Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-12-27
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The Dawn u psspsr intsrsst.
II tested his skill 40 q bostman to
locate the exact spot sought amid that
gloom. yet he finally attained to It
closely enough 20 I was able to get
ashore, wading nearly thigh deep In
water and mud, but only to learn that
the boat. which had provisloned ear.
lier In the evening had disappeared
from Ito moorings. No trace Of II
could be found In the darkness. al
though I devoted several minutes to
the search. To my mind this was pos.
Tive evidence that Pete had returned,
accompanied by the two frightened
women, and that. finally despairing Of
my arrival, had departed with them UP
the river. In all probability we would
overhaul the party before morning,
certainly before they could attain the
mouth Of the Illinois. Imade my way
back to the keelboat with this infor.
nation. and the laborlng engine began
to chug even while was briefly ex-
planning the situation to Rene. She
listened almost YEARLY, asking but
| few questions, and both Of US soon
lapsed into silence. A little later she
had pillowed her head on her arms
and apparently had fallen asleep.
| must have dozed myself as the
hours passed, although hardly aware
OF doing so. It was faint and dim,
promise more than realization Of APP
proaching day, yet already sufficient to
afford me view Of the shore at our
| right and to reveal the outlines Of
sharp point Of land ahead jutting into
| the stream. The mist rising from or
the water in vaporous clouds obscnred
! oil else, rendering the scene weird and
unfamiliar. 1t was indeed desolate
view. the nearby land low. and with
out verdure, in many places over
| flowed, and the river itself sullen and
| angry. Only that distant point ap-
| peared clearly defined and real, with
| the slowly Frightening sky beyond.
endeavored to arouse myself from stu
por, rubbing the. sleep from my eyes.
Rene had changed her posture, but
still slumbered, with face completely
| concealed In her arms: but Sam was
wide awake and turned toward me
| grinning, at my first movement. In
| stinctively I liked the fellow-he APP
peared both intelligent and trust
worthy.
daylight. Is itT said. speaking
low SO as not to awaken the girl. II
must have been asleep
"Yas, sab; yer's bin a-nodd!n' fer
de las hour All wus bout ter stir yer
up, sab, fer All reckon as how we's
mos dar."
"Most where?" staring about incred-
ulously. ooh, yes. Rassuer creek.
Have we made that distance alreadyT
oval, we's bin a-goin' ct mighty
good gait, sab. She amt done fooled
none on me all dis night" his hand
laid lovingly on the engine. "Nebber
! kicked up no row O. no kind-just
chug, chug. chug right long. Pears
like she sorter know'd dis niger he'd
ter git away. Enyhow, we bin movin'
long now right smart fer bout four
! hours, an Rassuer creek am just
round dat pint yonde-Ah's mighty
sure OBJ dat. sah."
He was right, but It was broad day
! light when we reached there. the east
ern sky glorious crimson, and the
girl sitting up staring at the brilliant
colpring as though it pictured to her
the opening of a new world. The pas
sage Of few hundred yards revealed
the mouth of Rassuer creek, narrow
but sluggish stream, so crooked and
encroached upon by the woods as to
be practically invisible from the CEN
ter Of the river. The water was not
deep, yet fortunately proved suffi-
GENTLY so for our purpose, although,
we were obliged to both pole and
paddle the boat upward against the
slow current, and it required an hour
Of hard labor to place the craft safely
beyond the first bend, where it might
lie roughly concealed by the interven-
Ing fringe Of trees. Here we made
fast to the bank.
I assisted Rene ashore, and aided
her to climb to higher level, carpeted
with grass. The broad river was in
visible, but we could look directly
! down upon the bout, where Sam was
already busily rummaging through the
lockers In search Of something to eat.
He came ashore presently, bearing
| some corn pone and goodly portion
| of jerked beef. Deciding 1t would be
better not to attempt fire, we divided
this and made the best meal possible,
meanwhile discussing the situation
anew, and planning what to do next.
The negro, seated at one side alone
upon the grass, said little, beyond re-
plying to my questions, yet scarcely
once removed his eyes from the girls
face. He seemed unable to grasp the
thought that she was actually Of his
race, runaway slave, or permit his
tongue to utter any words Of equality.
Indeed I could not prevent my own
| glance from being constantly attracted
in her direction also. Whatever had
been her mental strain and anguish,
| the long hours Of the night had In no
marked degree diminished her beauty.
To me she appeared even younger and
more attractive than in the dim glare
Of the lampught the evening before {;
and this In spite Of WEAKNESS In her
eyes and the lassitude Of her manner.
She spoke but little. compelling her
self to eat. and assuming cheerful
ness was sure she was far from feel
Ing. It was clearly evident her
thoughts were elsewhere, and finally