Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-11-02
CHAPTER lI-continued.

With an awkward gesture Liberty
stretched forth a hand. caught braces
and wrung 1t warmly. You're like
like Hamleti' he exclaimed. "Ill do
lny pest TO help you, Hamlet. Let me
be your Horatio as well as your slave
Drace returned the feryent hand
clasp. MY HoratIo !" he agreed. And
then. solemn again. he added: TITS a
worthy cause. Liberty. It's not alone
my private vengeance, but the wrongs
of a whole community that the ordi-
nary machinery OF justice a never
right-why Liberty dozens Of men
were murdered by those drunken
rendx: little children ere trodden
under the hoofs OF their horses, and
women Near our house. Liberty, an
old couple live in poverty. At the
time OF Step,ro's raid their son and
his young wife lived next door to
them they were well-to-do and pros
porous. The day OF the raid the son
Ind received ten thousand dollar from
the sale OF some lands. When rumor
OF the raiders came. he hurriedly hid
the money somewhere in the neighbOr-
hood. scrubbed on a piece OF paper the
location of that treasure and CAV 1t
10 his wife before he went out with the
other men TO fight. Next morning he
had been shot and the young wife
had been carried off by those devils
her child with her. after the Indian
custom. TO keep her from suicide. No
one knows what became Of her. Nor
has that money ever been found. LIber-
", II I could find Stepho. get him in
nv power. I believe | could at least
woman-pessibly find that paper and
learn where 10 Ind the money those
poor people so sorely need for once.
some years ago. a mysterious fellow
was caught digging about their yard.
But I've talked enough, Liberty.
Action. DO you know any more about
In vitteT"
"Not much" replied Liberty. 81 be-
lieve he Is often seen up the River.
and sometimes down on the coast. He
has his friends. and nearly everybody
else is afraid Of him. SO you've
must keep dark till we get our chance.
And you mustn't show your feelings
in your face. Remember. master.
you're just q young man out to see the
world. H'm-here comes Colonel
Josh. Suppose we talk to him. He
was a mule-buyer In the war and may
know something about Steph0."
The door was darkened. In came
Joshua Mortimer. the man whom Miss
Lucy had piled with questions con-
corning Drace. He bad lodged in for
q smoke, he said. when Sh0ttle had
introduced him TO his master, and IL
was evident that II was his aim to Inn
press Drace with his military bearing.
He had not beer actually in the army,
but had acquired the title OF colonel
from his adventurous work OF buying
for the Confederate government.
The Colonel took 1t" hat Drace was
from the North.
"Yes. but some Of my people were
from the South"
"Ahl congratulate you. sir. have
a match. thank you.r
Drace had offered him a light. He
filled his pipe~with tobacco crumos dug
out of his breaches pocket. AID. long
legs crossed. SAT back to enjoy him.
self.
-NeIl. sir. Mr.. Drace, the var has
been ended some years; and II we for
get an evil as easily es a virtue, sir, 1t
viii soon be only a dim memory.
had enough of It,
But you were not really in the
army. Colonel Josh" the slave spoke
up.
The Colonel pulled at his pipe.
stretched his neck and appeared 10
ash for something down In his collar.
Liberty. my duty was scouting and
tise incidental picking up of mules, as
he records of the War Department
Kill he pleased 20 exhibit. SIR
After o few minutes more conversa-
ion the Colonel rose. II will now go
,ack TO the ballroom" he declared
Liberty, I came aboard to-
sight with your third cousin. Miss
lucy Sanders"
THAT sol Come down, Marse Drsce,
md III introduce you TO her"
Il think. sir. that she has retired"
he Colonel was quick TO interpose.
esiiring that he had f~houghtiessiy suw-
rested an invasion of his own terri
orr.
Not while there In a fiddle going
aid Shotfie- Come n.
into vlrxfl's heart few the hope that
slaves cousin might be the bar
,~r9e girl with tine roses: there could
" no nlstskins her. after meeting asr.