. retain
the remainder of the provisions an
board and prepare at once to take on
men"
"Take on men? We are not to return
south, Them"
mo; you're going in the other direc-
tion-up the Rock. You better get
busy"
He wheeled his horse and disap-
peared. leaving the angry captain
venting his displeasure on the vacant
air. Kirby, evidently from some posi-
tion across the deck, broke in with a
sharp question.
What is that. Corcoran? Did the
fellow say you were not going back TO
st. LOUISE
That's just what he said. We've
got TO nose our way up Rock river.
with a lot of those measly soldiers
aboard. Here you. Mapes, stop that
unloading, and get steam up-we've
got to put in a night of IT,"
But" insisted Kirby in disgust,
I'm not going up there; aren't there
any boats going DOWN."
How the H. should I know? Go
ashore and find out-you haven't any
thing else t do"
The men below knocked off work
willingly enough and, taking advan-
tage OF the confusion on board. | en-
deavored 10 creep up the stairs and
gain a view of the upper deck. But
both Mapes and the second mate made
this attempt impossible, forcing me
into the ranks of the others and COM
polling me 10 restow the cargo. So far
as l could perceive. no attempt to de-
part was made by anyone, excepting
a big fellow with a red mustache, who
swore profanely as he struggled
through the mud. dragging a huge
valise.
The situation puzzled and confused
me. What choice would Kirby and the
deputy make? If nee up Rock river
the Adventurer might very likely not
return for weeks. and 1t did o seem
to me possible that the impatient gam
bier would consent to suca q delay.
Every advance northward brought
with II a new danger of ex-
posture. THESE were Illinois troops
to be transported-not regulars,
but militia. gathered from n hundred
hamlets-and many among them would
be open enemies of slavery. Let such
men as these, rough with the pioneer
n Of justice. once suspect the situ-
alton Of those two women. especially
II the m got abroad among them
that Elolse was white, and the slave
hunter would have a hard row to hoe.
And l made up my mind such q rumor
should be sown broadcast aye. more.
throw Off my own disguise and front
him openly with the charge. l could
do no more.
IL was only nm accident which gave
me a clue to the real program. Mapes
sent me back into the vacant space
just forward of the paddle-wheel. seek
Ing a lost canthook. and, as I turned
about to return. the missing tool In my
hand. i paused a momen to glance
curiously out through a slit In the
boats planking. attracted by the sound
OF a loud voice uttering a command.
l was facing the shore AMI a body OF
men. ~ununiformed. slouching along
with small regard TO order. but each
bearing a rifle across his shoulder,
were just tipping the ridge and plow-
ing their way down through the slip
perry clay In the direction of the for
ward gangway. Although ! saw. not
for an instant did my gaze linger on
their disordered ranks. The sight
which held ME m~otionless was rather
that Of a long. broad plank. protected
on either side by a rope rail. stretch
ing from the slope Of the second deck
across the narrow gulf of water. until
II rested It's other end firmly against
the bank.
The meaning Of this was sufficiently
apparent. For some reason Of his
own. Kirby had evidently chosen this
mean of attaining the shore. and
through personal friendship. Corcoran
had consented to aid his purpose. The
reason. plainly enough. was that by use
of this stern gangway the landing par
" would be enabled to attain the bank
without the necessity Of pushing their
way through the crowd of idle loung-
ers forward. And the passage had just
been accomplished. for. as my eyes To-
enssea the scene they recognized the
spare figure Of the deputy disappear