The Raymer enterprise., 1920-02-12
"Yes-I-I suppose I must"

| va AAhVAs al ViiNCA Al tltG athys ~
chanced l was passenger on the boat
when Judge Beaucaire lost his life.
witnessed the game Of cards this man
won, and afterward. when / protest.
ed. was attacked and flung overheard
into the river by Kirby here and that
fellow who is outside guarding the
door. They believe me to be dead
but / managed to reach shore and
was taken care Of by a negro-'Free
Pete he calls himself; do you know
hlmr'
"Yes-oh, yes; he was one of the
Carlton slaves" Her face frightened
slightly In Its bewilderment.
"well. / knew enough Of what was
bound to occur to feel an interest. and
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-Della is my
mother? IL am a slave?
You did not really know7 You were
not warned by anyone before their
arrivalr'
mo, there was no warning. Did
anyone In this neighborhood under.
standi"
"Haines the lawyer did. He fur
nished me with much Of the informa.
ton / possess. But I am the one
puzzled now. II the truth was not
known to any OF you how does II hap
pen the others are goneT'
$50 far as I 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 Gamer
'The only one 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 un.
derstand: but I questioned him and
the man liked to talk. So he told me
all he knew. Perhaps / 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 II then. but-but
made him repeat everything he had
heard. Horrible as 1t was IL wanted
| to know ALL"
"And you acknowledged TO him that
you were Rene Beaucaire?"
Her dark eyes flashed up into my
face questionlngly.
"Why-why. OF course. IL could
not deny that, could II"
perhaps not; yet II none Of them
knew you, and you had claimed to be
Eloise. they would never have dared
to hold you prisoner"
II never once thought of that; the
only thing which occurred to me was
how l could best protect the others.
My plan was TO send them warning In
some way. Still now / am very glad
said I was Rene"
Glad! Whyg'
Because 1t seems II Is Elolse they
must first find to serve their papers
on. They dare not take away the
slaves until this Is done. As for me,
/ am nothlng-nothing but slave my
self; is that not true?"
To look into her eyes. her face, and
answer was hard task. yet one I saw
uo why u eNdue.
"Yes; am afraid 1t Is true"
"And-and then Della, the house
keeper. is actually my motherT
THAT is the story as 1t reached me-"
She held tightly to the table for
support, all the fresh color deserting
her face. but the lips were firmly set
and her head remained as proudly
poised as ever above the round throat.
Whatever might be the stain of allen
blood In her veins, she was still a
Beaucalre. Her eyes. filled with pain
as they were, met mine unflinchlngly.
"And-and knowing all this, con-
vinced Of Its truth-that-that l am
colored," she faltered. doubtfully, "you
came here to help me7"
II did; that can make no difference
now"
mo difference Why do you say
thati Are you from tha North. an
abolitionistr
mo; at least I have never been
called one or 20 thought myself.
have never believed In slavery. yet
was born In southern state. In this
case ! merely look upon you as q
woman--as one Of my own class. IT.
II does not seem as though I could
ever consider you In any other way.
You must believe this"
"Believe III Why. you and I are
caught in the same net. am a slave
to be sold to the highest bidder, and
you-you have killed a man to save