Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1919-12-25

tiOn II we met face to face. Still,
would he? The daring hope that he
might not came to me In flash. Might
it not be possible to so disguise my.
self as to become unnoticeable7 ]
sprang up to stare at my features in
the small mirror hanging over the
washstand. The face which confront
ed me in surprise WAS almost a
strange one even to my eyes. Instead
OF the smart young soldier, smoothly
shaven, with closely trimmed hair, and
rather carefully attired. as had ap-
peared on board the Warrior, the glass
reflected bearded face, the skin Wis.,
IDLY roughened and REDEEMED by ex-
posture, the hair ragged and uncombed.
Even to my view there remained
scarcely familiar feature-the lack
of razor and shears, the exposure to
sun and water, the days of sickness
and neglect, had all helped to trans
forrn me into totally different
appearing person from what had for
merly been; the officer and gentleman
had. by the mystery of environment.
blance of river roustabout. Nor was
this all. The new character was en-
phasized by the clothes I wore-far
too large to fit; also the texture and
color, not to mention the dirt and
grease. speaking loudly of rough
life and the vicissitudes of poverty.
The metamorphosis was complete; so
complete that laughed aloud. assured
by that one glance that the gambler.
confident that was dead, would never
by any possibility recognize me in this
guise. or while habilitated In such
nondescript garments.
But the girl-Rene? And SO this
was how l had appeared to her. No
wonder she questioned me; doubted
my first explanation. had ap.
proached her confident that my ap-
pearance as a gentleman would awak-
en- her trust; I had felt myself to be
u most presentable young man. in
whom she must instantly repose faith
Yet this had not been true at all
instead I came to her with the out
ward bearing Of a worthless vaga-
bond. a stubble-bearded outcast. And
yet she had trusted me; would trust
me again. More: she could never be
deceived, or fail to recognize my pres
ence aboard If she had the freedom OF
the deck. Kirby might be deceived
but not Rene. If could only plan to
meet with her first alone, the peril of
her recognition would not be extreme.
But I must also figure upon the
other woman. WHO could she be? Not
Eloise Beaucaire surely, for the mate
had only mentioned one of the two as
being sufficiently white to be notice
| able. That one would surely be Rene,
and 1t was scarcely probable that
Eloisc, with no drop of negro blood in
her veins, could appear colored. Per-
haps this second woman was Della,
the quadroon mother. But If so how
did she chance to fall alone into Kir-
by's clutches? Was she aboard the
keelboat, locked below in the cabin,
when 1t rammed into us? If she had
been captured at Shrunk's camp dur
Ing their murderous raid. what had
become of her companion? Where was
Eloise Beaucaire? The harder
sought to straighten out this mystery
the more involved it became.
With every additional glance at the
face reflected by the mirror my conf
dence strengthened in the ability to
encounter Kirby and pass unrecog-
nized. Convinced as he undoubtedly
was of my death in the black waters Of
the river lie could not possibly imag-
Inc my presence aboard the Adven.
turer. while my personal appearance
was so utterly changed as to suggest
to his mind no thought of familiarity.
The conditions were all in my favor.
l was smiling grimly at this conceit,
well pleased at the chance thus af.
forded me, when the stateroom door
was suddenly flung open and the hairy
face Of the mate thrust within.
Il reckon yer bettxs tste them wet
buds down ter the boiler ROOM" he
said gluff1y, IAN then git sum grub.
Likely 'nough yer wouldn't mind
eatin' bit. Be yer river MANI"
1--WE never worked on steamboat
if that Is what you mean."
'No; well, I reckoned not, but the
captain he thought maybe yer had. ]
toll him yer didn't talk like no steamer
hand. Howsumever. we're almighty
short O. help aboard. an maybe yerd
like a job ter help pay yer way?"
My fingers involuntarily closed OF
some loose goldpieces in my pocket
but sudden thought halted me. VIII,
not? In what better way could
escape discovery? As. an employee,
OF the boat would 60 about the deck.
unsupported and unnoticed. Kirb,
would never give me secopd though
or glance. while the opportunity thu.
afforded of speaking to Rene and be
ing of service to her would be immeas
urably increased. withdrew m,
hand. swiftly deciding my course o
action.
81 suppose I might as we'll earn
| ~ r