Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-11-14

"'htsstHittthttIitlsr TX
5000
tention, and causing comment. Once
1 had thus succeeded in locating her,
the rest ought to prove comparatively
easy-a mere matter of action. For
had determined to play the spy no
longer; to cease being mere shadow.
l proposed finding Eloise, and telling
her the whole truth; following that,
and assured of her support, I would
defy Kirby. denounce him If necessary
to the military authorities, identifying
myself by means Of my army commits
sion, and insist on the immediate re-
lease Of the girl. The man had broken
no law-unless the wanton killing of
Shrunk could be proven against him
and might not be able to compel his
arrest. Whatever he suspected now
relative to his prisoner, he had orig
inally supposed her to be his slave, his
property, and hence possessed right
now under the law to restrain her lib
erty. But even If 1 was debarred from
Infringing the man to punishment, l
could break his power, and overturn
his plans. Beyond that it would be a
personal matter between us; and the
thought gave me joy.
1 attained my feet, confident and at
ease, and advanced up the gully, NOV
ing cautiously, so as not to run blind
ly upon some sentry post in the dark
ness. There would be nervous sol
diers on duty, liable to fire at any
sound, or suspicious movement, and 1t
was a part of my plan to penetrate the
lines unseen, and without inviting ar
rest. l was standing uncertain, when
the dim figure of man, unquestiona-
bly, drunk, came weaving his uncertain
way along a footpath which ran with
in yard of my position. The sudden
blazing up of a fire revealed the un-
mistakable features of the deputy.
"Hullo," said, happily, stepping d.
rectly before him. "When did you
come ashore?'
"Hello, yerself," he managed to
calculate thickly. "Who are yeri
tr1en o MINER
"Why, don't yer remember me, OF
man? We wus talzin' tergether comm
up. wus goin' fer ter enlist"
"H-l yes; glad ter see yer. Sum
hot whisky ct this camp-tried eny?"
"No," 1 answered, grasping at the
opportunity to arouse his generosity
81 amt got no coin to buy. I'm fiat
broke; maybe yer cud stake me fer a
bite ter eat?"'
"Eatr' he flung one arm lovingly
about my shoulders, and burst into
laughter. "Yer bet yer life, we're a
goin' ter eat, an drink too. I don't GO
back ON none o. ther boys. Yer never
heerd nuthin' like thet bout Tim Ken.
nedy, 1 reckon. Eat, sure-yer know
Jack RaleP
"Never heerd the name"
"What, never heerd o. Jack Rale
or river man, half hoss, half alligator
uster tend bar in Saint Louee. Hes
up yere now, sellin' forty-rod ter so
jers. Cum up long with him frun
Beardstown. Frien' O. mine. Yer just
cum long with me-thas ALL"
permitted him to lead me, his voice
never ceasing as we followed the din
trail. 1 made out little of what he
said, nor did 1 question him. The
trail ended before a two-room los
cabin, so deeply hidden in the woods
as to be revealed merely by a glimmel
of light shining out from within
through chinks in the walls. Tim fun
bled for the latch and finally opened
the door, lurching across the threshold
| dragging me along after him. There
were two men at sloppy table, dis
reputable looking white woman stir
ring the contents of a pot hung ovel
the open fire, and a fellow behind the
bar, attired in dingy white apron. Il
was all sOrdid enough, and dirty-s
typical frontier grogshop; but the
thing Of most interest to me was tht
proprietor. The fellow was the same
red-mustached individual whom I hat
| watched disembark from the steamer
that same afternoon, slipping in the
yellow mud as he surmounted the
bank, dragging his valise along aftel
him. So 1t was this fellow passenger
who had given these fugitives refuge
| it was his presence in these part.
which had decided Kirby to make th,
venture ashore. He glanced up at oul
entrance, the glare Of light overhead
revealing deep, ugly scar across hi.
chin and a pair of deep-set, scowlin,
eyes.
"Back in time fer supper, hey, Ken
nedy," he growled, none too cordially
'Who's yer frien'?"
"a feller whut's goin' ter enlist
He's all right, jack" the deputy hic
coughed thickly. "Le's liquor, an ther
We'll eat. I'm payin' the bill-sc
whut's it ter yerY'
"Nuthin' tall eny frien' o. yers git,
ther best have"
He set out a squat bottle on the bar
and thinking it best to humor the boil