Show by RANDALL PARRISH Aut horol contraband Cont she of the irila brittle when wilderness Wild ernest W etc illustrations A romance of the black hawk war IRWIN BY MYERS copyright by A C S c DONT MOVE OR CRY OBEY ORDER 81 synopsis in 1832 lieutenant knox of the regular army is on duty at fort armstrong rock island in territory threatened by disaffected indiana the commandant sends mm with dispatches to st louis he takes passage on the steamer warrior and makes the acquaintance of judge beaucaire alre rich planter and of joe karb the devil s own gambler knox learns judge beaucaire alre has a daughter iloise and a granddaughter rene offspring of a son whom the judge has disowned pene s mother is and she and her daughter never haeng been freed are slaves under the law although the girls have been brought up as sisters karby induces the judge to stake his plantation and negro on a poker hand unfairly dealt by joe caner karby 8 partner karby accuses the judge ot cheating beaucaire alre infuriated drops dead knox tries to induce karby to give up his stolen winnings karby 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 tree who had ahot him mistaking him tor an enemy his dispatches hate been forwarded recovering from his wound knox sends pete to bring haynes beaucaire alre 8 lawyer and they arrange with petes help to get the women to the cabin of an abolitionist ti amos shrunk before karby comes at the beaucaire alre 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 karby and a girl who says she Is rene beaucaire karby insults the girl and knox attacks him believing karby dead knox explains affairs to the girl and she agrees to try to escape with him CHAPTER VII continued have you eer visited the mouth of launders creek you have how far away Is that from here not more than half a mile it en the river just below the land ing and if I 1 understood you rightly I 1 urged eagerly you aid that these fellows left their keelboat keel bont there that it had been rigged up to run by steam and biad 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 he boasted that they had the keelboat on the river equipped with an engine and had como up from st I 1 auls in two hours lou you think we could use that it seems to be all that Is left us I 1 intend to make the effort anyway you had better show me the road 1 followed her clo oly a mere shadow aa she silently led the way along the edge of thi and back of the quarters I 1 felt confident of belag ible to approach the unsuspecting engineer and overcome adv before he could real ize the possibility of attack I 1 was obliged to rely upon B guess at alie lime of night yet surely it could not he long afier twelve and there roust remain hours of darkness amply dent for our purpose with the boat once securely in our possession ho en elneer compelled to serve tor I 1 had no skill in that line we could strike out for the opposite shore and creep along in its shadows past the sleeping town at the landing until wu attained the deserted wafers above by then we should practically be be ond immediate pursuit even if car er or the sheriff discovered any immediate chase by river would be nothing was available for their use except a few row boats 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 surely permit us to discover some place of concealment along the desolate illinois shore des as the attempt undoubtedly w as the situation as I 1 considered it in all its detail brought me faith in our success and fresh encouragement to make the effort we moved forward slowly I 1 took the lead myself bending low and feel ng carefully for footing in the wiry grass the so shrouded ever thing blending objects nto shape less shadows that it required several moments before I 1 could clearly determine the exact details the mouth of the creek a good sized stream was only a few bards away and the boat rather a larger craft thin I 1 had an seeing lay just off shore with stern to the bank as though prepared 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 it was propelled except for straggling rushes extending to the fdge of the water the space between was vacant et sufficiently mantled in darkness tc enable one to creep forward unseen at first glance I 1 could distinguish no alfen f the boatman left in charge but even as I 1 lay there breathless and uncertain he suddenly revealed his le sence by lighting a lantern in the stern the illumination was feeble enough yet sufficient to exposito expose to view ahe small unprotected engine aft and also the fact that nil forward of the little cockpit in it stood ahe entire craft was decked over the acl low wai busily engaged in overhaul ing the machinery leaning far for ward his body indistinct the kintero swinging in one hand with entire at knolon devoted to his task occa as he lifted his head for some purpose the dim radiance fell upon ills face revealing the unmistakable countenance ot a mulatto a fellow of medium size broad of cheek w ith un usually full ht and a fringe ot ehla I 1 er turning gray somehow this rev that he was negro and not a white man brought with it to me an additional confidence in success I 1 inclined my head ard whispered tn the girl a ear lou arbnot to nove from here until T call als Is lo 10 be my part of AA t s i the work handling that lad I 1 am going now he Is colored Is he not a slave V e can only guess as to that but he does not look to me like a hard proposition it I 1 can only reach the boat without being seen the rest will be easy now Is the proper time while he Is busy tinkering with he engine lou will stay here yes of course I 1 I 1 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 1 could not see the expression on her face yet knew the slender body was trembling nervously surely you are pot afraid oh no it Is not that I 1 I 1 am all unstrung you must not think of me at all I 1 realized the gravity of my task and my eyes were watchful of the shrouded figure I 1 was silently ap I 1 drew nearer inch by inch advancing fco slowly and snakelike that not even the slightest sound of movement aroused suspicion ap patently parent ly the fellow was engaged in oiling the machinery for he had placed the lantern on deck and held a long spouted can in his fingers ills back remained toward me as I 1 drew near the stern and consequently I 1 no longer had a glimpse of his face the wooden wheel of the boat a clumsy appearing apparatus rested il most directly against the bank where the water was evidently deep enough 0 o float the and the single ropo 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 1 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 1 had gained the afterdeck and ms weapon was on a level with his eyes don t move or cry out I 1 I 1 corn banded sternly obey orders and iou will not be hurt lie shrank awai 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 at me to give utterance to a sound nh mouth hung open and his eyes stared at me who who yera want yere I 1 am asking questions and you are answering them are you armed all right then hand it over now put out that light lie did as I 1 told him amov ing as paralyzed by fear yet unable to resist lou are a negro a slave yas sah aha massa donaldsons Donald sons boy trum st I 1 bouce lie Is the sheriff as anh as anh whar Is massa donaldson aint done bin sent yere by him I 1 reckon jeaa like I 1 nev er see yer no but he Is quite sate what Is your name sam sah just plain sam k F y ell sam I 1 understand you are an engineer now it happens that I 1 want to use this boat and you are going to run it for me do you understand I 1 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 it you make a false move or attempt to foul the engine any trick and there Is going to be a dead overboard I 1 know enough about engines to tell it you play fair so don i take any chances boi ah ah reckon as how I 1 was coln ter run her all right sah slie s sum conald ble contrady et times ah but ah 11 surely lun her it s run in her ah ah aln t caran bout byln no corpse 1 I thought not rather be a diee perhaps well sam if sou will do this job all right for me tonight I 1 II 11 put you where the sheriff will never see hide nor hair of you again no not vet 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 1 half believe he thought her a ghost for I 1 could hear him muttering lately to himself I 1 dared not remove my eyes from the fellows afraid that ills very excess of fear might impel him to some reckless act but I 1 extended one hand across the side of the boat to her assistance take my hand rene I 1 said pleas i antly to reassure her and come aboard yes everything Is all right I 1 ve just promised sam here a ticket for canada I 1 helped her across into the cockpit and seated her on the bench but never venturing to remove my eyes from the negro ills actions and what ever I 1 was able to observe of the expression of hit face only served to convince me of his let I 1 could take no chances she s just a real live woman sin he managed to ejaculate bait in doubt she aure aln t no ghost sah by no means sam she Is just as real as either you or I 1 now listen boy you know what will happen ta i ou after this it donaldson ever gets hold of you I 1 I 1 does sah bied just i nat arly skin als alive all reckon vary well then it Is up to you to get away and I 1 take it that you understand this river we are going to head upstream yas sir ser plan fer ter go nor wal sah dars plenty 0 fer als yere boat right now ald de spring floods fer ter be of bout dat that Is good news now sam I 1 am going to cut this line and I 1 want you to steer straight across into the shadows of the illinois shore I 1 be eteve you are going to play square but for the present I 1 m going to take no chances with you I 1 am holding this astol within a foot of your head and your life means nothing to me if iou try any trick what Is the speed of this boit upstream bout ten mile an hour sah well dont push her too hard at first and run that engine as noiseless ly as possible are you ready yes then cut loose I 1 severed the line and we began to recede filin the shore alago nally across the decidedly cur rent ance beyond the protection pt the point the star gleam rev calad the sturdy rush of the waters occasionally fleca ed with bubbles of foam team handled the unwieldy cfaft with the skill of a practiced boatman and the laboring engine made far less racket than I 1 and anticipated pistol in hand and vigilant to every motion of the negro my ases swept along that v igue shore line catching nowhere a bpark of light nor any evidence that the steady chug of our engine hid created alarm e were alone upon the mysterious bosom of the vast stream 1 tossed about in the full sweep of the current rent yet moving steadily forward and already safely beyond both sight and sound every moment of progress tended to increase my confidence in sam s loyalty the fellow plainly enough realized the situation that safety for himself depended on keeping beyond the reach of his master to this end he devoted evry instant diligently to coaxing his engine and a guld ance of the boat never once permit ting his head to turn tar enough to glance at me although I 1 could occa detect hla eves wandering in the direction of the girl she had not uttered a word nor hanged her posture since first enter ing the bont but remained just as I 1 had seated glicr one hand grasping the edge of the cockpit her gaze on the rushing waters ahead I 1 could realize something of what must be fisting pi sting through iier mind the mingling of doubt and fear which assailed her in this strange environment up until now slie had been accorded no opportunity to think to consider the nature of her position she hid acin com to act wholly upon impulse and if f driven blindly to accept my suggestions and now in this silence the reaction had come and she was already questioning if she had done right it was in my heart to speak to her in effort to strengthen her faith but I 1 hesitated scarcely knowing what to say deeply touched by the pathetic droop of her figure and in truth un certain in my 0 n mind as to whether or not we had chosen the wiser course all I 1 dared do was to silently reach out one hand and rest it gently on those fingers clasping the rail she did not remove her liand from beneath mine nor indeed give the slightest evidence that she was even aware of my action ah to turn nor sah asked the negro suddenly yes upstream but keep in as close to the as you think safe there is no settlement along this bank Is there io sah dars jus one cabin bout a mile upstream but dar aint nobody now whar yer all aim fer ter go 1 hesitated an instant before I 1 an sv vered 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 1 would bring before him a sec ond just as far up the river before daylight as possible sam then I 1 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 les see athars Ilas creek bout twenty mile up ah aspects you all knows yer a headen fer to a certain extent yes but we had to decide on this action very quid ly with no chance to plan it out I 1 am aiming at the mouth of the illinois he glanced about at me vainly endeavoring deavo ring to decipher my expression in the gloom de illinois ribber boss what yer hope fer ter find A certain man ive heard about did you ever happen to hear a white man mentioned who lives near there ills name Is amos shrunk I 1 could scarcely distinguish his eyes but I 1 could feel them I 1 thought tor a moment he would not answer surely excuse me sah he said at last humbly his voice with a note of pleading it it as teelin friendly bough nough an all dat sah but still yer rous member dat as ter a perfect stranger if yer sure tell me burst just yer was alman at then maybe aad know a heap morn ah do now I 1 guess you are right sam tell you the whole of it I 1 am endeavoring to help this young woman to escine 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 coln up fer ter serve sum papers fer massa karby so he cud run oft de biggers but als yere gal she aln t no ashes just a white busson she Is a slave under the law I 1 said gravel as she made an effort to move and the man karby claims her I 1 could see his mouth fly open but the surprise of this statement halted his efforts at speech that explains the whole situation I 1 went on now will you answer me bout als yere massa shrunk les you have heard of him before ah reckon as how maybe ah has sah do you know where he can be found bisot sih ah aln t never bin but ah sorter seems fer ter |