Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-10-21
CHAPTER VIII.
The Dawn Of peeper Interest.


closely enough so ! was able to, get
ashore, wading nearly thigh deep in
water and mud, but only to learn that
the boat, which I had provisioned ear
lier in the evening, had disappeared
from its moorings. No trace of IT
could be found In the darkness. al-
though I devoted several minutes to
the search. To my mind this was pos
tive evidence that. Pete had returned,
accompanied by the two frightened
women, and that, finally despairing Of
my arrival, had departed with them up
the river. In all probability we would
overhaul the party before morning,
certainly before they could attain the
mouth Of the Illinois. I made my way
back to the keelboat with this infor-
nation, and the laboring engine began
to chug even while I was briefly ex-
plainin. the situation to Rene.s She
listened almost wearily, asking but
few questions, and both Of us soon
lapsed into silence. A little later she
had pillowed her head on her arms
and apparently had fallen asleep.s
must have dozed myself. as the
hours passed, although hardly aware
Of doing so. It was faint and dim, q
promise more than realization of ap-
preaching day, yet already sufficient to
afford me view Of the shore, at our
right and to reveal the outlines Of a
sharp point Of land ahead jutting into
the stream. The mist rising from off
the water in vaporous clouds obscured
all else, rendering the scene weird and
unfamiliar. It was indeed a desolate
view, the nearby land low. and with
out verdure, in many places over
flowed, and the river itself suPen and
angry. Only that distant point 'ap-
peared clearly defined qnd real, with
the slowly Frightening Sky beyond. I
endeaYored to arouse myself from stu
por, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
Rene. had changed her posture, but
still slumbered, with face completely
concealed in her arms; but Sam was
wide awake and turned toward me
grinning, at my first movement. In
stinctively I liked the fellow-he ap-
peared both intelligent and trust
worthy. 80.
daylight. is it?" said, speaking
low so as not to awaken the girl II
must have been asleep"
"Yas, sab; yer's bin a-noddin' fer
de las hour. All wus bout ter stir yer
up, sab, fer All reckon as how we's
mos dar."
'rMost whereT Staring about incred-
ulously. "Oh, yes, Rassuer creek.
Have we made that distance already|
,"Wal, we's bin a-goin' ct a mighty.
good gait, sab. She amt done fooled
none on me all dis night" his hand
laid lovingly on the engine. "Nebbel
kicked up no row o. no kind-just
chug, chug, chug right long. Pears.
like she sorter know'd dis niger he6
ter git away. Enyhow, we bin moyin'
long now right smart fer bout four
hours, an Rassuer creek am just
round dat pint yonder-Ah's mighty
sure OBJ dat, sah."
He was right, but It was broad day?
light when we reached there, the east.
ern sky a glorious crimson, and the
girl sitting up staring ut the brilliant
coloring as though 1t pictured to hei
the opening Of a new world. The pas.
sage of few hundred yards revealed
the mouth Of Rassuer creek, narrow
but sluggish stream, so crooked and
encroached upon by the woods rs tc
be practically invisible from the cen.
ter of the river. The water was moi
deep, yet fortunately proved suffi
Ciently so for our purpose, although
we were obliged to both pole !ant
paddle the boat upward against the
slow current, and 1t required an hour
of hard labor to place the craft safel!
beyond the first bend, where it might
lie roughly concealed by the interven
ing fringe Of trees. Here we made
fast to the bank.
assisted Rene ashore, and aided
her to climb to higher level, carpeted
with grass. The broad river was Ia.
visible, but we could look directly
down upon the boat, where Sam was
already busily rummaglng through the
lockers in search of something to eat,
He came ashore presently, bearing
some corn pone and a goodly portion
of jerked beef. Deciding it would be
better not to attempt fire, we divided
this and made the best meal possible,
meanwhile discussing the situation
anew, and planning what to do next.
The negro, seated at one side alone
upon the grass, said little, beyond re.
plying to my questions. yet scarcely
once removed his eyes from the girls
face. He seemed unable to grasp the
thought that she was actually of his
race, a runaway slave, or permit his
tongue to utter any words of equality.
Indeed I could not prevent my own
glance from being constantly attracted
in her direction also. Whatever had
been her mental strain and anguish,
Io nf hn y,inhf ho1 IN No