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CARROLL COUNTY DEMOCRAT, HUNTINGDON, TENNESSEE H suiKZMiMMMiKisitiiiuiuiUHiuiMiijuumi V7 ffTrw 111 A Romance of 0 5 $ ;iiiiiiiHiii::i!:izi::i!!iniiiiMiiiifii::iiiniHiinn::i:!!i:nMtiiiiiiinniint:!!ii:iiin!iiiix:i:iii!:ii:iin w "DONT MOVE OR CRY OUT! OBEY ORDERS!", Synopsis. In 1833 Lieutenant Knox of the regular army Is on duty at Fort Armstrong, Rock Island, 111., In territory threatened by disaffected Indians. The commandant sends him with difipatehes to St. Louis. He takes passage on the steamer Warrior and makes the acquaintance of Judge Beaucalre, rich planter, and of Joe Kirby (the Devil's Own), notorious gambler. Knox learns Judge Beaucalre has a daughter, Elolse, and a granddaughter, Rene, offspring of a son whom the Judge has disowned. Kene's mother Is a negress, and she and her daughter, never having been freed, are slaves under the law, although the girls have been brought up as sisters. Klrby Induces the judge to stake tils plantation and negro servants on a poker hand unfairly dealt by Joe Carver, Kirby's partner. Klrby accuses the Judge of cheating. Beaucalre, Infuriated, drops dead. Knox tries to induce Klrby to grive up his stolen winnings. Kirby and Carver throw Knox overboard. The lieutenant swims ashore and reaches a hut. Knox lies unconscious for ten days. Recovering, he finds he Is In a cabin owned by pete, a "free nigger," who had shot him, mistaking him for an enemy. His dispatches have been forwarded. Recovering from his wound, Knox sends Pete to bring Haynes, Beaucaire's lawyer, and they arrange, with Pete's help, to get the women to the cabin of an aboli tionist, Amos Shrunk, before Klrby comes. At the Beaucalre place Knox overhears a conversation between the sheriff and his deputy, and learns the truth about the situation. He is witness to an interview between Klrby and a girl who says she Is Rene Beaucalre. Klrby Insults the girl, and Knox attacks him. Believing Klrby dead, Knox explains affairs to the girl, and she agrees to try to escape with him. CHAPTER VII Continued. . "Have you ever visited the mouth of Saunders' creek? You have! How far away is that from here?" "Not more than half a mile; it en ters the river just below the Land ing." "And, If I understood you rightly," I urged eagerly, "you said that these fellows left their keelboat there; that It had been rigged up to run by steam, find had no guard aboard except the engineer; you are sure of this?" "That was what the man who talked to me first said the deputy sheriff, lie boasted that they had the only keelboat on the river equipped with an engine and had come up from St. Louis in two hours. You you think we could use that?" "It seems to be all that Is left us. I Intend to make the effort, anyway. You had better show me the road." 1 followed her closely, a mere shadow, as she silently led the way along the edge of the wood and back of the negro quarters. I felt confident of being able safely to approach the unsuspecting engineer and overcome any resistance before he could real ize the possibility of attack. I was obliged to rely upon a guess at the time of night, yet surely it could not be long after twelve and there must remain hours of darkness amply suffi cient for our .purpose. With the boat once securely in our possession the en gineer compelled to serve, for I had no skill in that line, we could strike out directly for the opposite shore and creep along in its shadows past the sleeping town at the Landing until we attained the deserted waters above. By then we should practically be be yond immediate pursuit. Even if Car ver or the sheriff discovered Klrby, any immediate chase by river would be impossible. Nothing was available for their use except a few rowboats at the Landing ; they would know noth ing as to whether we had gone up or down stream, while the coming of the early daylight would surely permit us to discover some place of concealment along the desolate Illinois shore. Des perate as the attempt undoubtedly was the situation as I considered it in iall its details brought me faith in our 'success and fresh encouragement to make the effort. We moved forward slowly. I took the lead myself, bending low and feel ing carefully for footing in the wiry igrass. The darkness so shrouded ev erything, blending objects into shape less shadows, that it required several moments before I could clearly deter talne the exact details. The mouth of jthe creek, a good-sized stream, was jonly a few yards away, and the boat, 'rather a larger craft than I had an ticipated seeing, lay just off shore, with stern to the bank, as though pre pared for instant departure. It was securely held in position by a rope, probably looped about a convenient stump, and my eyes were finally able to trace the outlines of the wheel by which it was propelled. Except for straggling rushes extending to the edge of the water, the space between was vacant yet sufficiently mantled In darkness to enable one to creep for Ward unseen. At first glance I could distinguish no sign of the boatman left, in charge, but even as I lay there, breathless and uncertain, he suddenly revealed his presence by lighting a lantern in the stern. The illumination was feeble cnousdi yet sufficient to expose to view the small, unprotected engine aft, and also the fact that all forward of the little cockpit in which it stood the entire craft was decked over. The fel low was busily engaged in overhaul ing the machinery, leaning far for ward, his body Indistinct, the lantern swinging in one hand, with entire at tention devoted to his task. Occa sionally, as he lifted his head for some purpose, the dim radiance fell upon bis face, revealing the unmistakable countenance of a mulatto, a, fellow of medium size, broad of cheek, with un usually full lips and a fringe of whls jker turning gray. Somehow this rev- ; elation that he was a negro and not a j white man brought with it to me an additional confidence In success. I In j dined my head and whispered in the girl's ear: ' "You are not tc move from here un ,til J call This is to be my part of Bte?lV Own the Black Hawk War J the work, handling that lad. I am going now." "lie is colored, Is he not a slave?" "We can only guess as to that. But he does not lobk to me like a hard proposition. If I can only reach the boat without being" seen the rest will be easy. Now Is the proper time, while he Is busy tinkering with the engine. You will stay here?" "Yes, of course ; I I could be of no help." She suddenly held out her hand, as though impelled to the action by some swift Impulse, and the warm pressure of her fingers meant more than words. I could not see the expression on her face, yet knew the slender body was trembling nervously. "Surely you are not afraid?" "Oh, no; it is not that I I an all unstrung. You must not think of me at nil." . I realized the gravity of my task, and my eyes were watchful of the shrouded figure I was silently ap proaching. I drew nearer inch by inch, advancing so slowly and snake like that not even the slightest sound of movement aroused suspicion. Ap parently tbje fellow was engaged In oiling the machinery, for he had placed the lantern on deck and held a long-spouted can In his. fingers. His back remained toward me as I drew near the stern, and consequently I no longer had a glimpse of his face. The wooden wheel' of the boat, a clumsy-appearing apparatus, rested al most directly against the bank, where the water was evidently deep enough to float the vessel, and the single rope holding it In position was drawn taut from the pressure of the current. Waiting until the 'man was compelled to bend lower over his work, utterly unconscious of my presence, I straight ened up and, pistol in hand, stepped upon the wooden beam supporting the wheel. lie must have heard this movement, for he lifted his head quickly, yet was even then too late; already I had gained the afterdeck, and my weapon was on a level with his eyes. "Don't move or cry out!" I com manded sternly. "Obey orders and you will not be hurt." IIe shrank away, sinking upon the bench, his face upturned so that the light fell full upon it, for the instant too greatly surprised and frightened His Mouth Hung Open and His Eyes Stared at Me. to give utterance to a sound. His mouth hung open, and Ma eyes stared at me. "Who who wus yer? Whateha want yere?" "I am asking questions and you are answering them. Are you armed? All right, then ; hand It over. Now put out that light." He did exactly as I told him, mov ing as though paralyzed by fear, yet unable to resist . "You are a negro a slave?" "Yas, sah; Ah's Massa Donaldson's boy f rum St. Louee." "He Is the sheriff?" "Yas, sah yas, sah. Whar is Massa Donaldson? ,Yer ain't done bin sent yere by him, I reckon. Tears like I never see yer .afore." "No; but he is quite safe. What is your name?" "Sam, sah Just plain Sam.? A g lj RANDALL PARRISH Author of XontMbunt" "Shet of the Irish Ej Erigtde," "Whea WilJerccsi E Wi King." etc ILLUSTRATIONS BY k IRWIN 'MYERS S "Well, Sam, I understand you are an engineer. Now, it happens that I want to use this boat, and you are going to run it for me, do you understand? I am going to sit down here on the edge . of this cockpit, and, hold this loaded pistol just back of your ear. It might go off at any minute, and surely will if you make a false move or attempt to foul the engine. Any trick, and there Is going to be a dead nigger overboard. I know enough about engines to tell If you play fair so don't take any chances, boy." "Ah Ah reckon as how I was goln' fer ter run her all right", sah; she's sum consid'ble contrary et times, sah, but Ah'll surely run her, if thar's eny run In her, sah. Ah ain't carin' 'bout bein' no corpse." "I thought not; you'd rather be a free nigger, perhaps? Well, Sam, if you will do this job all right for me tonight I'll put you where the sheriff will never see hide nor hair of you again no, not yet; wait a moment, there is another passenger." She came instantly In answer to my low. call, and through the gloom the startled negro watched her descend the bank, a mere moving shadow, yet with the outlines of a woman. I half believe he thought her a ghost, for I could hear him muttering inarticu lately to himself. I dared not remove my eyes frcm the fellow, afraid that his very excess of fear might Impel him to same reckless act, but I ex tended one hand across the side of the boat to her assistance. "Take iay hand, Rene," I said pleas antly, to reassure her, "and come abtittfd. Yes, everything Is all right. I've Just promised Sam here a ticket for Canada." I helped her across into the cock pit and seated her on the bench, but never venturing to remove my eyes from the negro. His actions and what ever I was able to observe of the ex pression of his face only served to convince me of his trustworthiness, yet I could take no chances. "She's just a real, live woman, sah?" he managed to ejaculate, half in doubt. "She sure ain't no ghost, sah?" "By no means, Sam; she is just as real as either you or I. Now listen, boy you know what will happen to you after this, If Donaldson ever gets hold of you?" "I . 'spects I does, sah. He'd Just nat'arly skin dis nigger alive, Ah reckon." "Very well, then; it is up to you to get away, and I take It that you understand this river. We are going to head upstream." "Yas, sir; yer plannln' fer ter go nor'. Wal, sah, dars plenty o' watah fer dis ycro boat right now, wld de spring floods. Nothin' fer ter be afeerd of 'bout dat." "That is good news. Now, Sam, I am going to cut this line, and I want you to steer straight across into tl shadows of the Illinois shore. I be lieve you are going to play square, but for the present I'm going to take no chances with you. I 'am holding this pistol within a foot of your head, and your life means nothing to me if you try any trick. What is the speed of this boat upstream?" , " 'Bout ten mile an hour, sah." "Well, don't push her-too hard at first, and run that engine as noiseless ly as possible. Are you ready? Yes- then I'll cut loose." I severed the line and we began to recede from the shore, cutting diago nally across the- decidedly swift cur rent. Once beyond the protection of the point the star-gleam revealed the sturdy rush, of the waters, occasion ally flecked with bubbles of foam. Sam handled the unwieldy craft with the skill of a practiced boatman, and the laboring engine made far less racket than I had anticipated. Pistol In hand, and vigilant to every motion of the negro, my eyes swept along that vague shore line, catching nowhere a spark of light, nor any evidence that the steady chug of our engine had cre ated alarm. We were alone upon the mysterious bosom of the vast stream, tossed about in the full sweep of the current, yet moving steadily forward, and already safely beyond both sight and sound. Every moment of progress tended to increase my confidence in Sam's loy alty. The fellow plainly enough real ized the situation that safety for himself depended on keeping beyond the reach of his master. To this end he devoted every instant diligently to coaxing his engine and a skillful guid ance of the boat, never once permit ting his head to turn fat enough to glance at me, athough I could occa sionally detect his eyes wandering in the direction of the girl. She had not uttered a word nor changed her posture since first enter ing the boat, but remained Just as I had seated her, one hand grasping the edge of the cockpit, her gaze on the rushing waters ahead. I could realize something of what must be passing through her mind the mingling of doubt and fear which assailed her in this strange environment Up until now she had been accorded no oppor tunity to think, to cmsider the nature of her position; she had been com pelled to act wholly upon Impulse and driven blindly to accept my sugges tions. And now, in this silence, the reaction had come, and she was1 al ready questioning if she had done right. It was in my heart to speak to her, in effort to strengthen her faith, but I hesitated, scarcely knowing what to say, deeply touched by the pathetic droop of her figure, and in truth un certain in my own mind as to whether or not we had . chosen the wiser course. All I dared do was to silently .reach out one hand and rest It gently on Ihose fingers clasping the rail. She did not remove her hand from beneath mine, nor indeed give the slightest evi dence that she was even aware of my action. "Wus Ah to turn nor, sah?" asked the negro suddenly. "Yes, upstream ; but keep in as close to the shore as you think safe. There Is no settlement along this bank, , is there?" "No, sah; dar's jus' one. cabin, 'bout a mile upstream, but dar ain't nobody llvln' thar now. Whar yer all aim fer ter go?" ' I hesitated an instant before I an swered, yet almost as quickly decided that the whole truth would probably serve us best. The man already had one reason to use his best endeavors; now I would bring before him a sec ond. "Just as far up the river before day light as possible,' Sam. Then I hope to uncover some hiding place where we can lie concealed until it is dark again. Do you know any such place?" "On de Illinois shore, sah? Le's see: thar's Itassuer creek, 'bout twenty mile up. Ah 'spects you all knows whut yer a headin' fer?" "To a certain extent yes; but we had to decide on this action very quickly, with no cfc?.uce to plan it out I am aiming at the mouth of the Illi nois." He glanced about at me, vainly en deavoring to decipher my expression in the gloom. "De Illinois ribber, boss; what yer hope fer ter find thar?" "A certain man I've heard about. Did you ever happen to hear a white man mentioned who lives near there? His name is Amos Shrunk." I could scarcely distinguish his eyes, but I could feel them. I thought for a moment he would not answer. "Yer'll surely excuse me, sah," he said at last, humbly, his voice with a note of pleading it it. "Ah's feelin' friendly 'nough an' all dat, sah, but still yer mus' 'member dat Ah's talkln' ter a 'perfect stranger. If yer wud sure tell me furst just whut yer was aimin at, then maybe Ah'd know a heap mor'n Ah do now." "I guess you are right, Sam. I'll tell you the whole of It. I am endeavor ing to help this 5'oung woman to' escape those men back yonder. You must know why they were there; no doubt you overheard them talk coming up?" "Yas. sah ; Massa Donaldson he was goln' up fer ter serve sum papers fer Massa Kirby, so he cud run off de Beaucalre niggers. But dis yere gal, she ain't no nigger she's just a white pusson." "She is a slave under the law," I said gravely, as she made an effort to move, "and the man Kirby claims her." I could see his mouth fly open, but the surprise of this statement halted his efforts at speech. "That explains the whole situation," I went on. "Nov; will you answer me?" "'Bout dis yere Massa Shrunk?" "Yes you have heard of him be fore?" "Ah reckon as how maybe Ah has, sah." "Do you know where he can be found?" "Not perzackly, sah. Ah ain't never onct bin thar, but Ah sorter seems fer ter recollec' sum'thin' 'bout whar he mought be. Ah reckon maybe Ah cud go thar, If Ah just hed to. Ah reckon if yer all held dat pistol plum 'gainst mah hed, Ah'd mos' likely find dis Amos Shrunk. Gopd Lord, sah!" and his voice sank to a whisper, "Ah just can't git hoi' o' all dis Ah sure can't, sah 'bout her bein' a nigger." Rene turned about, lifting her face into the starlight. "Whether I am white ' or colored, Sam," she said quietly, "can make little difference to you now. I am a woman and am asking your help. I can trust you, can I not?" The negro on his knees stared at her, the whites of his eyes conspicu ous. Then suddenly he jerked off his old hat. "Ah 'spects yer kin, missus," he pledged himself in a- tone of convic tion which made my heart leap. "Ah's bin a slave-nigger fer forty-five years, but just de same Ah ain't never bin mean ter no woman. Yas, sah, yer don't neither one ob yer eber need ter ask Sam no mor' he's a-goin' thro' wld yer all ter de end he sure am, ma'am." Silence descended upon us, and I slipped the pistol back into my pocket. Rene rested her cheek on her hand and gazed straight ahead Into the night. Far off to the left a few wink ing lights appeared, barely perceptible, and I touched the negro, pointing them out to him and whispering my ques tion so as not to disturb the motion less girl. "Is that the Landing over there?" "Ah certainly 'spects it must be, sah; dar ain't no other town directly 'round dese parts." "Then those lights higher un must be on the blufTat Beaucalre?" ' j "Yes, sah ; looks like de whole house was lit up. I reckon things am right lively up thar 'bout now." He chuckled to himself, smothering a laugh. "It's sure goin' fer ter bother Massa Donaldson ter lose dis nigger, sab, fer Ah's de only one he's got" The lights slowly faded away in the far distance, family disappearing alV) gether as we rounded a (sharp fc.?nd in the river bank. The engine ireftsed its stroke, giving vent to louf-jr chug ging, and I could feel the strain of the planks beneath us as we batSed the current This new noise may have aroused her, for Rene lifted her head as though suddenly startled and glanced about In my direction. "We have passed the village?" she asked, rather listlessly. "Yes; It Is already out of sight From the number of lights burning I imagine our escape has been discov ered." "And what will they do?" an echo of dismay in her voice. All fear of any treachery on the part of the negro had completely de serted me, and I slipped down from my perch on the edge of the cockpit to a place on the bench at her side. She made no motion to draw away, but her eyes were upon my face, as though seeking to read the meaning of my sudden action. "We can talk better here," I ex plained. "The engine makes so much noise." "You have not yet explained to me what we were to do. Your plans for tomorrow?" "Because I scarcely have any," I re plied., "This has all occurred so sud denly I have only acted upon impulse. No doubt those back at the Landing will endeavor to pursue us ; they may 1 rarara But Her Eyes Were Upon My Face, as Though Seeking to Read' the Meaning of My Sudden Action. have discovered already our means of escape and procured boats. My prin cipal hope is that they may take it for granted that we have chosen the easier way and gone downstream. If so we shall gain so much more time to get beyond their reach." "But why have you chosen the northern route? Surely you had a reason?" ' , "Certainly; it was to deceive them and get out of slave territory as quick ly as possible. There are friends in this direction and none in the other. If we should endeavor to flee by way of the Ohio we would be compelled to run a thousand-mile gantlet There are slaves in Illinois it has never been declared a free state but these are held almost exclusively in the more southern counties. North of the river the settlers are largely from New England, and the majority of them hate slavery and are ready to assist any runaway to freedom." "But you have spoken of a man- Amos Shrunk who is he?'' "You have certainly heard rumors. at least, that there are regular routes of escape from here to Canada?" "Yes; it has been discussed at the house. I have never clearly under stood, but I do know that slaves dis- appear and are never caught. I was told white men helped them." "It is accomplished through organ ized effort by these men Black Abo litionists, as they are called haters of slavery. They are banded to gether in a secret society for this one purpose and have what they call sta tions scattered all along at a certain distance apart a night's travel from the Mississippi to the Canadian line, where the fugitives are hidden and fed. A station keeper, I am told, la only permitted to know a few miles of the route, those he must cover the system is perfect, and many are en gaged in it who are never even sus pected." "And this man Is he one?" "Yes a leader ; he operates the most dangerous station of all. The escaping slaves come to him first" She asked no further questions, and after a moment turned away, resting back against the edge of the cockpit with chin cupped In the hollow of her hand. The profile of her face was clearly defined by the starlight re flected by the river, and I found it hard to withdraw my eyes. A move ment by the negro attracted my at tention. "There is a small creek about four miles above the Landing, Sam," I said shortly. "Do you think you could find it?" "On de Missouri side, sah? " Ah reckon Ah cud." (TO BE CONTINUED.) Grease on Wallpaper. To remove grease spots from wan paper, sprinkle a piece of blotting pa per with carbonate of soda and press it against the wall with a moderatelj hot iron. - The blotting paper will ah sorb the grease, while the soda pre serves the color of the paper. The Devil's Own comes to life. . IMAGINATION I By ALICE KNIGHT. 3 Ned Barnes and his classmates were holding an Indignation meeting, at which Ned seemed to have by far the greatest grievance. They had Just left their English classroom where the professor had startled them by announcing the fact that they must write a short story for the next flay. "He has no right to do it," said Ned. "This Is a course ia critical writiug and not narration." "You're right, old chap,' said his friend Dick, "and It sure js harder to write a love story than to toss o!t a criticism, but I suppose we'll have to do It." "Thank goodness, he didn't specify It had to be a love story." "No, but that's about the easiest, unles you write a thrilling adventure Btory." "Well, it's all right to write about adventures if you ever had any, but I'm not going to write a lot of ridicu lous lies. I couldn't do It anyway, I tell you. Everybody always said I had no more Imagination than a cat." " The next morning In the English class, instead of seeing a frowning and gloomy Ned Barnes, his friends saw a beaming countenance which still remained beaming when the pro fessor said "We will begin by reading Barnes' story. And to an eagerly in terested audience he read the fol lowing : "The train from New Hampshire has Just drawn into Boston as It lias a thousand times before. But today It is all different for there is one little passenger who has never seen Boston, or Indeed any other city. Her expres sion of eager curiosity and child'sh delight attracts us at once. To look at her sweet and innocent face, one would never suspect that she was deceiving her poor old aunt in the belief that she was spending the day with a friend in the next town in order that she might slip away to the magic city of Boston for a few hours. Just a few short hours, that was the only cloud on her horizon ; just a few short hours, but she dare not stay longer. But perhaps that would be long enough, and she clutched her little hand still more closely over something that she had held in the palm of her hand ever since she left home. We would love to see what it is, but it Is evidently very precious, for she is not willing to let go for a minute. We will follow her through the station and listen to her timid request for information. The myster ies of the elevated and subway seem ing to be unfathomable, she decides to walk, and 15 minutes later she ia standing before a millinery window, wide-eyed and breathless. Surely she must be dreaming. Such wonderful creations never existed outside of Fairyland. One in particular took her fancy. It was large and droopy and fluffy, with the dearest little forget-me-nots. Did I tell you her eyes were as blue as the heavens above and her cheeks as pink as the roses In an old New England garden. Surely It would be becoming. With a little flutter of her heart and a tighter clasp of her little hand on her Imprisoned secret, she entered the shop. If Boston was new to her, certainly she was new to Boston. Her fresh beauty and simplicity aroused the jaded interests of even the shop girls and they vied with each other in waiting on her. First she tried on the forget-me-not hat in the window. It was all that her heart craved for, but true to the eternal feminine, she must try on every other hat she saw Just to make sure. Finally, after gloating over all the wonders she decided on her first choice. When it was pre-, sented to her in a box so big she could scarcely carry it, she thanked , the clerk for her kindness and started to go away. "Wait a minute, my dear. You have not paid for it yet." "Paid for it ! Oh, I thought " A look of embarrassment and then a deep flush spread over her face. "Oh, I must be in the wrong store." Slowly, almost regretfully, she open ed her hand and gave the clerk the crumpled paper she had carried for hours in her hand. "Will you tell me where that store Is, please?" The clerk, at first amused, and Just as quickly ashamed of her amuse ment, read their own last Sunday's ' advertisement, ' - . HATS GIVEN AWAY, Bewilderingly beautiful. Charmingly simple. Daringly dashing. Delightfully demure. All kinds to suit all tastes. In a daze the girl listened to the clerk's gentle and ' sympathetic ex-, planatlon of the wicked city's exag gerations, , but it is doubtful if she understood anything except that she had lost her hat. Completely disillu-' sloned, she left the shop. Two big tears gathered in her eyes and blur red everything. She did not even see the aproaching " Just as the story is reaching the interesting part, the professor is- , called away for a few minutes. A storm of exclamations greet Ned, such a9 "Oh, no. You wouldn't write i love story." ,"Well, my description didn't do her ustlce, and neither does this." And lie drew a snapshot shyly from his pocket "but you'll all have a chance to Judge for yourself, for if old Aunt VIehltable or Henzibah, or whatever her name Is, will give her consent she will be at our dance next 'week.' Copyright, 1S19, McClUre Newspaper Syn' UlcuU.) ;