The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, July 29, 1911, Image 6
OF THE
BORDER
A TALE OF THE PLAINS
B> RANDALL PARR1SH
Antfcar ?f "MY LADY OF THY SOUTH."
"WHIN WTLDBRNK9S WAS RING." etc
IflasliWUmt by MAMOtN MILVUX.
(C?trrts*t. k. C MoCtmrg A Cm., 1M0.>
He pomtwd the appetite of the
open, of the normal man In perfect
physical health, and he ate heartily,
hie eyes wandering out of the open
window down the long, dismal street
A drunken man lay In front of the
"Red Light" saloon sleeping undis?
turbed ; two cur dogs were snarling at
each other hist beyond over a bone;
a movers' wagon waa slowly coming
fa across the open through a cloud of
yellow dust That was all within the
radius of vision. For the first time in
years the Fast called him?the old
1Mb of cleanliness and respectability.
Re swore to himself as he tossed the
Chinaman pay for hla breakfast, and
strode out onto the steps. Two men
ware coming up the street together
from the opposite direction?one lean,
dark skinned, with black goatee, the
Other heavily sot with closely trim
good gray beard. Keith knew the lat?
ter, and waited, leaning against the
Joor. one hand on his hip.
"Hollos Bob." bo said genially;
"they must have routed you out pret?
ty early today."
"They shore did. Jack." was the re
eponse. Ho came np the steps some?
what heavily, his companion stopping
heiow "The hoys raise hell all night,
an' then come tor me tor straighten
at oat In the ma wot n' When did ye
gat In?"
"An boor aco: had to wake the
Vhtnk' up to get any chuck. Town
looks dead."
"Taint over Ueoty at this time o'
day.' permitting his blue eyes to wan
sWr up the silent street, but Instantly
them back to Keith's face,
I reckon it'll wake op later on "
Re stood squarely on both feet, and
geae hand rested on the butt of a re
weaver Keith noticed thla, wonder
lag vaguely
*T reckon yer know. Jack, as bow I
generally git what 1 goes after." said
the slow, drawling rolce. "an' that I
straw 'bout is quick as any o' the
hoys They tell me yo re a gun fight
or. but It won't do ye no good ter
snake a play yere. for one o' us Is sure
to git yer?do yer sabs?"
"Oet me* ' Keith's voice snd face
"Are You OoiiV to Raise a Row, or
Come Along Quietly?"
expressed astonishment, but not a
s?usele of his body moved "What do
yes mean. Bob?are you fellows after
"Sure thing; got the warrant here."
shed ho tapped the breast of his shirt
with bis left hand II
The color mounted into the cheeks
Of the other, his lips grew set and
white, and his gray eyes darkened
"Let it all out. Marshal." he said
Oternly. "you've got me roped snd
tied Now what s the cherge?"
Neither man moved, but the one be?
low swung about so as to face them,
erne hand thrust out of sight beneath
the Uli of hla long coat
"Make him throw up his hands.
Mob." be said sharply
"Oh. I reckon thar ain't goln* ter
%e no trouble." returned the marshal
gssnlslly. yet with no relaxation of at
tenM ? . Ke!f | k n v | ggf
poets a fair dsal Still, maybe I bet?
tor aak y?r M m? Itch y*r be t lack "
A moment Keith ?**emed to hesitate.
plslr.lv /:.<| by the fltustlon and
wadesvorlna ro see some wsy of es
capw alt lips smiled, and he
ollentlT - hooked ths belt, hsndlng It
over
"flare, I know you're ?quare. TTIrks."
fee sab! coolly "And now I've unllm
%ered. kindly Inform me what this Is
evil about"
"I reckon yer don't know "
"No more than an unbern bnhe 1
stave bson here but an hour "
"That's It If yer bad be?n longer
Sthar wouldn't bs no trouhlo Yo're
wanted for kllHn' a couple o' n.on gsg
sit Clmmnrnn ('ronsln' early yesterday
sworn rv
Ket'h stsred st him too complete! .?
astounded for the tn*?.int to even
speak. Then be gssfgi <
"For Clod's sake. Mick?? do you 1: ?
tleve that f*
"I'm damned If I know." return*-1
the marshal, doubtfullv "Don't *. |
tike ye'd do It. but the evidence Is
straight 'noush. an' thar ain't nothln'
for me ter do but take ye In. 1 ain't
no jedge an' Jury."
"No. but you ought to have ordinary
senn?. an' you've kuown me for three
years."
"Sure I have. Jack, but If yee've
gone wrong, you wont be the first
good man I've seen do It. Anyhow, the
evidence U dead agin you, an' I'd ar?
rest my own grand-dad if they give
me a warrant agin him."
"What evidence Is there?"
"Five men swear they saw ye haul
In' the bodies about, and loot In' the
pockets."
Then Keith understood, his heart
beating rapidly, his teeth clenched to
keep back an outburst of passion. So
that was their game, was it??some
set of his had awakened the cowardly
suspicions of those watching blm
across the river. They wore afraid
that he knew them as white men. 1
And they had found a way to safely
muizle him. They must have ridden
hard over those sand dunes to have
reached Carson City and sworn out
this warrant. It was a good trick,
likely enough to hang him, if the fel?
lows only stuck to their story. Ail
this flashed through bis brain, yet
somehow be could not clearly compre- ,
bend the full meaning, his mind con?
fused and dated by this sudden real?
isation of danger. His eyes wandered
from the steady gase of the marshal,
who had halt drawn bis gun fearing
resistance, to the man at the bottom
of the steps. Suddenly it dawned
toon htm where be had seen that
dark-skinned face, with the black goa?
tee, before?at the faro table of the
"Red light" He gripped bla bands
together. Instantly connecting that
sneering, sinister face with the plot.
"Who swore but that warrant?"
"I did, If you need to know," a sar?
castic smile revealing a gleam of
whtie teeth, "on the affidavit of others,
friends of mine."
"Why are you?"
'Tm mostly called 'Black Part.'"
That was It; he bad the name now
?"Black Bart" He straightened up
so quickly, his eyes biasing, that
the marshal jerked his gun clear.
"See here. Jack," shortly, "are yer
goin' to raise a row, or come along
qnietr
As though the words had aroused
him from a bad dream, Keith turned
to front the stern, bearded face.
"There'll be no row. Bob," he said,
quietly. "HI go with you."
CHAPTER IV.
An Old Acquaintance.
The Carson City lock up was an Im?
provised affair, although a decidedly
popular resort It was originally a
two-room' cabin with gable to the
street, the front apartment at one
time a low grogg^ry, the keeper sleep?
ing In the rear room. Whether sud?
den death, or financial reverses, bad
been the cause, the community had in
some manner become possessed of the
property, and had at once dedicated
It to the commonweal. For the pur?
pose thus selected it was rather well
adapted, being strongly built, easily
guarded, and on the outskirts of the
town. With iron grating over the
windows, the back door heavily spiked,
and the front secured by Iron bars,
any prisoner once locked within could
probably be found when wanted. On
the occasion of Keith's arrival, the
portion abutting upon the street was
occupied by a rather miscellaneous
assembly?the drunk and disorderly
elements conspicuous-?who were
awaiting their several calls to appear
before a local Justice and make an
swer for various misdeeds. Some were
pacing the floor, others sat moodily
on benches ranged against the wall,
while a few were still peacefully slum?
bering upon the foor. It was a frowsy,
disreputable crowd, evincing but mild
curiosity at the arrival of a new pris?
oner Keith had barely time to glance
about recognizing no familiarity of
face amid the mass peering at him, as
i aal littst lad briskly forward an?l
thrust into the rear room, the aeavy
door closing behind him with the snap
of a spring lock.
He was alone, with only the faint
est murmur of voices coming to him
through the thick partition. It was a
room some twelve feet square, open
to the roof. vr\th bare walls, and con
tslning no furniture except a rude :
bench. Still dazed by the suddenness
of his arrest, be sank down upon the
seat, leaned his head on his bands,
and endeavored to think. It was dif?
ficult to get the facts marshalled into
any order or to comprehend clearly
the situation, yet little by little his
brain grasped the main details, and
he awoke to a full realization of his
condition, of the forces he must war
against The actual murderers of
those two men on the trail had had
their suspicions aroused by his ac?
tions; they believed he guessed some?
thing of their foul deed, and had de
tormlned to clear themselves by
charging the crime directly against
him. It was a shrewd trick, and 11
they only stin k to their story, ought
to succeed He bad no evidence, oth
er than bis own word, and the marshal
bad already taken from his pockets
the papers belonging to the slain
man. He had not found the locket
hidden under his shirt, yet a more
thorough search would doubtless re
veal that also.
PJssjsj should the rase come to trial,
how would it ho possible lot htm to
establish hiaOOSJlflfi. and would It
ever come to trial? Keith know the
character of the frontier, and of Car
sen City. The inclination of ltl cltl
tens In such eeaea was to net first,
and reflect later. The law had but
slender hold, being rWSpseted only1
* hen harked by the strong hand, and
primitive Instinct* were alwgyi in the
ase ndenry. r? quiring merely a lead I
to break forth tfl open violence. And
in thti ease weald there i??- any lack
of leadership 1 Like a Sash hli mind
revert.-1 to "Black Hart ' There w*\
the man capable of inciting a mob If.
for aona MUkllO\Ul rtglOIl, he had KUf
flrlent interest to swear out the war?
rant and assist in the arrost, he would
have equal cause to serve those fel?
lows behind htm in other ways. Nat?
urally, they would dread a trial, with
its possibility of exposure, and eagerly
grasp any opportunity for wiping the
slate clean. Their real security from
discovery undoubtedly lay in his
"Oh, De Good Lawd, Dat Am Massa
Walte an' John Slbiey."
death, and with the "Red Light" !
crowd behind them they would ex- 1
perience no trouble in getting a fol- !
lowing desperate enough for any pur- ,
pose.
The longer Keith thought the less
he doubted the result. It was not then
a problem of defence, but of escape,
for he believed now that no oppor?
tunity to defend himself would ever
be allowed. The arrest was merely
part of the plot Intended to leave him
helpless in the hands of the mob. In
this Hicks was in no way blamable?
he had merely performed his sworn
duty, and would still die, if need be,
in defence of his prisoner. He was
no tool, but only an instrument they
had found means of using.
Keith was essentially a man of ac?
tion, a fighter by instinct, and so long
accustomed to danger that the excite?
ment of It merely put new fire into his
velriB. Now that he understood exact?
ly what threatened, all numbing feel?
ing of hesitancy and doubt vanished,
and he became instantly alive. He
would not lie there in that hole wait?
ing for the formation of a mob; nor
would he trust in the ability of the
marshal to defend him.
He had Borne friends without?not
many, for he was but an occasional
visitor at Carson?who would rally to
Hick's assistance, but there would not
bo enough on the side of law and or?
der to overcome the "Red Light" out?
fit, if once they scented blood. If be
was to be saved from their clutches,
he must save himself; If his inno?
cence wits ever established it would
be by his own exertions?and he could
accomplish this ouly out yonder, free
under the arch of sky.
He lifted his head, every nerve tin?
gling with desperate determination.
The low growl of voices was audible
through the partition, but there was
no other sound. Carson City was ?tlll
ratting, and there would be no crowd
nor excitement until much later. Not
until nightfall would any attack be at
tempted; he had iix or eight hours yet
In Which to perfect his plans. He
ran his eyes about the room searching
for some spot of weakness. It was
dark bHck of tho bench, and he turned
in that direction. I>eun!ng over, he
looked down on the figure of a man
furled up, sound asleep on the floor.
The fellow's limbs twitched as If In a
dream, otherwise he might have deem?
ed him dead, as his face was burled
in his arms. A moment Keith hesi?
tated; then he reached down and
shook the sleeper, until he aroused
sufficiently to look up. It was the
face of a coal black negro. An in?
stant the fellow stored at the man
towering over htm, his thick Hps part?
ed, his eyes full of sudden terror.
Thon he sat up, with hands bold be?
fore him as though warding off a I
blow.
"Fo' de Lawd's sake," he managed
to articulate finally, "am dls sho' yo\ ;
Massa Jack?"
Keith, to whom all colored people
were much alike, laughed at the ex?
pression on the negro's face.
"I reckon yer guessed the name, all
I right, boy. Were you the cook of
the Diamond L?"
"No, sah. I nebber cooked no dl'onds.
l'?? oV Neb, sah."
"What ?"
"Yes, sah, l'se de boy dat libbed
wld ol: Missus Caton durtn' de wah. I
ain't seen yo', Massa Jack, sence do
|gy we hurled yo' daddy, oT Massa
Keith. But I knowed yo' de berry
mlmite I woke up. Sho' yo* ^members
Neb, sahr
It camo to Keith now In sudden
i rush of memory the drizzling rain
j In the little comstsry, tho fow neigh?
bors standing shout, a narrow fringe
of slaves back of them, the lowering
of the coffin, and tho hollow sound of
earth falling on the box; and Neb, his
! \unt Chton'l house servant, a black
Imp of good humor, who begged so
hard to be taken buck with him to the
war. Why, tho boy had held his stir?
rup the next morning when he rode
away. The sudden rush of recollec?
tion seemed to bridge tho years, and
that black face became familiar, a
memory of home.
"Of course, i remember, Nob," he
exclaimed, eagerly, "hut that's all
years ago und I rover expected to s*e
you again. What brought you Watt
and got you Into this hob'?"
Tho negro bitched up onto the
bench, the whites of his eyes eonaplo1
? nous as he ?tared uneasily about ho
had a short, squatty ilgtire, with ex?
cessively broad shoulders, and a fact
of Intense good humor.
"I reck'n" dat am conslder'ble ob a
Btory, Massa Jack, de circumlocution
ob which would take a heap ob time
tollln'," he began scberly. "But It
happened 'bout dla way. When de
Yankees ome ?noopln' long do East 1
Sho'?I rock'n maybe it des a yeah aft
Of dat time when we done buriod de
ol* Co'nel?dey burned Missus Oaton's
house clah to de groun'; de ol' Missus
was In Richmond den, an' do fow nig?
gers loft jest natchally took to do
woods. I wout luto Richmond hunt'n'
de ol' Missus, but, Lewd, Massa Jack, !
I nebber foun' mithin' ob her In dat
crowd. Den an' officer man done got
me an* put me dlgg?V In de trenches.
Ef dat's what wan am, I sho' don'
want no mo' wah. Den after dat I Jest
natchally drifted. I reckon I llbbed
'bout eberywhar yo' ebber heard ob,
fo' dar want no use cb me goln' back,
to do East Sho'. Somebody said dat
de West am de right place fo' a nig?
ger, an' so I done headed west."
He dropped his face In his black
hands, and w'as silent for some min?
utes, but Keith said nothing, and fin?
ally the thick voice continued:
"I tell you', Massa Jack, It was
mighty lonely fo' Neb dem days. I
didn't know whar any ob yo' all was,
an' it want no fun fo' dls nigger bein' I
free dat away. I got out ter Indepen- |
dence, Missouri, an' was roustaboutln'
on de rlbber, when a couple ob men
come along what wanted a cook bo |
trabbel wld 'em. I took de Job, an' I
dat's what fetched me here ter Carson '
City."
"But what caused yonr arrest?"
"A conjunction ob circumstances,
Massa Jack; yes, sab, a conjunction
ob clrcuniBtanoes. I got playin' pokah
Ohof In dat 'Red Light,' an' I was doln'
fine I reckon I'd cleaned up mo*L
a hundred dollars when I got sleepy,
an' started fo' camp. I'd most got
dar w'en a bunch ob low white trash
Jumped mo. It made me mad, It did
fo' a fact, an' I reckon I carved some
ob 'em up befo' I got away. Enny
how, de marshal come down, took me !
out ob de tent, an' fetched me here, .
an' I ben here ebber sence. I want |
goln' ter let no low down white trash '
git all dat money."
"What became of the men you were
working for?"
"I reckon dey went on, sah. Dey j
had 'portent business, an' wouldn't j
likely wait 'round here Jest ter help !
a nigger. Ain't ennybody ben here ter
see me, nohow, an' I 'spects I'se eradi?
cated from dey mem ry?I 'apects I
is."
CHAPTER V.
? i
The One Way.
Kerb said nothing lor some mo?
ments, staring up at the light stealing
In through the window grating, his
mind once again active. The eyes of
the black man had the patient look
of a dog as they watched; evidently
ho had cast aside all responsibility,
now that this other had come. Final?
ly Keith spoke slowly:
"We are In much the same position.
Neb, and the fate of one is liable to
be the fate of both. This Is my story"
?and briefly as possible, he ran over
the circumstances which had brought
him there, putting the situation clear
enough for the nc-ro's understand?
ing, without wasting any t.me upon
detail. Neb followed his reoital with
bulging eyes, and an occasional excla?
mation. At the end he burs: forth:
"Yo' say dar was two ob dem white
men murdered?one an ol' man wid a
gray beard, an' de odder 'bout thirty?
Am dat It, Massa Jack, an' dey had fo'
span ob mules, an' a runnln1 boss?"
"Yes."
?'An' how far out was it?"
"About sixty mile4*."
"Oh, dc good Lawd!" and the negro
threw up his hands dramatically. "Dat
sutt'nly am my outfit! Dat am Massa
Waite an' John 8ible.r.M
"You mean the same men with
whom you came here from Indepen?
dence?"
Neb nodded, overcome by the dis?
covery.
"But what caused them to run such
a risk?" Keith insisted. "Didn't they
know the Indians were on the war
path?"
"Sho'; I heard 'em talkin' T>out dat,
but Massa Waite was jest boun' foh
to git movln'. He didnt 'pear to be
?fraid oh no Injuns; reck'ned dey'd
nebber stop him, dat he knowed eb
bery chief on de plains. I reck'n dat
he did, too."
"But what was he so ai xlous to get
away for?"
"I dunno, Map^a, I done heord 'em
talk some 'bout dey plans, an* 'bout
some gal dey wanted ter fin', but I
didn't git no right sense to lt. De
Gtn'ral, be was a might svill n an." I
"The General? Whom do you mean?
Not Waite""
"John Blbley deno called hin dat."
Then Keith remembered?Just a
dim, misty thread at first, changing
slowly into a clear recol ecticn. He
was riding with despatches from Long
street to Stonewall Jackson, and had
been shot through the side. The
first of Jackson's troops he reached
was a brigade of North Carolinians,
commanded by General Walte?Gen?
eral Willis Waite. Ho bail fallen from
his horse at the outposts, was brought
helpless to the General's tent, and an?
other sent on with the papers. And
Mrs. Walto had dressed und bandaged
his wound. That was where ho had
Been that woman's face before, with
Its haunting familiarity. Ho drew tho
looket from beneath hla shirt, and
gazed at the countenance revealed,
with new intelligence. There could be
DO doubt- It was the face of her who
had cared for him so tenderly in that
tent at Manassas before the fever
eamo and he had lost consciousness.
And that, then, was Will a Walte ly
lug In that shallow grave near the
Clramaron Crossing, and for whose
death be had been arrested. 'Twas a
strange world, ami a small ? ee. What
a miserable ending to a life like Ms
a division commander of the Army of
Northern Virginia, s LI utenant-Gov
ornor or qib state. What strange
combination of circumstances couM
ever have brought such a man to this
place, and ^ent him forth across tho^e !
Indi m-scouted plains? Surely nothing
ordinary. And why should thoso bor?
der (1< speradoos have followed,
through sixty n.iles of r1--elation, to
strike him down ? It was no* robb or ?',
at least In the crdlnary sense. What
then? And how was "Black Bart' In?
volved? Why should he be sufflclen
ly Interested to swear out a warrant,
and then assist in his arrest? There
must be something to all this not ap?
parent upon the surface??ome object,
some purpose shrouded in mystery.
No mere quarrel, no ordinary feud, no
accident of meeting, no theory of coin
monplac*1 robbery, would account for
the deed, or for the desperate efforts
now being made to conceal it.
Some way, these questions, thus
surging upon him. became a call to
live, to fight, to unravel their mystery.
The memory of that sweet-faced wom?
an who had bent above him when the
fever began Its mastery, appealed to
him now with the opportunity of serv?
ice. Ke might be able to clear this,
bring to her the truth, save her from
despair, and hard over to Justice the
murderers of her husband. It was up i
to him alone to accomplish this?no !
one else knew what he knew, suspect* {
ed what he suspected. And there was !
but one way?through escape. To re- |
main there in weak surrender to fate |
could have but one ending, and that i
swift snd sudden. He had no doubt j
as to "Black I-art's" purpose, or of his
ability to use the "Red Light" outfit
as desired. The whole plan was clear?
ly evident, and there would be no de?
lay In execution?all they were wait?
ing for was night, and a lax guard. He
glanced about at the walls of the
room, his eyes grown hard, his teeth
clenched.
"Neb," he said shortly, "I guess that
was your outfit all right, but they
were not kilted by Indians. They
were run down by a gang from thjs
town?ihe san e fellows who have put
you and me In here. I don't know
what they were after?that's to be
found out later,?but the fight you put
up at the camp spoiled their game for
once, and led to your arrest. They
failed to get what was wanted In
Carson, and so they trailed the party
to the -lmmaron Crossing. Then I
got on th Mr track, and fearing the re?
sult, they've landed me also. Now
they'll get rid of us both as best they
can. These follows won't want ?ny
trial?that would be liable to give the
whole trick away?but they have got
to put us where we won't talk. There
is an easy way to do this, and that is
by a lynching bee. Do you get ray
drift, Neb?"
The whites of the negro's eyes were
very much in evidence, his hands grip?
ping at the bench on which he sat.
"Fo' de Lawd. yes. Massa Jack, I
sho* docs. I co'Toborates de whole
thing."
"Then you are willing to take a
chance with me?"
"WlllhVl Why, Massa Jack, I'se
overjoyed; I ain't gwlno leave yer no
mo . I'se sho' gwine ter be yo' nigger.
What yo' gwine ter do?"
Keith ran his eyes over the walls,
carefully noting every peculiarity.
"We'll remain here quietly Just as
loner as It is daylight, Nob," he r^pMod
finally, " hut we'll try every board snd
every log to ('Iscover some way out.
.Tust the moment It grows dark enop?:h
to slip away Without being seen we've '
got to hit the prairie. Once south of
the Arkansua we're safe, but not until ;
then. Have you mode any effort to
got out?"
The n? gro came over to him, and
bent down.
"I was layin' on a board what I'd ;
worked loose at one end," he whis- <
pered hoarsely, "back ob de bench,
hut I couldn't Jerk It out wld'out I
something ter pry it up wid."
"Where is Itr
"Right yore, Massa Jack."
It was a heavy twelve-Inch plank,
part of the flooring, and the second
from the side wall. Keith managed
to get a grip next to the black fingers,
and the two pressed it up far enough
for the white man to run one arm i
through the opening up to his shoul- !
der and grope about below.
"There's a two-foot space there," he
reported, as they let the board settle j
lilently down Into position. "The back J
part of this building must be set up on
piles, I reckon we could pry that
plank up with the bench. Neb, but It's
liable to make considerable racket.
Let's hunt about first for some other
weak spot."
They crept across the floor, testing
each separate board, but without dis?
covering a place where they could ex?
ert a leverage. The thick planks were
tightly spiked down. Noi did the
walls offer any better encouragement 1
Keith lifted himeelf to the grated
window, getting a glimpse of the
world without, but finding tho iron im?
movable, the ?crews solidly imbedded
in the outside wood. He dropped to
tho floor, feeling baffled and dlseour* (
aged.
"It will have to be the plank back
of tho bench. Neb," he announced
briefly, wiping tho perspiration from
his face. "Get down th^re, and work
It as loose as you can without making
any noise, while I keep my ear to the
door and listen for any interruption."
They took turns at this labor, dis?
covering a loose nail which gave an
opening purchase at the crack, thus
enabling the Insertion of a small wood*
?n block, and Insuring space for a
good linger grip when the right tb>>o
came. A sloopv Mexican brought ill
thotr dinner, and net it down on the
bench without a word, but. on his re?
turn *ith supper, tho marshal aecont?
pan led him. and remained while they
nt<a. talking to Keith, and staring
about the ro un. Fortunitoly, the sin?
gle window was to tho west, tho last
rays of the nun struck th(* opposite
wall, leaving the space bebind tl I
bench in deep shadow. Whatever
might be the plans of "Black Kart"
and his cronies, Keith was soon con?
vinced they were unknown to Hicks,
who had evidently been deceived into
thinking that this last arrest had
created no excitement
"That's why we picked yer up
early," he explained, genially. "Bart
said if we got to yer afore the boys
woke up they'd never hear nut bin'
*bout it:, an' so thar wouldn't be no
row. He didn't even think thar'd be
enny need o' keepin' a special guard
ter-night, but I reckon I won't take
no such chance as that an' I'll have
couple o' deputies prowlln' Yound fer
luck. When Carson does wake up,
she's hell."
He left them tobacco and pipes, and
went away evidently convinced ihat
he had performed his full duty. The
two prisoners, puffing smoke-rings into
the air, heard the heavy clang of the
iron bar falling into place across the
doer, and sat looking into one anoth?
er's faces through the deepening twi?
light. In the mind of both blaek and
white reposed the same thought The
negro was first to break the silence.
" 'Pears ter me, Massa Jack, liko
dis yere Bart pusson am mighty anx?
ious ter hab no suspicions raised."
"Anybody but Hicks would see
that." acknowledged the other, the
rings of smoke circling his head, 'but
he hasn't any brains. It was pure
nerve that got him the Job. Well, this
is one time that Bart pusson' Is going
to find an empty coop. We'll get out,
Neb. Just as soon as It gets dark
enough. Hicks isn't likely to put on
his extra guard for an hour yet, and
the 'Red Light' bunch won't be fit for
business much before midnight. By
that time we'll be in the sand hills,
heading south, able to give them a
run for their money?we'll have
horses, too. if we can find them."
The negro's eyes shoae white.
"Fo' de Lawd's sake, Massa," he
protested, "dat'd sho' be a hangln' Job
if ebber dey cotched us."
Keith laughed, knocking out the
ashes from his pipe.
"With an hour's start that will be
the least of my troubles," he said*
quietly.
CHAPTER VI.
The Escape.
It was dark enough for their pur*
pose in half an hour, the oc'y gleam
of remaining color being the i*sd glow
of the negro's pipe, even the opening Ig
"Land's Sake, You Doan Mean to
Steal Dem Hosses?"
the iron grating being blotted from
sight. Keith, staring in that direction,
failed to perceive any distant glimmer,
of star, and decided the night must be
cloudy, and that time for action had
come. Guided by Neb's pipe bowl,
he touched the boy on the shoulder.
"Knock out your ashes, and shu^.e
about lively with your feet, while I
pry up the board."
In spite of his slendermiss, Keith
possessed unusual strength, yet no ex
ertion on his part served to start the
loosened plank sufficiently for their
purpose. Ripping a strip from the
bench he managed to pry the bole
somewhat larger, arranging the bench
itself so as to afford the necessary
leverage, but even then his entire
weight failed to either start the
spikes, or crack the plank. Some al?
tercation began in the other room, tho
sound of angry voices and shuffling
feet being plainly audible. It was clear
to Keith that they must take the
chance of a noise, aud no better ti ne
than this could be chosen.
"Here. Neb. take bold with me, and
bear down?put your wh<*!e weight on
it, boy."
The two flung themselves upon the
end of the bench, leaping up and down
so as to add weight to power. Some?
thing had to give, either the stout
wood of their improvised lever or else
the holding of the plank. For an ln
Etant it seemed likely to be the for?
mer; then, with a shrill screech, the
long spikes yielded and the board
suddenly gave. With shoulders In?
serted beneath, tho two men heaved
it still higher, ramming the bench be?
low so as to leave the opening clear.
This was now sufficiently ample for
tho passage of a man's body, and
Keith, lowering himself, discovered
the earth to bo fully four feet below.
The negro Instantly Joined him, and
they began creeping about in the dark?
ness, seeking some way out A rudely
laid foundation Of limestone along ob
structed their i atcb to tho open sir.
This bad been laid in mortar, but of
mf. rior quality, so that little difficulty
wai cxi rlenced in detaching suffi
ci nt to obtain hand bold Working
f ? ntly. not knowing What watchers
: i ;\\t be already stationed without
they succeeded In loosening enough of
the rock to allow them to crawl
through, lying breathless in the open.
Accustomed sa thes ware to the
Continued ?>n page s.' en.