The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-01-08

ance Of Judge Beaucaire, rich planter, and
of Joe Kirby (the DEVILS OWN, notorious
gambler
CHAPTER II. Knox learns Judge
Beaueaire has a daughter. Eloises and a
Whom the Judge has disopwned. Rene'a
mother is a negress, and she and her
daughter, never having been freed, ara
saryeS BEEN eaae brou III hraW W. a as Sisters sne sAf''
l could scarcely distinguish his eyes,
but I could feel them. I 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"
II guess you are right, Sam. I'll tell
you the whole of it. I am endeavor-
ing to help this young oma 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
pusson."
"She is a slave under the law" !
said gravely, as she made an effort to
move, land. the man Kirby claims her"
I could see his mouth fly open. but
the surprise of this statement halted
his efforts at speech.
"That explains the whole situation
1 went N. "Now will you answer
me?"
"'Bout dis yere Massa ShrunkT"
"Yes-you have heard of him be.
fore?"
"Ah reckon as how maybe All has.
sah."
do you know where he can be
found?"
"Not ~perzackly, sab. All amt never
onct bin thar, but All sorter seems fer
ter recollec' sum'thin' bout whar he
nought be. All reckon maybe All cud
go thar, If All just he'd to. All reckon
II yer all held dat pistol plum 'gainst
nah he'd, Aid mos likely find dis
Amos Shrunk. Good Lord, sab" and
his voice sank to a whisper, "Ah just
can't git hol' O. all dis-Ah sure can't.
sah-'bout her bein' a niger"
Dana t,,uo1.3 oL1,,@ Isf&s~~ Lo- R~@o
into the starlight.
whether I am white or colored.
SAM" she said quietly, 'can make
little difference to you now. I am a
woman and am asking your help. I
a trust you, can 1 not?"
The negro on his knees stared at
her, the whites Of his eyes %conspicu-
Gus. Then suddenly he jerked off his
old hat.
"Ah 'spects yer kin, missus," he
pledged himself in a tone Of convic-
ton which made my heart leap. }"Ah's
bin a slave-nigger fer forty-ive years,
but just de same All amt never bin
mean ter no woman. Vas, sab, yer
don't neither n OBJ yer eber need ter
ask Sam no mor'-he's a-goin' thro'
wild yer all ter de end-he sure am.
ma'am."
Silence descended upon us, and I
slipped the pistol back into my pocket.
Rene rested her cheek on her hand
and gazed straight ahead into the
night. Far off to the left a few wink
Ing lights appeared, barely p%ercentible,
and I touched the negro, pointing them
out to him and whispering, my ques-
ton so as not to disturb the motion
less girl
us that the Landing over there?"
: "Ah certainly 'spects it must be,
round desc parts"
'Then those lights higher up must
be on the bluff at Beaucaire?"
Eyes, sab; looks like de whole house
was lit up. I reckon things am right
lively up thar bout now" He
chuckled to himself, smothering a
laugh. cts sure goin' fer ter bother
Massa Donaldson ter lose dis niger,
sab, fer Abs de only one he's got"
The lights slowly faded away in the
far distance, finally disappearing alto
gether as we rounded a sharp bend in
the river bank. The engine increased
its stroke, giving vent to louder chug-
ging, and I could feel the strain Of the
planks beneath us as we battled the
current. This new noise may have
aroused her, for Rene lifted her head
as though suddenly startled and
glanced about in my direction.
"We have passed the village?" she
asked, rather listlessly.
sYes; It Is already out Of sight.
From the number Of lights burning !