Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1919-11-07

"Weu, Sam, I understand you are an
engineer. Now, it happens that l want
to use this boat and you are going to
run it for me, do you understand?
am going to sit down here on the
edge of this cockpit and hold this
loaded pistol just back Of your ear
It might go off at any minute and
surely will if 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 if you play fair
so don't take any chances, boy"
"Ah-Ah-reckon as how I was
soin' fer ter run her all right sab;
she's sum constable contrary ct times,
sab, but Ah'll surely run her, if thar's
eny run in her, sab. All amt carin'
bout bein' no corpse"
81 thought not; you'd rather be q
free niger, perhaps? Wen, Sam, if
you will do this job all right for me
tonight I'll put you where the sheriff
will never see hide nor hair Of you
again-no, not vet; wait 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. l half
believe he thought her a ghost, for |
could hear him muttering inarticu-
lately to himself I dared not remove
my eyes frcm the fellow, afraid that
his very excess of fear might impel
him to some reckless act but l ex-
| tended one hand across the side of the
boat to her assistance.
Take ny hand, Rene" l said pleas
emily, to reassure her, sand come
ab4urd. Yes, everything is all right.
I've Just promised Sam here ticket
for Canada"
/ helped her across into the cock
pit and seated her on the bench, but
never venturing to remove my eyes
from the negro. His actions and what
ever I 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 as either you or l. Now listen,
boy--you know what will happen to
you after this, if Donaldson ever gets
hold of you?'
II 'spects I does, sab. He'd Just
nat'arly skin dis niger alive, All
reckon"
Every well, then; it is up to you
to get away, and l take it that you
understand this river. We are going
to head upstream"
"Yas, sir; yer plannin' fer ter 90
nor. Wal, sab, dars plenty O. watah
fer dis yere boat right now, wild de
spring floods. Nothin' fer ter be
/ dltFIu Ol DOIl Udl.
THAT Is good news. Now, Sam, ]
am going to cut this line and l want
you to steer straight across into tie
shadows of the Illinois shore. I be-
lieve you are going to play square
but for the present I'm going to take
no chances with you. I am holding
this pistol within a foot of your head
and your life means nothing to me #
you try any trick What is the speed
of this boat upstream?"
"'Bout ten mile an hour, sab"
"WeH, don't push her too hard ut
first, and run that engine as noiseless-
ly as possible. Are you ready? Yes
then I'll cut loose"
/ severed the line and we began to
recede from the shore, cutting diago-
naly across the decidedly swift cur
rent. Once beyond the protection Of
the point the star-gIeam revealed tile
sturdy rush of the waters, occasion
ally fecked with bubbles of foam
Sam handled the unwjcldy craft with
the skill of a practiced boatman. and
the laboring engine made far less
racket than | had anticipated. Pistol
in hand, and vigilant to every motion
of the negro, my eyes swept along that
vague shore line catching nowhere a
spark of light, nor any evidence that
the steady chug Of our engine had Gre
ated alarm. We were alone upon the
mysterious bosom of the vast stream