The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1919-10-16

upon him. his thick lips instantly part.
Ing In a good-natured grin.
''De good Lord be praised he
calculated, In undisguised delight. us
yer really awake agin, honey? De
doctah say he done thought ye'd cum
round by terday sure, sah."
"The doctorT 1 questioned In sur
prise. my voice sounding strange and
far away. "Have / been here long?"
"Goin' on bout ten days, sab. Yer
was powerful bad hurt an out o. yer
head, 1 reckon"
"What was 1t that happened? Did
someone shoot me?"
The negro scratched his head, shut
fling his bare feet uneasily on the dirt
| floor.
"Yas, sab. Mr.. Knox," he admitted
| with reluctance. "Ts sure powerful
| sorry, sab, but I was de boy whit
plugged yer. Yer see. sab, 1t done
| happened dis-a-way," and his black
face registered genuine distress.
''Thar's a mean gang o. white folks
round we're thet's took 1t inter their
heads ter lick every free niger, an
when yer done come up ter my door
In de middle OBJ de night, a-cussin',
an a-threatenin' fer ter break in, I
just nat'arlly didn't wanter be licked,
an'-an' so blazed away. rs pow
erful sorry bout 1t now, sah."
mo doubt 1t was more my fault
than yours. You are a free negro,
them"
"Yas, sab. I done belong onct ter
Colonul Silas Carlton, sab, but afore
he died, just because / done saved his
boy frum drownin' in de ribber, de OIL
colonul he set me free, an give me a
patch o. Ian ter raise corn on"
'What Is your name?"
"Pete, sar. Free Pete Is whit mostly
de white folks call me-" He laughed,
white teeth showing and the whites
Of his eyes. eyer see thar am a pow.
erful lot o. Petes round bout yere
sah."
drew a deep breath, conscious OF
weakness as I endeavored to change
position.
"All right, Pete; now I want to un
derstand things clearly. You shot me-
supposing I was making an assault
on you. Your bullet lodged In my
shoulder. What happened then?"
swell. after while, san, thar want
no NOR noise, an l reckoned I'd eli,
Their done hit yer er else yed run
away. An thar We wus, sab, a-lyin'
on yer back like We wus dead. Just
so soon as 1 saw We I know'd ~ how
we never was no nigger-hunter but o
stranger in desc yere parts. So
dragged We inside de cabin, an washed
up yer hurts. But We never got no bet
tab, so got skeered, an went hoofin'
1t down fer de doctah at Beaucaire
Landin', sab, an when he cum back
along wild me he dug the bullet outer
yer shoulder. an left some truck fel
me ter CIV yer. He's done been yerl
three times, sah."
"From Beaucaire LANDINGS that
town.
"A sorter town, sab; bout four miles
down ribber."
The mentioning Of this familiar
word brought back instantly to my
darkened understanding all those
main events leading up to my pres
ence In this neighborhood. Complete
memory returned, every separate Incl.
dent sweeping through my brain-<
Kirby. Carver, the fateful game Of
cards In the cabin Of the Warrior, the
sudden death Of the Judge, the mob
| II 60, rH khe ckv 20
deck, my being thrown overheard. and
the danger threatening the two inno.
cent daughters of Beaucaire. And
had actually been lying In this negro
hut, burning up with fever, helplessly
delirious, for ten days. What had
already occurred In that space OF
time? What villainy had been con.
cocted and carried QUIT"
snow see here, Pete" I began ear
nestly. "How did you learn what M
name WASP"
"De doctah he foun' dat out, sab
He done looked through yer pockets
sab, an he took two papers whit hs
foun' dar away wild him. He done toll
me as how yer wus an offercer in do
army-a leftenant err sumthin'-an'
tibet dem papers ought fer ter be STINT
ter de gov'ner at onct. De Las time
he wus yere he tol' me tibet he whit
down ter st. Louee hisself, an done
gif bof dem papers ter Gov'ner Clark
, So yer don't need worry none bout
/ dem no NOR"
: sank back onto the hard pillow
, greatly relieved by this information
t The burden Of official duty had beer
: taken from me. 1 was now on fur
' Tough and free to act as pleased.
"Have you picked up any news late
: ~ from Beaucaire plantationY
81 heerd dey done brought de bod,
: oh de oil jedge home, sah-he diet
mighty sudden sumwhar I'D de ribber