Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-10-28
Tuesday, October 2s, 1919.
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boats planklng with q rock? Could
the leaving of the craft in fit condl-
tfun for our use be part Of some care
fully, conceived plan: a bait TO draw
us into some set trap? Or did 1t occur
merely us an Incident of their hur-
rled flight? These were unanswerable
questions, yet the mere knowledge
that the boat was actually there and
! In navigable condition promised us an
opportunity to escape. While hope re.
manned, however vague, It was not my
nature to, despair. Whether accident
or design had been the cause made no
odds4I was willing to match my wits
against Kirby and endeavor to win.
And i must deal with facts just as
they were.
"It is my guess" I said, "that their
only thought was to get away before
the crime was discovered. Rene.
would you be afraid to remain here
alone FOR a little whfle?" g.
She glanced about into, the gloom Of
the surrounding woods, her hesitancy
answering me.
"It is not a pleasant prospect ad-
init, but there is no possible danger.
Kirby has gone, beyond all question,
but / Wish to learn If / can. the direc-
tion he has taken. All this must have
happened only a short tfme'ago-while
we were al the cabin. The ''keelb0at
can scarcely be entirely out Of sight
yet on either river IL we could only
find "a place to offer us a wide view.r
aBut could / not go with you?"
Z Hardly with me, for I intend to
swim the creek and try to reach the
point at the mouth Of the Illinois,
from where can see up and down the
Mississippi. / am going to send Sam
back through the woods there and
have him climb that ridge. From the
tor, he ought to have good view up
the valley Of the Illinois! ! suppose
you might go with him.
"Ah, sure wish yer wua, missus,"
tbroke In the negro pleadingly. 4Ah
amt perzackly feered fer ter 60 pone,
but Abs an OF man an All reckon as
how youngsgal was likely fer ter see
MORN All wud.. Pears IKE Abs done
los my glasses"
"A faint smile lighted up her face
a mere glimmer of a smile.
"Yes, Sam, FL CO." she said, glanc-
ing up into my eyes and holding out
her hand. "You wish me to, do you
not?n
II think 1t will be fully as well. You
still retain the ristolY' g. p
She nodded her, response, and with
out delaying my departure longer /
lowered myself into the water and
swan toward. the opposite shore,
creeping forth amid a tangle Of roots
and Immediately disappearing in the
underbrush. / found a rough passage
for the first few rods, being obliged to
almost tear way through the close
growth and unable to see, yard In
advance. But this ended suddenly at
the edge of the sand fiat, with the con-
yerging waters Of the two rivers Wis
lille just beyond. My view from here
was narrowed, however, by high ridges
on both sides, and with desire not to
expose myself to any chance eye, /
followed the line Of forest until able
to climb the slope. and thus attain the
crest Of the bluff. '
From this vantage point the view
was extensive. both up and down the
big river, as well as across to the OPP
posite bank. Along that entire sur
face but three objects met my gaze
a small island, green with trees, seem
ingly anchored just beyond the mouth
of the Illinois; numbering barge al
most. opposite me, clearly outlined
against the distant shore, and barely
moving with the current; and far
away below q thin smudge Of smoke,
arising, from behind headland, as
though curling upward from the stack
of some steamer. I felt no doubt but
what this was the stolen keelboat,
speeding toward st. Louis.
This struck me as the most reason
able course to pursue-to work our
way quietly up the Illinois by night,
keeping close in shore to avoid any
passing steamer, until we arrived close
to Beardstown. Undoubtedly there
were blacks in the town, both slaves
and free negroes, with whom Sam
could easily establish an acquaintance
By this means we would soon be able
to Identify that particular preacher
into whose care hoped to conf1de
Rene. Of course the girl might re-
fuse to enter into the game, might de-
cline to assume the role assigned her
however innocent intended it to be
indeed, felt convinced she woulG
meet the suggestion with indignation
But why worry about that now? Let
this be kept as last resort. There
was no necessity for me to even men
tion this part Of my plan until after
our approach to Beardstown; then the
necessity Of our going forward witt
it might be so apparent she could no
refuse to carry on her part. With this
point settled in my own mind I fell
ready to rejoin the others.