Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-12-26

asleep OUTSIDE ana met MS QedIH III
an attempt at escape, but the old
! white man, finding fight impossible,
had fought desperately to the last and
had killed one antagonist before re-
ceiving his death blow. This was all
plain enough, but what had become of
Kirby, of the two women-Eloise and
the quadroon mother?
Uncertain what to do or how to act.
/ could only turn to the waiting girl
and the negro to tell them what | had
found.
They listened as though scarcely
comprehending, Sam uttering little
means. of horror. and appearing help
less from fright, but Rene quiet, mere
ly exhibiting her emotion in the white
ness of her face and quickened breath
ing. Her eyes, wide open, questioning,
seemed to sense my uncertainty. AS l
ended the tale and concluded with my
theory as to 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 it has not occurred to you that
the boat might have waited here while
the man Kirby went aShOre?"
mo that could scarcely be true, il
the steamer was transporting troops
what was it you were thinking about?
ut is all dark, of course" she sale
slowly, 1--WE can only guess at Wha'
happened. But to me it seems impos
sible that the man Kirby could have
accomplished this alone-wfthOut as
sistance. The boat we saw at the
landing was not his; it must have
of any other trail leading here from the
river. If, as you imagine, he knew
the captain of that steamer, and some
of the other men aboard were Nilsson
rians and defenders of slavery, he
would have no trouble in enlisting
their help to recover his runaway
slaves. They would be only too glad
to break up an abOlitionist's nest.
That is what I believe has happened !;
they came ashore in party, and the
Steames 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 / admitted; i'm
pressed, yet not wholly convinced.
But what can we do?"
She looked at me reproachfully.
"You should not ask that of a girl"
The words Stung me.
"NO; this is my task. I was
thoughtlessly cruel. Neither can we
remain here, only long enough to bury
those bodies. 1t would be inhuman
not to do that. Sam, there is an old
spade leaning against the cabin wall
go 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 it
proved to be less difficult of accom-
plishment than I had anticipated.
There were blankets In the cabin
hunks, and in these l 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 neces-
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 at the thought of being left alone
Shan of contact with the dead Sam
filed i'll the loose earth, rounding It
into form, and the two of us stood
above the fresh mound, our bent
heads barred to the sunlight, while
endeavored to repeat brokenly few
words of prayer. Now our first .neceS-
sity was food. OF this / found fair
supply, and compelling Sam to assist
me- we hastily prepared warm meal
| over the open fire. 1t was eaten with
out, no one of us desiring to remain
in 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
| 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.
/ l spoke of this to her, as I finally