Year: 1859

! VIM NOuio oC 81 iihClS " Scc ~ tt,ClE H.
terests, he had determined 10 satisfy his
conscience by informing him that a mu-
latto man and his little white skinned
nephew were living in Coon Bluff; thai,
! their master was Carolinian named
! Smith, who had first taken the bov from
his uncle and had apparently gone to re-
turn no more. having left another white
man with Sam 10 take him on when he
got well, bat that he called on the Gene
raj the next day with the liule boy, verv
delicate lille fellow, who cried a grea,
deal and trembled but said no, word.
and that Smith made generous offers 10
the General 10 look after them, which he
accepted, and while his health lasted he
had done so. He said that Smith had as
sumed from his being Democrat that he
would help get the "niggers' back into
slavery. But" said The General to the
Doctor, ''you know, Doc, that does very
we'll for politics to vote about, but it dom,
do no how in morali,ies." He further
told the Doctor that he had recently been
called upon by man who supposed him
to be an accomplce with Smith because
be had charge of the negroes, and who
told him that he was the one who had
taught Smith the secrets of the cave tha,
he might be able to secure the negroes
the more easily, and that his whole COM
pany had pledged themselves TO Smith to
bring the negroes back 10 the cave should
they attempt TO get away, and that Smith
was TO do certain things for them in Cal
ifornia, and when he came back he was
to be their agent in all the Southern States.
He said Smith would thereby secure
handsome fortune. And finally he pro-
posed TO the General to join their order,
and they would put him in IA way of get
ting rich IN short time. The General
went on TO say that he had humored The
man along in hopes of getting out what
he was up to, and that the man, to en-
courage him to join them, had several
lli!lCS ltliitl htu lIill IL NuS uOl IltdI DIS
devlish a business as the General was
already engaged IN with Smith From
all which interviews he had come to the
conclusion that Smith was engaged in
something criminal, and he was little
afraid that the negroes themselves knew
ali about it, and that Smith and Sam were
10Th g., II ha l,t,ia - L.,
and that was the reason he was never nj
lowed to speak with the boy. "If," said
the General, - he hadn't promised 10 give
the boy his freedom | should suspect tha,
Smith had kidnapped him; but then there
was the advertisement in the New Or.
leans paper, describing both the man and
the boy; so it couldn't be that. SO have
come TO the conclusion that Smith is work
ing somehow with a gang of counterfeit
ers, and that the niggers have to play
some part in their game. But all things
look so curious that | want TO wash my
hands of it. ] am in very poor health.
and God knows haint got the best pre-
paration for It, and | don't want any
heavier load TO carry"


" But how" said the Doctor, " did you
do with the proposal your supposed coun-
terfeiter made you"


q told him." replied the General,
" that | would think about it, and if he
! would call again l would give him my
answer. | was soon after taken sick, and
| haint never seen him since"


The Doctor now determined 10 keep
more vigiant eye than ever upon the
cave. There being no testimony where
by any legal proceedings could be had,
he felt assured if he undertook any open
action at that time, ii would only serve to
put the parties on their guard. and pre-
vent their detection. Sam himself always
seemed to the Doctor to be very sincere
and very anxious to get out of the difficult
Judged of his manner he kept nothing
back except what he said he had bound
himself to do and to keep the child from
doing. He often expressed the wish that
the matter could leak OUT withou, his hav-
ing anything TO do with 1t, or that some
body could talk 10 the child without his
knowledge.


Suppose said the Doctor to him one
day, q should get out writ OF what is
called habcas corpus and bring an officer
here to take you and the child before the
Court, and require you TO show cause
why you keep that child in confinement" :"


Well, see, Mass William, wild all
you larnln you make mistake some time.
If you bin gune to do dat, what fur you
no do um widout tell me9 Now you tell