The Adair County news., 1922-09-19
CHAPTER XVII


having opened afresh, made travelling
Impossible, and Harry had a slight
bayonet thrust in the shoulder. Frs
kline determined to save them all the
worry possible and to act now as the
head of the family himself. He an
nounced that he must go straight
back at once to Kentucky and Cap
tain Clark. Harry stormed unavail-
ingly and General Dale pleaded with
him to stay, but gave reluctant leave
To Dave he told his fears and Dave
vehemently declared he, too, would go
along, but Erskine would not hear of
it and set forth alone.
Slowly enough he started, but with
every mile suspicion and fear grew
the faster and he quickened Firefiy's
pace. The distance to Williamsburg
was soon covered, and skirting the
town, he went on swiftly for Red
Oaks. Suppose he were too late, but
even if he were not too late, what
should he do, what could he do? Fire
fly was sweeping into a little hollow
now, and above the beating of her
hoofs in the sandy road, a clink of
metal reached his ears beyond the
low hill ahead, and Erskine swerved
aside into the bushes. Some one was
coming, and apparently out of the red
ball of the sun hanging over that hill
sprang a horseman at a dead run
black Ephraim.
"Stop" Erskine cried, but the ne
gro came laundering on, as though
he meant to ride down anything in
his way. Firefiy swerved aside, and
Ephraim shot by, pulling in with both
hands and shouting: "Msrse Erskine |!
Yassuh, yassuh! Thank Gawd you'se
come" When he wheeled he came
back at gallop-nor did he stop.
"Come on, Marse Erskine :" he cried.
mo time to waste. Come on, suh!"
With a few leaps Firef1y was
abreast, and neck and neck they ran,
while the darky's every word con-
firmed the instinct and reason that
had led Erskine where he was.
''Yassuh, Miss Barbary gwine to
run away wild dat mean white man.
1dSSuHJ ulS very ulSHI
"When did he get hereY
dis mawnin'. He been pesterin'
her an pleadin' wild her all day an
she been cryin' her heart out, but
nanny say she's gwine wild him.
Pears like she can't hep herself"
"Is he alone?"
mo, sub, he got an Orflcer an four
sojers wild him."
"HOw did they get away?"
HE say as how dey was on a scout
in party an 'scaped."
"Does he know that CORVALLIS has
surrendered" ... -.-a e.
"Oh, yassuh, he tor Miss Barbary
dat. OATS why he says he got to git
away right now an she got to go wild
him right now"
did he say anything about General
Dale and Mr.. Harry?' .
"Yassuh, he say dat dey's all right
an dat dey an you will be hot on his
tracks. OATS why nanny toP me to
ride like de debbil an hurry you on,
sub. Dis AFTERNOON" the negro went
on, ''he went Oyah to dat cabin l toll
you bout an got dat American uni
form. He gwine to tell folks on de
way dat dem udders is his prisoners
an he takin' dem to Richmond. Den
dey gwine to sep'rate an he an Miss
Barbary gwine to git married some
whur on de way an dey goin' on an
sail fer England, fer he say if he git
captured fOlks'll won't let him be
prisoner O. war-deyTl jes up an
shoot him. An dat skeer Miss Bar
barry mos to death an hep make her
go wild him. Nanny heahh ever
word dey say"
Erskine's brain was working fast,
but no plan would come. They would
be six against him, but no matter-he
urged Firef1y on. The red ball from
which Ephraim had leaped had gone
down now. The chill autumn dark.
ness was settling, but the moon was
rising full and glorious over the black
expanse of trees when the lights of
Red Oaks first twinkled ahead.
The negro turned from the road
through a gate, and Erskine heard
the thud Of his horses hOOfs across
the meadow turf. He rode on slow.
ly, hitched Firefiy as close to the edge
of the road as was safe, and crept tc
the edge of the garden, where he
could peer through the hedge. The
hall door was open and the hallway
lighted so was the dining room; and
there were lights in Barbara's room
There were no noises, not even of ami
NAL life, and no figures moving aboui
or in the house. What could he do
One thing at least, no matter what
happened to him-he could number
Dane Grey's days and make this night
his last on earth. 1t would probably
be his own last night, too. Impa
tiently he crawled back to the edge O
the road. More quickly than he ex
pected he, saw Ephraim's figure slip
ping through the shadows toward him
"Dey's jus through supper" he re
ported "Afiss Barbary didn't eat wi,
'em. She's up in her room. Dat nd