The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1920-02-05


nousn rum sBslack Abolitlonists, who'd
pc huntin. him if he didn't clar out.
just CO soon as dey foun' dat Amos
Shrunk WINS dead. Here wus his
chance, an ne done took 4. 4
He bent suddenly forward, his
glance at the edge OF the log. sDey
3ain't took but just de one boat, sab,
Ter de odder am showed under darI
out'r sight.
Az I stopped further over / saw that
this was true. the small rowboat, with
the oars undisturbed In Its bottom,
had been pressed In beneath the con
cealment OF the log wharf, almost COM
pletely hidden from above, yet to all
appearances uninjured. The very fact
that Il should have been thus left only
added to the mystery Of the AFFAIR. Ii
II had been Kirby's deliberate purpose
to leave us there stranded ashore
why had he failed to crush in the
boats planking with q rock? Gould.
the leaving Of the craft in ft condi-
ton for u use be part Of some care
fully conceived plan; a bait to draw
us into some set trap? or did 1t occur
merely as an incident Of their hur-
ried f1ight3 These were unanswerable
questions, vet the mere knowledge
that the boat was actually there and
in nayigable condition promised us an
opportunity to escape. While hope re.
NAMED, however vague, it was not my
nature to despair. Whether accident
or design had been the cause made no
odds-I was willing to match my wits
against Kirby and endeavor to win.
And ! must deal with facts just as
they were.
1T is my guess" I said, that their
only thought was to get away before
the crime was discovered. Rene,
would you be afraid to remain here
alone for a little while?'
She glanced about into the gloom Of
the surrounding woods, her hesitancy
answering me.
"It Is not a pleasant prospect I adj
NIT, but there is no possible danger.
Kirby has gone, beyond all question,
but l wish to learn II l can the dinec-
ton be has taken. All this must have
happened only a short time ago-while
we were at the cabin. The keelbOat
can scarcely be entirely out of sight
yet ON either river If, we could only
find a place to offer us a wide view"
"But could I not go with you2"
Hardly with me, for I intend to
swim the creek and try to reach the
point at the mouth of the Illinois,
from where I can see up and down the
Mississippi. I am going to send Sam
back through the woods there and
have him climb that ridge. From the
top he ought to have a good view up
the valley Of the Illinois. I suppose
You might 60 with him."
AN; sure wish yer wud, missus,"
broke In the negro pleadingly. "Ah
amt perzackly feered fer ter go lone,
but Abs an Of man an All reckon as
how q young gal wus likely fer ter see
morn All wud. Pears like Abs done
los my glasses"
A faint smile lighted up her face
a mere glimmer of a smile.
Yves, Sam, I'll go,n she said, glanc-
ing mp into my eyes and holding out
her hand. ''You wish me to, do you
nOt1"
Il think it will be fully as well. You
still retain the pistol7"
She nodded her response, and with
out delaying my departure longer /
lowered myself into the water and
swan toward the opposite shore,
creeping forth amid q tangle Of roots
and immediately disappearing in the
/ found a rough passage
for the first few rods, being obliged to
almost tear a way through the close
growth and unable to see a yard in
advance. But this ended suddenly at
the edge of the sand flat, with the con-
verging waters Of the two rivers Wis
ibie just beyond. My view from here
was narrowed, however, by high ridges
both sides, and with a desire not to
expose myself to any chance eye, /
followed the line of forest until able
to climb the slope, and thus attain the
crest Of the bluff.
From this vantage point the view
was extensive, both up and down The
big river, is well as across to the OPT
bank. Along that entire sur
face but three objects met my gaze
small island, green with trees, seem
ingly apchored Just beyond the mouth
Of the Illinois q numbering barge al
mos opposite me clearly outlined
against the distant shore, and barely
moving with the current; ana far
away below a thin smudge of smoke,
arising from behind q hcadland, az
though curling upward from the stack
Of some steamer. / felt no doubt hut
what this was the stolen keelboat,
speeding toward st. Louis.
This struck me as the most reason
able course to pursue-to work our
way quietly up the Illinois by night,
keeping close In shore to avoid anyl
no 0c1nO sextonnnr YYrft1 vyn = rrsvnd n1rrcI