The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-01-01

up yeTc HOW, " sclilu IOTly-rOO ter So
jers. Cum up long with him frum
Beardstown. Frien' o. mine. Yer just
cum long with me-thas ALL"
permitted him 10 lead me. his voice
never ceasing as we followed the dim
trail. I made out little Of what he
said, nor did I question him. The
trail ended before q two-room log
cabin. so deeply hidden In the woods
as TO oe revealed merely by q glimmer
OF light shining out from within
through chinks in the walls. Tim FUN
bled for the latch ana finally opened
the door. lurching across the threshold.
dragging me along after him. There
were l'xo men at n sloppy table, n dis
reputac'e looking white woman stir
ring the contents of q pot hung over
the open fire, and q fellow behind the
bar, attired in dingy white apron. II
was all sordid enough. and dirty-a
typical frontier grogshop; but the
thing OF most interest to me was the
proprietor. The fellow was the same
red-mustached individual whom / had
watched dlsembark from the steamer
that same afternoon. slipping in the
yellow mud as he surmounted the
bank. dragging his valise along after
him. So 1t was this fellow passenger
who had given these fugitives refuge;
II was his presence In these parts
which had decided Kirby to make the
venture ashore. He glanced up at our
entrance, the glare Of light overhead
revealing a deep. ugly scar across his
chin and a pair Of deep-set. scowling
eyes.
Back in time fer supper. hey, Ken
nedy," he growled. none too cordially.
who's yer frien'?'
"A Teller whut's goin' ter enlist.
He's all right, Jack" the deputy hic-
coughed thickly. LES liquor, an then
we'll eat. I'm payin the bill-so
whut's 1t ter yer?"
"Nuthin' tall; eny frien O. yers gifts
Their best / have"
He set out a squat bottle on the bar,
and thinking 1t best to humor the both
Of them l poured out a stiff drink.
fully aware that Rale was observing
my 1eatureS closely.
"Seen yer afore sumwhar. amt ~"
II reckon" l replied indifferently.
watching Tim I'll his glass. IL worked
my way up on the boat; saw yer on
board"
Sure; that's It; faint in my line
fer ter forgit face. Yer amt en-
listed yit?"
mo; / reckon I'll wait till maunin',
an clean up bit furst. How bout
sum soap an water fore l eat?-an'
yer cudn't loan me razor, cud ye?"
WAL got plenty O. water, an may
We cud scare up sum soap. Tim we're
he's got razor, an II he's frien' o.
yers. / reckon he mought lend it ter
yer"
The deputy gulped down his drink,
and smacked his lips. clinging with
one hand to the bar, regarding me low
ingly.
Sure; he's friend o. mine. Shave
him myself soon's git sober. Whut's
tibet? Yer can't wait? oh. all righ'
then, take it yerself. Mighty fin razor,
OIL man."
Rale found me a tin basin. water. n
bit OF rag for a towel, and a small,
cracked mirror, in which my reflection
was scarcely recognizable. He was
man of few words. contenting himself
with uttering merely dry comment on
Kennedy, who had dropped back into
a convenient chair AMI buried his face
on the table.
'Tim's good fellow. an l never saw
him so blame drunk afore," he said, re-
gretfully. HE an Kirby he'd a row.
aO' reckon thet's whut started him
drinkin'."
"A row; quarrel, you mean?" for
getting myself in surprise. who's
Kirby?"
"Joe Kirby; yer sure must know him
II yer a river man. Slim sorter feller,
with n smooth face; slickest gambler
ever wus, reckon"
"Why, of course" getting control Of
myself once more. 1--WE picked him
up, long with Tim. down river. He'd
two women with 'em, didn't they?
runaway niggers?"
Rale winked facetiously, evidently
rather proud Of the exploit as 1t had
been related to him.
"Wal'. Their way I understan'. they
want both Of 'em niggers however,
that was the story told on board. This
yere Joe Kirby is pretty slick. let me
tell you. One Of ems q white CURL,
who just pretended she wus niger.
reckon tibet even Kirby didn't catch
on, ter her game at furst an when he
did he wus too blnme smart ter ever
let her know. She don't think he
knows yet, but she's liable fer ter find
out mighty SOON"
But he cannot hold a white wom-
an" protested stoutly.
Cant. hey! Wal. reckon there
are ways o. even dom thet, an If thar
be. Kirby'll find II. / reckon she won't
find no chance ter raise a holler fore