The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-02-20


! in effort to strengthen her faith, but
hesitated. scarcely knowing what t
say, deeply touched by the patheti
droop of her figure, and in truth un
! certain in my own mind as to whethe
or not we had chosen the wise
course. All / dared do was to SILENT,
reach out one hand and rest it gent,
on those fingers clasping the rail. Sh
did not remove her hand from beneath
mine, nor indeed give the slightest evi
dence that she was even aware Of m,
action.
"Wus All to turn nor, sahw asked
the negro suddenly.
'Yes, upstream; but keep in as CLOSE
to the shore as you think safe. There
is no settlement along this bank, Is
there?"
"No, sab; dar's JUS one cabin, bout
a mile upstream, but dar amt nobody
Twin thar now. Whar yer all aim
fer ter go7"
! / hesitated an instant before l an
swered, yet almost as quickly decided
! that the whole truth would probably
serve us best. The man already had
one reason to use his best endeavors
now 1 would bring before him a Sec
ond.
"Just as far up the river before day
light as possible, Sam. Then I hope
to uncover some hiding place where
we can lie concealed until it Is dark
again. Do you know any such placer"
"On de Illinois shore, sab? Les see |:
thar's Rassuer creek, bout twenty
mile up. All 'spects you all knows
whut yer a headin' fer?"
ITO a certain extent-yes but we
had to decide on this action very
quickly, with no chance to plan it out.
1 am aiming at the mouth of the ILL.,
nois."
He glanced about at me, vainly en-
deavoring to decipher my expression
in the gloom.
"De Illinois ribber, boss; what yer
hope fer ter find thar?'e
"a certain man I've heard about.
Did you ever happen to hear white
man mentioned who lives near there?
Ills UdlUe Is AilOS SllTuI
l could scarcely distinguish his eyes,
but I could feel them. 1 thought for
a moment he would not answer.
"Yer'll surely excuse me, sah," he
said at last, humbly, his voice with a
note of pleading it it. "Ah's feelin'
friendly 'nough an all dat, sab, but
still yer mus member dat Abs talkin'
ter a perfect stranger. If yer wud |
sure tell me furst just whut yer was
amin at, then maybe Aid know a |
heap morn All do now"
81 guess you are right, Sam. I'll tell
you the whole of it. 1 am endeavor-
ing to help this young woman to
escape those men back yonder. You
must know why they were there; no
doubt you overheard them talk coming
up?
"Yas. sab; Massa Donaldson he was
goin' up fer ter serve sum papers fer
Massa Kirby, so he cud run off de
Beaucaire niggers. But dis yere gal,
she amt no nigger-she's just a white
)usson."
"She is slave under the law" i
said gravely, as she made an effort to
move, "and the man Kirby claims her"
I could see his mouth fly open, but
he surprise of this statement halted
lis efforts at speech.
''That explains the whole situation"
went on. "Now will you answer
ne?"
"'Bout dis we're Massa Shrunk?"
"Yes-you have heard of him be-
ore?"
"Ah reckon as how maybe All has,
ah''
"Do you know where he can be
ound?"
'Not perzackly, sab. All amt never
net bin thar, but All sorter seems fer
er recollec' sum'thin' bout whar he
fought be. All reckon maybe All cud
0 thar, if All just he'd to. All reckon
yer all held dat pistol plum 'gainst !,
lah he'd, Aid mos likely find dis
mos Shrunk. Good Lord, sab p' and
Is voice sank to a whisper, "Ah just s
ant git hol' O. all dis-Ah sure can't. !
about her bein' niger" .
Rene turned about, lifting her face }.
TO the starlight.
whether / am white or cOlored, :
am" she said quietly, "can make
tile difference to you now. / am q =
oman and am asking your help. / :
IN trust you, can l not?"
The negro on his knees stared at :,
er, the whites of his eyes conspicu-
is. Then suddenly he jerked off his
d hat. :.
"Ah 'spects yer kin, missus," he =
edged himself in a tone of conyic-
On which made my heart leap. "Ah's :.
n a slave-nigger fer. forty-five years, =
it just de same All amt never bin :,
can ter no woman. Vas, sab, yer !,
mt neither one OBJ yer eber need ter :,
X Sam no mor'-he's a-goin' thro a
i'd yer all ter de end-he sure am, i.
q 'am."
Silence descended upon US, and l -
pped the pistol back into my pocket. =
enc rested her cheek on her hand :.
d gazed straight ahead into the !,
ght. Far off to the left few wink a.
8 lights appeared, barely perceptible,
d touched the negro, pointing them -
t to him and whispering my ques-