The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1919-10-30

W - lhAo 0O6At IA yUu dlt SOaiS W
run 1t for me, do you understand?
nm going to sit down here on the
edge of this cockpit and hold this
loaded pistol just back of your ear.
1t might go off at any minute, and
surely will II you make a false move
or attempt to foul the engine. ANY
trick, and there is going to be a dead
niger overheard. / know enough
about engines to tell IL you play fair
SO don't take any chances, boy"
"Ah-Ah-reckon as how / was
goin' fer ter run her all right, sab
she's sun consid'ble contrary ct times,
SRI, but Ah'l surely run her, IL thar's
eny run in her, sab. All amt carin'
bout bein' no corpse"
II thought not; you'd rather be a
free niger, perhaps? Well, Sam. II
you will do this Job all right for me
tonight I'll put you where the sheriff
will eve see hide nor hair of you
again-n0, not yet; wait Il moment,
there Is another passenger"
She came instantly in answer to my
low call. and through the gloom the
startled negro watched her descend
the bank, a mere moving shadow, yet
with the outlines Of a woman. / half
believe he thought her a ghost, for
could hear him muttering inarticu.
lately to himself. / dared not remove
my eyes from the fellow, afraid that
his very excess of fear might impel
him to some reckless act. but I ex.
tended one hand acros the side of the
boat to her assistance.
"Take my hand, Rene" / said pleas.
antly, to reassure her, land come
aboard. Yes, everything Is all right,
I've just promised Sam here a ticket
for Canada"
l helped her across into the cock
pit and seated her on the bench, but
V venturing to remove my eyes
from the negro. His actions and what
ever ! was able to observe of the ex
preston Of his face only served to
convince me of his trustworthiness,
yet / could take no chances.
"She's just a real, live woman. sah?'
he managed to calculate, half In
doubt. "She sure amt no ghost, sah?'
by no means. Sam; she Is just as
real al either you or I. Now listen.
boy-you know what will happen to
you after this. IL Donaldson ever gets
hold Of your"
II 'spects / does. sab. He'd Just
nat'arly skin dis niger alive, All
reckon"
VERY well, then: It Is up to you
to get away. and ! take 1t that you
understand this river. We are going
to head upstream"
"Yas. sir; yer plannin' fer ter go
Wal. sab. dars plenty o. watah
fer dis we're boat right now, wild de
floods. N0thin' fer ter be
of bout dat"
THAT Is good Jews. Now, Sam. I
am going to cut this line. and l want
you to steer straight across into the
shadows of the Illinois shore. I be-
you are going to play square.
but for tie present I'm going to take
no chances with you. i am holding
this pistol within n foot of your head,
and your life means nothing to me II
you try any trick. What Is the speed
Of this boat upstream"
"'Bout ten mile an hour, sah.-
swell, don't push her too hard ut
first. and run that engine as ~noiseless-
~ as possible. Are you ready? Yes
then I'll cut loose"
/ severed the line and we began to
from the shore. cutting diagos
nally across the decidedly swift cur
rent. Once beyond the protection Of
the point the star-gleam revealed the
rush OF the waters. occasion
ally fiecked with bubbles of foam.
handled the unwieldy craft with
the skill of a practiced boatman. and
the laboring engine made far less
than I had anticipated. Pistol
hand, and vigilant to every motion
Of the negro. my eyes swept along that
shore line, catching nowhere a
spark of light, o any evidence thar
the steady chug Of our engine had ere
ated alarm. We were alone upon the
mysterious bosom of the vast stream,
tossed about In the full sweep of the
current. yet moving steadily forward,
and already safely beyond both sight
and sound.
Every moment Of progress tended ia
increase my confidence In Sans 10y
atty. The fellow plainly enough real
lied the situation-that safety fol-
himself depended on keeping beyond
the reach Of his master. To this end
he devoted every instant diligently t.
coaxing his engine and a skillful guild
ance Of the boat, never once permit
ting his head to turn far enough ID
glance at me. although I could occa'
sionally detect his eyes wandering n
the direction Of the girl.
She had not uttered Z word mol
changed her posture since first enter
ing the boat. but remained just AZ
had seated her. a hand grasping tht
edge OF the cockpit. her gnse on thu
rushing waters ahead. 1 could realize
something Of what must be passing
through her mlnd-the mingling o.
doubt and fear which assailed her II
this strange environment. Up unit
now she had been accorded no oppor
tunity to think. to consider the natur,
~ hor uoclfinns oho hod hoon roo,