Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-11-04
CHAPTER xl.
The Story of Elsie Clark.

steady work, and the fact that m!
thoughts were continuously occupied
A cautious whisper, sounding almos
at my very ear, caused me to glance
up quickly, startled at the unexpected
sound. 7 could perceive nothing, al
though I instantly felt convinced thai
whispering voice had issued from be
tween the narrow Stats defending tht
small stateroom window. No one wa
In sight along the deck, and The rag
I wa wieltiing hung limp in my hand
"Who wns it that gpoke?' ven
turcl, the words barely audible.
"Ah did-the prisoner in the state
room. Have both those men gomez
"Yes; I am here alone. You are {
woman? You are Rene BeaucaireF
>"No, All am not her; but All know
whar Rene Beaucaire is"
"You know? Tell me first who yor
are" +.
"Elsie Clark. All am mulatto, c
free negress. All bin helpin' Massa
Shrunk, an cookin' fer him. Yer
know whut it wus whut happened
down thar?"
II know part Of it, at least-that
Shrunk has been killed. 1 was at
Shrunk's cabin and found the bodies
Tell me exactly what occurred there
"Whut's yer manner"
"Steven Knox; am a soldier. Rene
must have told you about me-" ,
sNo, sab; she never done tor me
nuthih'. All didn't much morn see
her enyhow, fur as thet goes"
"Not sec her! Then she Is not con-
fined there with you?" I
"Wiv me? Oar amt nobody con-
fined yer wiv me. All Just amt set
eyes on nobody since All done got on
board, 'cept de cook. All reckon dem
white men aim fer ter tote me soufe,
an sell me fer a slave; dat's why Abs
locked up yere dis way. But All sure
does know whar dis yer Rene Beau
caire wus."
"Where?
"Wal, sab, it wus bout like dis
Long bout three O'Clock in de mau,
ming o. Bill Skies cum up frum de
lower pint, a-drivin' his kivered wae'
on, an made Massa Shrunk git up out
er bed fer ter git him anodder team o
hosses. Den dey done routed me up
fer ter hustle up sum grub"
"Sikes; who was Sikes?"
"He lives down by de lower pike
sab; he's an aboltionist, sah."
ooh, I see; he and Shrunk worked
together. He helped with the runaway
slaves"
ayes, sab. Abs bin called up thet
way afore. So All just nat'larly went
ter work cookin', an purity soon dey
all ov 'em cum stragglin' in ter de
cabin fer ter eat. Oar was four oy
'em, sah," her voice husky whisper
''Bill Skies, totin' gun in his han, a
free niger whut dey called Pete, an
two wimmin. De bigger one was q
uuadroon, maybe bout forty years OIL
an de odder she want much more'n
a gal; an dar want nuthin' ov de mig
ger bout her, 'cept it mought be dc
hair, an de eyes-dem was sure black
'nough."
"You learned who they were?"
Course All did. Skies he 'splained
all bout 'em ter Massa Shrunk, an All
heerL whut he sed. All was waitin
on 'em. We all ov us helped fer tel
put 'em in de wagon, hid undeh a lot o
truck, an den Skies he done drove EN-
out thro' de bluffs. All done walked
wifi de gal, an she tol' NOR bout her
self, an whar she cum frum; an dat
wus her name, sah."
"Her name? What namef"
"Rene Beaucalre; de quadroon WON
an, she wus her mother"
I could scarcely voice my surprise
the quick throbbing of my heart threat
ening to choke me.
"She claimed that name? She actual
ly told you she was Rene Beaucaire"
"She sure did. Why? Want the
her name?"
81 do not know" confessed. "Per
haps / shall understand better, If yOl
60 on. What happened after the!
leftT"
"Why, we just went back ter bed
an long bout daylight, reckon, sun
fellars cum ashore off Il steamboat, an
done broke inter de house. We neveI
done hecrd 'em till dey bust in de dore
One oh dem he Knocked me down, an
den All saw MaSSa Shrunk kill one
afore dey got him. All don't know
lust whut did cum oh de free Niger
All reckon maybe he run away. Oar:
fcllar on board we're whut KILLED
MaSSa Shrink; an he's de same ont
whut made me cum long wild him. !
,mnoth-faccd man. SOrter tall like, al
dressed up. an who never talks much
"Kirhy--.Ine Kirby. river gambler
"Dat's de name-Kurby. Wal, he
de one whut was lOokin' fer dis Her
gal. Rene Bpaucairc. He wanted he
pow tul bad. Dcy hunted all 'rount
fer ter git hol' her cuSsin' an threat
cufn', an haulin' me round; 6u