The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1919-03-22

| turn nome In such disgrace, and cOnSe
'quently drifted into the merchant sery
ice. 1t Is story quickly told"
yet not so quickly lived"
mo, 1t meant many hard years, OF
all the oceans Of the world. This 1
the first message reaching me from
the old home"
Il have seen that home" she sail
quietly, land shall never forget tn,
impression it made on me. A beauti
full place. was there on a coachin,
party, the first summer 1 was in Eng
land. l was a mere girl then, ant
everything seemed wonderful. l have
been away from Maryland now fol
three years. Nothing else would sat
isfy father. Maryland is only colony
you know"
"Your home Is at Saint Mary's"
Lower down the Potomac. Have
you ever been there"
'Twice; once as mate, and the last
time as master Of a ship. My latest
voyage in these waters was made
nearly two years ago."
ut is not so strange then, Is 1t, that
l should have felt interested in your
she asked suddenly. as though justify
ing herself. "When Uncle Roger first
told me who you were, and then ex-
planned what had occurred at your
trial, naturally you became to me
something entirely different from the
others. Were you actually with Mon
mouth?'
"In sympathy, yes; but had no
hand in the actual fighting. I was not
even ashore until it was all over with.
Still l shall pay my share Of the bill"
"And you know what that means,
do you not? What will happen when
we reach Virginia?"
Perfectly; l have no illusions. I
have seen just such ships as this come
in. We are to be advertised, and sold
to the highest bidder. A week from
now I shall probably be out in the
tobacco fields, under the whip of an
overseer, who will call me jeff. All l
can hope for Is kind-hearted master,
and an early opportunity to escape"
"Oh, no." and In her eagerness her
hands actually clasped mine. "It is
not going to be quite so bad as that.
That Is what I wanted to tell you.
That Is what gave me holiness to
come across here to you tonight. 1t
has all been arranged. You are not
going to be sold on the block with
hose others. Uncle Roger has already
with the captain for your
You are going north with US
% Maryland"
l drew deep breath, and In the
sudden impulse of relief which swept
,ver me my own fingers closed tightly
lbout her hands.
II owe this to you; I am sure
must owe this to you-tell meT
Her eyes dropped. and in the dim
light I could mark the heaving Of her |
'osom as she caught her breath.
"Only-only the suggestion" she |
managed to say in whisper. "He-
e was glad Of that. You see II
new he needed someone to take
barge Of his sloop, and-and SO I
rought you to his mind. So please
ont thank me-"
Il shall never cease to thank you,"
returned warmly, conscious suddenly
hat was holding her hands, and as
releasing them. "It will save
le the degradation which dreaded
lost Of all-the toiling In the fields
eside negro slaves, and the sting of
he lash. Az, 1t means even more"
/ hesitated, instantly realizing that
must not utter those impetuous
ords leaping to my lips.
"More!' she exclaimed. "What
ore?"
"Thls." went on. my thought shift
g into new channel. "A longer SER
tude. Up to this moment my one
'eam has been to escape, but must
We that up now. You have placed
e under obligations to serve. Be
veen US this has become debt Of
NOR"
But watt" she said earnestly, "for
had even thought Of that. / was ,
ire you would feel that way-any /,
ntleman would. Still there is q way
It. You were sentenced as an In I
injured servant. I saw the entry my I
If. 1t read: 'Geoffry Carlyle, Master l
ariner, indentured to the Colonies 8
r the term Of twenty years, unless t
oner released; crime, high treason |
~ indentured man, under our Mary {
nd laws. can buy his freedom. after t
rving certain proportion Of his
ntence. Did you not know thatf" s
I did know 1t, yet somehow had i
yer connected the fact before d. t