The Arvada enterprise. (Arvada, Colo.) 1908-1970, 1920-03-25


isn. nlinoy. an amt got but Just one
jos right now-tAat's ter make them
boys tote this stun, an I reckon
thay'rs gein' tse do Il"
With the exchange q another word
OF two they parted. and not until
thirty ysafs later did realise what
that chance meeting meant there In
The clay mud Of Yellow BANKS. at the
edge Of the Indian wilderness, when
Abraham Lincoln Of Illinois and Je4Ier-
son Davis Of Mississippi stood In COM
radeship with clasped hands.
We had unloaded perhaps Q quarter
Of our supplies. when an otncsf sudden
" appeared over the crest Of the bank
and hailed the captain. There was .
tone Of authority In bis voice which
caused ~ to knock of work and lis
ten.
"Is Captain Corcoran there3 I bring
orders from headquarters. You are to
discontinue unloading captain. retain
the remainder Of the provisions on
board and prepare at once to take on
men,"
take on menr We are not to return
south. thenr'
mo: you're going In the ether dirsc-
tion-up the Rock. You better get
busy"
He wheeled his horse and disap-
peared. leaving the angry captain
venting his displeasure ON the vacant
air. Kirby. evidently from some posi-
tion across the deck. broke In With q
sharp question.
"What 10 that. Corcoranf Did the
fellow say you were not going back to
st. LouisT'
That's just what he said. We've
got to nose our way up Rock river.
with q lot Of those measly soldiers
aboard. Here you. Mapes. stop that
unloading. and get shsam up-ws'vs
got to put In . nighe Of It"
"But." insisted Kirby In disgust.
"I'm not going up there; aren't there
any boats going DOWN.
"How the b. should I knowf Go
ashore and ind out-you haven't any
thing else to do"
The men below knocked OF work
willingly enough and. taking advan-
taGe Of the confusion on board. I en-
| deavored to creep up the stairs and
gain q view Of the upper deck. But
both Mapes and the second mate made
this attempt impossible. forcing ne
into the ranks Of the others and COM
polling me to restow the cargo. So far
~ could perceive. no attempt to de-
part was made By anyone, excepting
big fellow with q red mustache. who
swore profaneiy a. he struggled
through the mud. dragging . huge
valise.
The situation pushed and confused
me. What choice would Kirby aud the
deputy maker II once up Rock river
the Advsnturer might very likely not
return for weeks. and It did not seem
to me possible that the impatient gam
bier would consent to such q delay.
Every advance northward brought
With Il new danger Of ex-
posture. These were Illinois troops
to b transported-not regulars.
but militia. gathered from . hundred
hanlets-aud many among them would
be open enemles Of slavery. Let such
men % these. rough with the pioneer
sense Of justice. once suspect the stu
alton Of those two women. especially
II the rumor got abroad among them
that Elolse was white. and the slave
hunter would have hard row to hoe.
And made up my mind such rumor
should be sown broadcast; aye. more.
that II the necessity arose. I would
throw OF my own disguise and front
him openly with the charge. I could
do no more.
me q clue to the real program. Aapes
sent me back into the vacant space
just forward Of the paddle-wheel. Seek.
ing q lost canthOOk. and. A. ! turned
about to return. the missing tool In my
hand. ] paused u moment to glance
curi0usiy out through q slit In the
beats plankinE, attracted BY the sound
Of . loud voice utterlng n command.
was facing the shore and 4 body Of
men. ununifOr1ned. slouchIng along
with small regard TO order. hut each
bearing 4 rife across his shoulder.
were just tipping the ridge and plow
Ing their way down through the slip
perry clay In the direction Of the for
ward gsngway. Although I saw. not
for an instant did my gaze linger ON
their disOrdered ranks. The sight
which held me motIonlcss was rather
that Of long, broad plank. protected
on either side by rope rail-. stretch
Ing from the slope Of the second deck
! across the narrow gulf Of water. until
Il rested Its other end firmly against
the hank.
The meaning Of this was sufficiently
apparent For some reason Of his
own. Kirby had evidently chosen this
means Of attaining the shore. and
through personal friendship. Corcoran
bad consented to aid his purpose. The
reason. plainly enough, was that by use
Of this stern eangway the landing par
y would be enabled to attain the bank