Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-11-07

CRATER x-continued.
Seems to be a mighty populons
river up this way. hey, MapesT" he
remarked genially. ''Castaways round
every bend"
"What do you meant Have you
picked up othersr'
Certainly have. Hit a keelboat
twenty miles below"
"a keelboat operated by steamT'
Couldn't say as to that. Was 1t.
Mapesi The craft had gone down
when got on deck. Had four aboard,
but we got 'em all or an slowed 'em
back there In the texas. You better
get along now and shuck those wet
clothes"
The captain turned rather sharply
away, and l was thrust through an
open cabin door by the grasp Of the
mate before / could really sense the
true meaning Of this unexpected news.
Mapes paused long enough to gruffiy
indicate a coarse suit of clothes
draped over a stool, and was about to
retire without further words when
recovered sufficiently from the shock
to halt him with a question:
'I suppose you saw those people
picked up from the keelboatT
Sure; helped pull 'em aboard.
A dNd queer combination, II you
ask me; two niger wenches, Joe
Kirby an a deputy sheriff from down
St. Louee way"
Two women, you sayi Both ne
gresses?"
swell, thet's whut Joe said they
wus, an l reckon he knew. However
one ov 'em looked ez white as enybody
I ever saw. The deputy he toP ther
same story--sed they wus both slaves
thet Kirby got from an OIL plantation
down below; some French name, II
wus. Seems like the two wenches he'd
run away. an the deputy he'd caught
'em, an wus a-taking 'em back. Kirby
cum long ter help, beln' as how they
belonged ter him"
You knew Kirby, then"
HI, ov course. Thar amt many
river men who don't, reckon. What
is II to your
Nothing; II sounds like a strange
story, that's all. / want to get this
wet stuff of. and will be out on deck
presently"
was shlvering with the cold, and
lost no time shifting into the warm
dry clothing provided. spreading Out
my own soaked garments over the
edge OF the lower bunk, but careful
first to remove my packet of private
papers. which. wrapped securely In
oiled silk, were not even damp. Fate
had played strange trick. and / knew
not how best to turn It to advantage
One thing only was clear: whatever
was to be accomplished would have
TO do II alone-nowhere could I turn
for help. In the first place Kirby un,
doubtedly had the law with him, and
besides was among frlends-those who
would naturally believe him and were
loyal to the Institution Of slavery. The
vefy fact that this was a Memphis
boat we were on precluded any pos
sibility that the crew would sympa
thiEe with a nlgger-stealer. Nor coulC
anticipate any assistance from with
out. Steamboats, were few and far be
tween on these northern waters, anC
at this time, II the report of war was
true. everything afioat would be head
ed upstream. laden with troops and
provisions. That the report was tru,
had no doubt. The probability of ar
outbreak was known before left For
Armstrong; the crisis had come ear
lIer than expected. that was all.
This, then, was the situation
through an odd Intervention of Provi
dence here we were all together OF
this steamer, which was steadil.
churning its way northward, ever.
turn OF the wheel bearing US deepe
into the wilderness. The chance
were that we should thus be aboar,
for several days; certainly until W
encountered some other boat boun
downstream, which would accept u
as passengers. Meanwhile what shour
do3 How escape observation? HOY
reach Rene, without encounterln
Kirby1 The answer was not an cas-
one The deputy would not know me
for had never been seen by hin
Kirby believed me dead, yet Nigh
recognize me in spite of that convi,
don II we met face to face. Still
would he1 The daring hope that b
might not came to me in a fash. Miet
Il not be possible to so disguise m.
self as to become unnoticeable3
sprang up to stare at my features
the small mirror hanging over tn
washstand. The face which confron
ed me in surprise was almost
strange one even to my eyes. Instea