The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-08-04
COpynght By Charles scribner's Sons
CHAPTER XVII

absence was merely a mystery-to
Erskine 1t brought foreboding and
sickening fear. General Dale's wound
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 Firefly'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 dor Fire
fly was sweeping into a little hollow
now, and above the beating of her
hoofs in the sandy road, 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
ho.. ~
black Ephraim.
"Stop!" Erskine cried, but the ne
gro came laundering on, as though
he meant to ride down anything In
his way. Firef1y swerved aside, and
Ephraim shot by, pulling in with both
hands and shouting: 'Marse Erskine
Yassuh, yassuh! Thank Gawd you'se
come" When he wheeled he came
back at gallop-nor did he stop.
"Come on, Marse Erskinel" he cried.
"No time to waste. Come on, sub !"
With a few leaps Firefiy 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.
Yassuh, dis very night"
"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"
'Ts he alone?'
mo, sub, he got an OFFICER an -four
sojers wild him."
allow did they get awayT
"He say as how dey was on scout
in party an 'scaped."
"Does he know that CORVALLIS has
surrenderedY'
"Oh, yassuh, he toI' Miss Barbary
dat. OATS why he says he got to gil
away right now an she got to go vic
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 toll me tG
ride like de debbil an hurry you on
sub. Dis AFTERNOON" the negro Went
ON, che went ovah to dat cabin / toll
you bout an got dat American uni
form. He gwine to tell folks on d.
way dat dem uaders is his prisoners
an he takin' dem to Richmond. Der
dey gwine to sep'rate an he an Mis-:
Barbary gwine to git married some
whur on de way an dey goin' on an
sail fer England, fer he say if he 81
captured folks1l won't let him b.
prisoner O. war-dey1l jes up an
shoot him. An dat skeer Miss Bar
barry mos to death an hep make he
go wild him. Nanny heah'd ever
word dey say"
Erskine'S brain was working fast
but no plan would come. They woult
be six against him, but no matter-h'
which Ephraim had leaped had gon,
down now. The chill autumn dark
ness was settling, but the moon wa
rising full and glorious over the blacl
expanse of trees when the lights o
Red Oaks first twinkled ahead.
The negro turned from the roa,
through a gate, and Erskine hear'
the thud of his horses hoofs acros
| the meadow turf He rode on slow
Iy. hitched Ffref1y as close to the edg
| of the road as was safe, and crept
| the edge of the garden, where h
could peer through the hedge. TIL
hall door was open and the hallwa
lighted; so was the dining room; an
| there were lights in Barbara's room
| There were no noises. not even of an