The Dolores star., 1920-01-16
upon hin, his thick lips Instantly part
ing I'm n COod-natured grin.

upon him. his thick lips Instantly part
Ing In good-natured grin.
'De good Lord be pralsed!" he
calculated. In undisguised delight. "1s
yer really awake agin. honey? De
doctah say he done thought ye'd cum
round by terday sure, sah."
'The doctor?" l questioned In sur
prise, my voice sounding strange and
far away. "Have l been here long?"
"Goin' on bout ten days. sab. Yer
was powerful bad hurt an out O. yer
head. / reckon"
"what was 1t that happened7 Did
someone shoot me?"
The negro scratched his head, shuf-
fling his bare feet uneaslly on the dirt
floor.
"Yas, sab. Mr.. knox," he admitted
with reluctance. "I's sure powerful
sorry, sab. but was de boy whut
plugged YER, Yer see, sab. 1t done
happened dis-a-way." and his black
face registered genuine distress
'"Thar's mean gang o. white folks
round yere thets took 1t inter their
heads ter lick every free niger, an
when yer done come up ter my door
in de middle OBJ de night, a-cussin'.
an a-threatenln' fer ter break in.
just nat'arlly didn't wanter be licked.
an-an' so / blazed away. rs pow
erful sorry bout 1t now, sah."
mo doubt 1t was more my fault
than yours. You are a free negro,
them"
'Yas. sab. I done belong onct ter
Colonul Silas Carlton. sab, but afore
he died, just because I done saved his
boy frum drownin' in de ribber. de OIL
colonul he set me free, an give me
patch o Ian ter raise corn on"
"What Is your name?'
"Pete. sar. Free Pete is whut mostly
de white folks call me-" He laughed
white teeth showing and the whites
of his eyes. "Yer see thar am pow
erful lot O. Petes round bout yere,
| sah."
l drew n deep breath, conscious of
weakness as l endeavored to change
position.
"All right, Pete: now I want to I'M
derstand things clearly. You shot me,
supposns l was making an assault
on you. Your bullet lodged in my
shoulder What happened thonl"
swell. after while. sab, thar want
no NOR noise. an l reckoned I'd eli
ther done hit yer er else ye'd run
away. An thar ye WIS, sah a-lyin'
on yer back like We wus dead. just
so soon as l saw ye l knOw'd as how
ye never was no nigger-huntcr but
stranger In desc yere parts. So l
dragged ye inside de cabin, an washed
up yer hurts. But We never got no bet
tah so / got skeered, an went hoofin'
1t down fer de doctah at Beaucalre
Landin, sab, an when he cum back
along wild me he dug the bullet outer
yer shoulder. an left some truck fer
me ter Civ yer. He's done been yere
three times, sah."
From Beaucaire Landing-is that
n town"
"A sorter town, sab; bout four miles
down ribber."
The mentioning Of this familiar
word brought back instantly TO nv
dnrkened understanding all those
main events leading up to nv pres
ence in this neighbOrhood. Complete
memory returned, every separate incl
dent sweeping through my brain
Kirby, Carver, the fateful game of
cards in the cabin Of the Warrior the
sudden death Of the judge. the mob
anger sought to curb, the struggle on
deck. my being thrown overheard, and
the danger threatening the two inno-
cent daughters of Beaucaire. And I
had actually been lying in this negro
hut, burning up with fever, helplessly
dellrlous, for ten days. What had
already occurred in that space of
time? What villainy had been con-
cocted and carried out?"
Nov see here, Pete" l began eor-
nestly. "HOw did you learn what nv
name was?"
DE doctah he foun' dat out, sab.
lie done looked through yer pockets
san, an he took two papers whut he
foun' dar away wild him. He done tor
me as how yer wus an offercer in de
army-a leftenant er sumthin,-on,
thet dem papers ought fer ter be stint
Ter de gov'ner at onct. De las time
he wus yere he tol' me thet he wint
down ter st. Louee hisself, an done
eif bof dem papers ter Gov'ner Clark
So yer don't need worry none 'bout
dem no NOR"
l sank back onto the hard pillow.
greatly relieved by this information,
Inc burden of official duty had been
taken from me. 1 was now on fur
Tough and free to act as l pleased.
Have you picked up any news late
ly from Beaucaire plantation?"
Il heerd dey done brought de body
OBJ de OIL jedge home, sah-be died
mighty sudden sumwhar up de rIbber.
Thets bout all I know"
when was this?"