The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-02-13
BY RANDALL PARRISH
"Yes-II suppose 1 must"
I" etc. Illustrations by Irwin Myers

Il l tell you the simple truth. / am Ste
| ven Knox, an officer in the army.
| CHANGED was passenger on the boa
| when Judge Beaucaire lost his life.
witnessed the game of cards this MAJ
| won, and afterward, when 1 protest
| ed, was attacked and flung overboar
into the river by Kirby here and tina
| fellow who is outside guarding tn
door. They believe me to be dead
but l managed to reach shore an,
was taken care of by a negro-Fre,
Pete he calls himself; do you know
himY'
"Yes-oh, yes; he was one of tn,
Carlton slaves" Her face frightened
slightly in its bewilderment.
"Well, I knew enough of what wa!
bound to occur to feel an interest, ant
tonight he brought me here for the
purpose Of warning you-you, your
mother and Eloise Beaucaire. He has
his cart and mule out yonder; we in
tended to transport you across the
river, and thus start you safely on the
way to Canada"
"Then," she said slowly, seeming to
catch at her breath, her voice trem-
bling, then 1t must be really true
what these men say-Delia is my
mother? II am a SLAYER"
"You did not really know? You were
not warned by anyone before their
arrival?"
"No, there was no warning. Did
anyone in this neighborhood under
| stand?"
'Haines the lawyer did. He fur
| nished me with much of the informa-
ton I possess. But ] am the one
puzzled now. If the truth was not
known to any of you how does it hap
pen the others are gomez
$50 far az am aware that is mere
ly an accident. They walked over to
the old Carlton place early this eve
ming; there is sickness in the family,
and they hoped to be of help. That is
everything I know. They were to re-
turn two hours ago. for was here all
alone, except for the negroes In their
quarters. I cannot conceive what has
occurred-unless they have learned in
some way of the trouble here"
"That must be the explanation;
they have hidden themselves. And
these men told you why they came?"
"The only one I saw at first did. He
came in all alone and claimed to be
deputy sheriff. I was terribly fright
ened at first, and did not at all I'M
derstand; but questioned him and
the man liked to talk. So he told me
all he knew. Perhaps I should have
thought he was crazy, only-only some
things had occurred of late which led |
me to half suspect the truth before. |
II wouldn't believe it then, but-but |
l made him repeat everything he had |
heard. Horrible as it was FL wanted |
to know ALL"
"And you acknowledged to him that |
you were Rene Beaucaire?"
Her dark eyes flashed up into my
face questioningly.
"Why-why, of course. II could
not deny that, could II"
Perhaps not; yet if none of them
knew you, and you had claimed to be
Eloise, they would never have dared
to hold you prisoner"
81 never once thought of that; the
only thing which occurred to me was
how could best protect the others.
My plan was to send them warning in
some way. Still now 1 am very glad
said I was Rene"
"Glad! Why?"
Because 1t seems it is Eloise they
must first find to serve their papers
IN. They dare not take away the
slaves until this is done. AS for me,
am nothing---nothing but a slave my
;elf; is that not true?"
To look into her eyes, her face, and
was hard task, yet one / saw
10 way to evade.
Eyes; am afraid 1t is true"
"And-and then Della, the house
.eeper, is actually my mother?"
"That is the story as it reached me-"
She held tightly to the table for ]
all the fresh color DESERVING {
er face, but the lips were firmly set
nd her head remained as proudly
oised as ever above the round throat. {
Whatever might be the stain of alien {
lood in her veins, she was still
'eaucaire Her eyes, filled with pain S
8 they were, met mine unf1inchingly. |
"And-and knowing all this, con- 7
inced of its truth-that-tha / am c
olored," she faltered, doubtfuIly, "you
anne here to help me7"
II did; that can make no difference 6
ow." q
mo difference Why do you say
lat7 Are you from the North, an
mo; at least have never been y
llled one or SO thought myself
ave never believed in slavery, yet a
as born in Z southern state. In this 8
Use l merely look upon you as Il
one of my own class. It. e
does not seem as though l could a
rer consider you In any other way. 81
gu must believe this" C
believe 1t! Why, you and l are o
ught in the same net. / am slave Z
be sold to the highest bidder, and
have killed man to save c,
e. Even II was willing to remain
ID face my fate conld not now, for p
NJ would mean you must suffer. d