The Oklahoma miner. [volume] (Krebs, Okla.) 1912-192?, 1920-03-11
CHAPTER VIII.
The Dawn Of Deeper Interest.

The Dawn Of Deeper Interest.
1t tested his skill as a boatman to
locate the exact spot sought amid that
gloom, yet he finally attained to 1t
closely enough so I was able to get
ashore, wading nearly thigh deep IN
water and mud. but only to learn that
the boat, which had provisioned ear
lier in the evening, had disappeared
from its moorings No trace Of II
could be found in the darkness, al
though l 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. made my way
back to the keelbOat with this infor-
nation, and the l8bOrlng engine began
TO chug even while l was briefly ex-
planning the situation to Rene. She
listened almost YEARLY, 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.
l must have dozed myself as the
hours passed, although hardly aware
OF doing So 1t was faint and dim a
promise more than a 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 of
the water in vaporous clouds obscured
all else, rendering the scene weird and
unfamiliar. 1t was indeed a desolate
view, the nearby land low, and with
out verdure, in many places over
flowed, and the river itself sullen and
angry. Only that distant point ap-
peared clearly defined and real, with
the slowly Frightening sky beyond.
endeavored 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 ms
grinning, at my first movement. In
stinctively I liked the fellow-he ap
peared both intelligent and trust
worthy.
Daylight, is it?" l said, speaking
low so as not to awaken the girl. 1"
must have been asleep"
"Yas, sab; yer's bin a-noddln fei
de las hour. All wus bout ter stir ye
up, sab, fer All reckon as how wet
mos dar"
Most where7" staring about incred
ulously. "Oh, yes, Rassuer creek
Have we made that distance already?
"Wal, we's bin a-goln' ct a might,
good gait, sab. She amt done foole,
none on me all dis night" his han,
laid lovingly on the engine. "Nebbe
kicked up no row O. no kind-Ius
chug, chug, chug right long. Pear
Ike she sOrter knOw'd dis niger he
ter git away. Enyhow, we bin movir
long now right smart fer bout fou
hours, an Rassuer creek am Jus
round dat pint yonder-Ah's might
sure oh dat, sah."
He was right, but It was broad day
light when we reached there, the cas-
eru sky a glorious crimson, and IN
girl sitting up staring at the brilliar
coloring as though 1t pictured TO he
the opening Of a new world. The pat
sage OF few hundred yards reveale
the mouth of Rassuer creek, a narro'
but sluggish stream, so crooked an
encroached upon by the woods as (
be practically invisible from the Gel
ter OF the river. The water was NJ
deep. yet fortunately proved suf
cIently so for our purpose, althouG
we were obliged TO both pole m
paddle the boat upward against II
slow current. and 1t required an hoI