The Winslow mail., 1922-09-29
CHAPT ER II

Drace sat musing over the strange
creature who had just left him. but
soon his mind flowed down another
channel. far different from whim or
an amusement-his mission in the
South, secret. grim and desperate. But
life on river steamboat in that day
eft little time for brcoding for. few
moments after Shottle left to risk his
| liberty and Drace's hundred, roust-
! about thrust his head in at the door
and announced that down on the deck
! there was to be throwing and tying
| match The big fireman of the I4eona
| was about 10 encounter Vicksburg Joe
| or the championship of the River.
In an instant Drace was on his feet,
| all his instincts keen and ready to
| jump. He was something of a boxes
| and wrestler, but he had not been
1 taught in this peculiar art of tying an
adversary once one has thrown him.
| And there was that in his mind which
made the acquisition of this knowledge
seem to him desirable indeed
As he Joined a group of men maxi
| ing their way below, he overheard the
| Colonel, Miss Lucy's admirer, explain
| ing the gentle pastime. Flying man
once you have thrown him." the Colo
mel was saying, "is the climax of
prowess. l saw Cal Blodgett throw
and tie Nick PAWN at a barbecue at
Mount Zion campground, and / have
cause to remember it, for the young
| lady / went with deserted me for the
hero, sir--actually stuck flowers into
J his hair. Here we are"
| Two enormous fellows were strug
| Cling, while nearby lay convenient
rope. Finally Vicksburg Joe tied the
| fireman, and he lay helpless, unable
to get up.
81 will give you five dollars if you
| can throw me and tie me that way
called Drace to the victor when the
excitement had little subsidized.
| Joe looked at Drace a moment. The
young man looked powerful enough to
be dangerous, but-fve dollars was
| five dollars. He smiled, bowed.
spread out the wrinkled rug and took
Drace by the hand to lead him forth.
| To the astonishment of all, Drace
threw Master Joe but he could not
! tie the champion.
"Show me how it's done" said Vir-
gil, "and I'll give you the money"
For long time, and until the Colo
mel and Shottle were worn out with
waiting. the two struggled: and so apt
was the student that he succeeded fin
ally in turning the master over and
tying him. But it seemed that the
burly champion was too willing, and
Drace insisted on another fall. And
now, though the struggle was genuine
on Joe's part, Drace tied him. Still
more. another five promised and Vir-
| gil was willing to quit.
Finest sport / ever hadl" he said
| as he turned away to the upper deck
again to avoid the questions and fe.
| licitations showered upon him.
Drace was musing-not, it must be
confessed, upon the serious purposes
! which had brought him to the South,
but upon that girl of the red roses
when Shottle appeared again. Liberty
stood in his presence not with droop
but straight in the manly resolution
to discharge the duties an adverse fate
had thrust upon him. In the belief
that it would make him look more like
a slave, he now wore his coat turned
wrong side out.
Master salute you,' he remarked.
"All right" said Drace. But turn
your coat. l want my slave, the grind
er of my mill, to appear respectfully
clad. You may sit down."
II thank you, sir
"You didn't last long"
mo. master. The tangled-haired
hag kicked me sidewise, like COW.
In only two pots But what can you
expect of a man that has an ace-full
beaten? How long can a man preserve
his freedom at that rate? And fell
low with a spindle chin and nose
no bigger than the average wart beat
me with four jacks. Crushed me And
he would have crushed julius Caesar
lust the same Well, after all, free
dom has many responsibilities. AS
slave I'll cultivate what virtues | can
get hold of, and look toward old age
and a cabin on the hillside. And now
as it is natural for every man to hide
his degradation. will you permit me to
call you Virgil In the presence of 9TH
er people?"
"I thought you didn't believe in the
natural thingl But all right: l grant
your request. And now | suppose Ia