Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-18

smell of animals was good in HIS nos.
trils, and he sat there, banging his
new shoes against the slanting planks
underneath the box. Old Rhoda
knew that here was a creature who
had often supplied her with food and
water and tickled her skin delightfully."-
with curry-comb and brush; she was
not afraid, and she began making up
to him, whinnying huskily far down
in her throat and nuZzling his Shout
der. But even here. all by himself,
Kilmer could see no way out OF the
horror that awaited him; presently ne
reached his arms around her neck,
laid his cheek against her warm head,
and cried.
TWO days later came Christmas
Ewes day, as it is called in the
| South, and the excited Turley house
| hold was early astir. Mr.. Turley
looked forward to a big day in his
notion" store, his wife was futter'
ingly concerned about cakes and pies
| and the church Christmas tree, and
Rob and Hal were to peddle oranges
and apples and firecrackers from bas'
kets. ION commission" they grandly
explained.
Bv nine O'Clock the house was
empty. except for the negro cook
| and Kilmer He was in the boys
room. feverishly removing the new
clothes that had been given him and
putting on the old ones that had
come up with him from Louisiana,
his face set and his lips moving with
| half-sensed words that rushed about
| in his head and tumbled out in jerky
mumblinss.
Many people were coming and gong
| through Mr.. Beamer's store, and the
| yard was nearly full OF wagons and
buggies. No one paid any attention
to the silent boy who now and then
| ran into the big barn-lixe store, picked
up an armful OF bedding or kitchen
utensils. and loaded them into a can
vas-covered wagon that stood near
the gate. And no hand was raised
| to stop Kilmer when finally he drove
out and away.
Somehow he had gathered the i'm
preston that, though the wagon and
| horses had been his pappy's, they
were now not exactly his. and he
had the feeling that, in taking them
he was doing something forbidden and
dangerous. Troubled but. unhesitant
he moved swiftly and surely, hard
fierce look in his slate-gray eyes.
Standing behind the seat and under
| the canvas. to hide himself as much
as possible. he drove down the street
| as IL he meant to leave town. expect
| ing every moment to hear somebody
| come yelling after him to stop. But
presently he was well away from the
| ward, and no one had hailed him
| Urging Rhoda and Buster to trot
he circled the town and eased the
wagon cautiously into the alley be
hind the Nevins home, putting the
barn and the garage between 1t and
the great white house.
When he had found Peruna and
whispered his message to her. he still
had to wait while she found and put
on her old clothes and slipped away
But by IL o'clock they were milt
out OF town, going north along the
road that Lige had followed as fan
as he could. That seemed a very
long time ago to Kilmer.
"Whur air we a'going' to. buddie'
[ reclin you can tell me now"
"Sitta we air a-goin' home tC
pappy's kinfolks, whur he wuz amin
to go. away up wander i'm the mount
ings. I ricolect little bit about hit
and he tole me whole lot more.
What's our kinfolks' names. bud
die? Same AS ourn?''
II reckin so. sitta. l know Uncle
Buck an Aunt Emmy an Cousin Lem
but don't ricollect nary hind name
IL ever ! knowed EN-"
"How come you decide to go?"
Perunas pale-fac brother looked Z