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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Times, 1893-04-28, Page 2e. THE W I NGI -IAM TIMES, lrM.k,'1JS',1 APRIL 28.,, 1.893 L'Y .41w •gtoOk n1E, god TeY ,B RET 1=1 AIT -COPYRIGHT. 189 AUTHOR. ro s = tend walked tuwu L s cl eth"e o Tpoli efface eleTINU » ag. -The f as`tuline seliso at w ` of Tlionor.' rbielould have resented the friend flip of a man capable of such, treachery':, oes not hesitate in accepting the love f a woman underthe same conditions.'' 'orhaps there is an implied compliment a thus allowing her to take the sole thecal responsibility, whichfewwomen an: resist. In the midst of this gloomy abstrae- iozi Courtland suddenly raised Ms head Laid listened. "Cato," "Yes, sah." There w•ws the souxul of heavy foot- teps in the hall coming from the rear f the house, and presently a darker ulk appeared in the shadowed door - ay. It was his principal overseer—a trong and superior negro, selected by 's fellow freedmen from among their umber in accordance with Courtland's ew regime. "Did you come here from the planta - on or the town?" "The town, sah." "I think you had better keep out of o town in the evenings for the pres- i BECKON DEY WON'T TRY ANY GAMES ON ME." " said Courtland, in a tone of quiet positive authority. e dey goin' to bring back de ole ter -rollers' "[the `patrol,' or local iee who formerly had the surveil- ee of slaves]," sah?" asked the man, h a slight sneer. I don't know," returned Courtland, etly, ignoring his overseer's manner. t if they did you must comply with local regulations unless they con - with the federal laws, when you t appeal to the federal authorities. efer you should avoid any trouble it you are sure," reckon dey won't try any games e," said the negro, with a short Clow, its blank panes and the interior of the office was illuminated by a gleam of returning lightning. Ile entered the office, bidding Cato follow, and lit the lamp above his "DID IT STRIFE ANYTIIINo, SAIL?" — desk. The negro remained standing gloomily, but respectfully, by the win- dow. m you know anything of Mr. "Cato, do y ,, Dumont—Miss Dows' cousin?" The negro's white teeth suddenly flashed in the lamp light. "Ya! ha! I reckon, sah." "Then he's a great friend of your people?" "I don't know about dat, sah! But he's a pow'ful enemy of de Reeds and de Iligbees!" "On account of his views, of course." "Deed no!" said Cato with an as- tounded air. "Jess on account of de vendetta!" "The vendetta?" • "Yee, sah. De old blood que'll of de families. It's been goin' on over fifty years, sab. De grandfader, fader, and brudder of de Higbees was killed by be grandfader, fader and brudder of de Doomonts. De Reeds clipped in when all de Higbees was played oat, fo' dey was relations, but dey was chewed up by some of de Dowses, first cousins to de Doomonts." "What? Are the Dows in this ven- detta?" "No, sah. No mo'. Dey's bin no roan in de family since Miss Sally's fader died—dat's let de Dows out fo'- ever. De. las' shootin' was clone by Marse George Doomont, who crippled Marse Tom Higbee's brudder Jo, and den skipped to Europe. Dey say he's come back, and is lying low over at At- alanty. Dey'll be lively times of he comes here to see Miss Sally." "But he may have changed his ideas while living abroad, where this sort of thing is simple murder." The negro shook. his head grimly. "Den he wouldn't come, sah. No, sah. thein in the hall. Stay till I come, Gel —I'11 shut the windows myself!„ "It must have struck somewhere, sah, sluttth! Deli's a pow'ful smell of sulphur, right here," said the negro as he loft the route. Courtland thought so too, but it was a kind of sulphur that he had smelt before—on the battle field! For, when the door was closed behind his over- seer, he took the lamp to the opposite, wall and examined it carefully. There was the distinct hole made by a bullet which had missed Cato's head at the open window by an inch. OIiAPTER VI. N an instant Court- land had re- gained complete possession of himself. His dis- traeting passion —how distract- ing he had never sunno..e T CATO GRASPED', IIIc ARM. before realized— iihhttiengl see feet SiutieOW-failT'Tio' was gone! His safer, but they would lose valuable d clear sight --no i time. Believing that Cates vengeful " longer distorted ; assailant was still hovering, near with by sentiment—hacl come back; he saw 1 his comrades, Courtland cast aquick everything in its just proportion -his glance clown the shadowy liue :of osage, duty to the plantation, the helplesss i hedge beside them. Suddenly Cato; freedman threatened by lawless fury; grasped his arin and pointed in the the two women—no longer his onesame direction, where they boundary said Courtland, inuttovably, "what any i tantalizing vision, but only a passing fence he had noticed— a `barrier of•' federal citizen may do in defense of fed - detail of the work before him. He saw rough palings—crossed the field. With' eral law. For I'll kill the, first man, them now ,through no aberrating mist ; the moon low on the other side of it, it! that attempts to lay hands upon him on of tenderness nor expediency—but with was a mere black silhouette, broken, my property. Some of you who have the single directness of the man of only by bright, silver openings and already tried to assassinate him in cold action. i gaps along its surface that' indicated blood, in your own limits, I have met The shot had clearly beep intended the moonlit field beyond. At first' before in less diehbnorable warfare for Cato. Even if it were an act of mere Courtland saw nothing else. Then he than this, and they lcnow I am able to personalrevenge, it showed a confidence was struck by the fact that hese open-. keep my word." and security in the would-be assassin ings became successively and regularly: t There was a moment's silence; the that betokened cooperation and an eclipsed as with the passing of some' barrel of the revolver he was holding organized plan. Ile hacl availed him- opaque objects behind them.: It was a' 1 self of the thunder storm, the flash and file of men on the other side of the' long reverberating roll of sound—an fence, keeping in its shelter as they, artifice not unknown to border ambush crossed the field towards his house.' —to confuse discovery at the instant. Roughly calculating from the passing: Yet the attach might be only an obscurations, there must have been isolated one: or it might be the begin- twelve cr fifteen in all. ning of a general raid upon the syndi- He could no longer doubt their com-1 rate's freedmen. If the former, he biped intentions, nor hesitate how to'. could protect Cato from its repetition meet it. He must at once make for the; by guareing him in the office until he quarters with Cato, even if he had to.; could be conveyed to a plade of safety: cross that open field before them. He' if the latter, he must at once collect knew that they would avoids injuring: the negroes at their qnarters, aid take him personally, in the fear of possible' Cato with him. Lie resolved upon the federal and political complicaeions, and; latter course. The quarters were half a mile from the Dows' dwelling—which was two miles away. He sat down and wrote a few lines to Miss Dows stating that in view of some threatened disturbances in the town, he thought it advisable to keep the negroes in their quarters, whither he was him- self going. He sent her his housekeep- er and the child, as they had both bet- ter etter remain at a place of security until he returned to town. llo gave the note to Zoe, bidding her hasten by the back garden across the fields. Then he turned to Cato.side with Cato in safety, hut not before; "I am going with you to the quaiter?'he saw the fateful shadows again mov-': to -night," he said, quietly, "and you ing, and this time the, other way. can carry your pistol back to the arm.- They were evidently intending to- ory yourself." He handed him the follow the fugitives. But Eonce within'. ♦Y wirk , , • kkv iprciaoTie tem puando 4 sWfbrevarcti 'and cried; ".Balt!" The men pulled up sharply and me-: chanically et that ring of military im periousness, "What are you doing here?" said Courtland, "Wo reckon that's our business, con'nle," "It's mine when you're on property that I control." The man hesitated and looked inter-. rogativoly toward his fellows, "I al- low you've got ns there, con'nle," he said at last with a lazy insolence of conscious power, "but I don't mind toll- ing you that we're wanting a nigger about the size of your Cato. We hain't got anything agin you, cun'nle; we don't want to interfere with your prop- erty, and your ways, but wo don't cal- culate to have strangers interfere with our ways and our customs. Trot out your nigger—you no'th'n folks don't call him `property,' you know—and we'll clear off your land." "And may I ask what you want of Coto?" said Courtland, quietly. "To show him that all the federal law in h—1 won't protect him when bo strilces a white man!" burst put one of the masked figures, riding forward. "Then you compel me to show you," he resolved to use that fear to insuei Cato's safety. Placing his hands one by his side glistened for an instant in the negro's shoulder, he shoved him the moonlight, but he did not move. forward, falling into a "lock step" soThe two men rode up to the first speak - close behind him that it became imo er and exchanges! words. A light laugh impossible for the most, expert marks-; followed, and the first speaker turned man to fire at one without imperiling! again to Courtland with a mocking the other's life. When half way across' politeness. the field he noticed that the shadowsi "Very well, con'nle, if that's your seen through the openings of the fence 1 opinion and you allow we can't follow had 'paused. The ambushed men had; our game over your property, why we evidently seen the double apparition, ; reckon we'll have to give way to those who ne derstood it, and, as he expected, , can. Sorry to have troubled you. Good - dared not fire. He reached the other; night." Ho lifted his 'hat ironically, waved it to his followers, and the next moment the whole party -were galloping furious- ly towards the high road. For the first time that evening a nerv- ous sense of apprehension passed over Courtland. The impending of some un- known danger is always more terrible to a brave man than the most over- whelming odds that he can see and realize. He felt instinctively that they had uttered no vague bravado to cover up their defeat; there was still some advantage on which they confidently reckoned—but what? Was it only a reference to the other party tracking them through the woods, on which their enemies now solely relied? He regained Cato quicicly; the white teeth of the foolishly confident negro were already flashing his imagined triumph to his employer. Courtland's heart grew sick as he saw it. "We're not out of the woods, yet, Cato," he said, dryly, "nor are they. Heep your eyes and your ears open, and attend to inc. How long can we keep the cover of these woods and still push on in the direction of the quarters?" "There's a way roun' de edge o' de swamp, sah, but we'd have to go back a spell to find it." "Go on!" "And der's moccasins and copper- heads lying round here in de trail! Dey don't go tor us ginerally—' ut," he hesi- tated, "white men don't 4 stand much show." "Good! Then it is as bed for those who are chasing us as for me. That will do. Lead on." They retraced their steps cautiously, until the negro turned into a lighter by -way. A strange mephitic odor seemed to come from sodden loaves and mosses that began to ooze from under • c' - pp c re lr - .b 1 / TUE MEN PULLED UP SHARPLY. weapon The negro received it grata- the woods Courtlanc' fully, but suddenly cast a searching chances were equal. He breathed more; glance at his employer. Courtland's freely. Cato, not less agitated, had face, however, betrayed no change. ; even regained something of his former When Zoe had gone, he continued, ' emotional combativeness, which Court - tranquilly: "We will go by the back land had checked. Although far from way through the woods." As the negro confident of his henchman's prowess in started slightly, Courtland continued, an emergency, the prospect pf getting in the same even tone: "The sulphur him safe into the quarters, seemed, you smelt just now, Cato,was the smoke brighter. of a gun fired at you from the street. I 1 It was necessary also to trust to his don't propose that the shot shall be re- superior woodcraft and knowledge of. •urtlan l still walk urtland looked at him intently. enewsa Tom • The H k dat T Higbee's bound to Seated under the same advantages " i the to betaine violent! a�'itatecl • y+ ' +, thought as much! You're carrying go for him or leave de place, and Marse ie negro y o inn between him and his pursuers and' s, Cato! Hand them over." George wouldn't mind settlin' him, too, "It was dat sneakin' hound Tom Hig- covering his retreat, allowecl him to e overseer hesitated for a 'moment, as well as his brudder, for de scores is bee," he said, huskily. lead the way. It lay over ground that then unstrapped a revolver from agin' de Doomants yet. And Marse Courtland looked at him sharply. was beginning to slope gently; the un-' .felt and handed it to Courtland. George ain't no slouch wid a scatter "Then there was something more than derbrush was presently exchanged for ow, how many of you are in the gun." words passed between him and you, rnringy moss; the character of the At anyother time the imminence of Cato. What happened? Come! speak trees enanged; the black trunks of cy- t of join round the town armed presses made the gloom thicker. Trail - which a survival of the lawless barbarism, wouldof out!" ing vines and parasites brushed their my de men who've been insulted, which he had heard so much, "He lashed me with his whip, and I faces, a current of damp air seemed to have impressed Courtland; now he was gib him one right under de yeah, and nd how have you been inulted?" only interested in it on account of the drupped him," said.Cato, recovering his flow just above the soil, in which their inconceivableposition in which it left courage with his anger at the recollec- lower limbs moved sluggishly as arse Tom Higbee down in de mar- through running As yet there reckoned it was high time fancy Miss Sally. Had she anything to do tion. "I had a right to defend. myself, was no indication water. •pursuit. But ers was drove into de swamp, and 1 with this baleful cousin's return—or sah." Courtland felt thatnit was not aban- ed that loafers and beggars had was she only to be a helpless victim of "Yes, and I hope you'll be able to do Courtl Indeed had barely time to n - r roost high when workin' folks it? so now," said Courtland, calmly, his face check an exclamation lxn from the negro around, and Marse Tom said he'd A white, dazzling and bewildering giving no sign of his conviction that „ flash of lightning suddenly lit up the Cato's fate was doomed by that single before the dull gallop of horsehoofs in .haht dhdo youtthink your carrying a, room, the porch, the dripping ailantus retaliating blow. "But you'll be safer the open ahead of them was plain to and the flooded street beyond. It -was at the quarters." He passed into his both of them. It was a second party of verw]ll that operationdhyou pro- their pursuers, mounted, who had rming operation if pro- followed presently by a crash of thun- bedroom, took a revolver from his bed- dently sent to prevent their final evi- d them?" der, with what seemed to be a second head and a derringer from the drawer, egress beenethe prevent while those final ou said it was to perteot ourseffs, fainter flash of lightning, or rather as both of which he quickly slipped be- had just evaded woods, doubt slowly they returned the negro,' gloomily. if the first flash had suddenly ignited neath his buttoned coat and returned. and sileevaded followingdwere them foot. at foie den cid you clrilli us to use some inflammable substance. With tho "When we are in the fields, clear of They were to be caught between two iifle in de armory?" long reverberation of the thunder still the house, keep close by my side, and fires! t defend yourselves together if at- shaking the house, Courtland slipped even try to keep step with ine. What you "What is there to the left of us?"' • tl t bo not to singly threaten with quickly out of the window and passed have to say, say now, fere mus e n • TITS REVOLVER rLA$m D OUT. fi was truer A faint baying in thrl distance was now distinctly audible feel Courtland. Ile knew now as plainl , the full, cruel purport of the leader's speech! "Those who could go any- where were tracking their game!" Every trace of manhood hacl van- iehecl from the negro's cowering framet Courtland laid his hand assuringly, appealingly and then savagely on his shoulder. "Come! Enough of this! I am here, and will stand by you whatever comes., These clogs are no more to be feared than the other. Rouse yourself, man, and at least help me make a fight for it." "Nol No!" screamed the terrified man. "Lemme go! Lemtne go back to de masses! Tell 'em I'll come! Tell 'em to call do houn's off me, and I'll go quiet! Lemme go!" Ile struggled violently in his companion's grasp. With all Courtland's self control, hab- its of ccolness and discipline, it is to be feared there was still something of the old Bersakcr temper. His face was white, his eyes blazed in the darkness; only his voice kept that level distinct- ness which made it for a moment more terrible than ever the baying of the • tracking hounds to the negro's ear. "Cato," he said, "attempt to run now, and by God! I'll save the dogs the trouble of grappling your living car- cass! Come here! Up that tree with you!"—pointing to a swamp magnolia— "Don't move as long ;Isl. can stand here, and when I'm down—but. not till then— save yourself—the best you can." He half helped, half dragged the now passive African to the solitary tree; as the bay of a single bound.came nearer, the negro convulsively scrambled from Courtland's knee and shoulder to the fork of branches a dozen feet from the ground. Courtland drew his revolver and stepping back a few yards into the open waited the attack. It came unexpectedly from behind. A sudden yelp of panting cruelty and frenzied anticipation at Courtland's bacic caused him to change front quick- ly as the dripping fangs and snaky boa - like neck of a wierd gray shadow passed him. With an awful supernaturalness of instinct it kept on in an unerring line to the fateful tree! But that dread. directness of scent was Courtland's op- portunity. His revolves'.' flashed out in an aim as unerring. The brute, pierced through neck and brain, clashed on against the tree in his' impetus, and 'then rolled over against it in a quiver- ing bulk. Again • another bay came , from the same directicin. Courtland knew that his pursuers had outflanked ,him and the bloodhounds were crossing Prn .rr: rn..,.,,•rxp,l whispered Courtland, quickly. their feet. They had picked their way in down to thegate. , talking to betray our position --we must „ in a street row. Together, you De swamp. silence for some minutes; the stunted stand some chance against those "Diel it strike anything, sah?" said the go silently, and you'll have enough to Courtland set his teeth together. Isis willows and cypress standing further separately they could eat up, startled negro, as Courtlanc) returned. do to exercise your eyes and ears. I dull-witted companion had evidently; and further apart, and the openings "Not that T can see," said his employer shall stand between you and any at- walked them both into the trap. with clumps of sedge were frequent. IcIn't trust too much to some of shortly "Go inside and call Zoe and tach, but I expect you to obey orders Nevertheless, his resolve was quickly. Courtland was beginning to fear this ers standing together, sab," her daughter from the cabin and bring ' without hesitation." Ile opened the made. Ile could already see through exposure of his follower, and had to, darkly. "Dey'd rim before asters—if dey didn't run to 'em. ,, of thls land had crossed' ` is mind before,but he made no It t comment. "1 found two of the rifles in the men's cabins yes- ;" he resumed quietly. "See that not occur again! They must taken from the armory except to it." salt." ,, was a Monaca of silence. Then roken by a sudden gust that rh the columns of the por- the vines. The broad ailantus began 'to rustle; atteringfollosvod; the rain rine!. And, as.Conrtland back door, motioned to Cato to pass out, the thinning fringe of Wilber the fig moved up beside him, when suddenly followed him locked the door behind nres of the mounted men in the moon.' moved o caught his arm and trembled the negr them and taking the negro's arm light. violently. His lips were parted over his �!i[[ walked beside the low palings to the "This should be the boundary line ofteeth; the whites of his eyes glistened, end of the garden, where they climbed the plantation? This field beside us is he seemed gasping and .speechless with the fence and stood upon the open field ours?" he said, interrogatively. fe x. beyond. "Yes," returned the negro, "but de. "What's the matter, Cato," said . Unfortunately, it had grown lighter quarters is a mile furcler." glancing instinctively at the with the breaking of the heavy clouds, . "Good! Stay here until T come back', Courtland, g g y and husty gleams of moonlight chased or call you, I'm going to talk to these ground beneath. "Speak mini Have each other over the field, or struck a fellows. But if you value your life glitter from standing rain pools be- don't you speak or stir.", you been bitten. Tho word seemed to tidying an ago- each the little hillocks. To cross the Ile strodeuickl thrqu h the inter- keel cry from the miserable man. open field and gain the fringe of woods vening trees and tepped out into the "Bitten! No, but don't you bear 'em on the other side was Clic nearest way moonlight. A suppressed slioiit greeted coming! Dart Golly! don't you hear to the quarters, but for the moment 'him and half a dozen mounted men, dat?"is q d tofollow 1 1 ill de down "What?" c . the boundary fence and then cross at tweiting there and as the nearest ap- ey v. s ,�--- - -.'.r was the most expose course; 0 O W 'mas ted and carrying rifles, rode cow ,,,p© dogs' de houn's!--de blooditonn's! ' the hedge to the bottom of the field and !towards hien But he remained quietly b , e et't'm loose on ine+! Children of Mr. and Mrs. 115. 1'1t. Solier Altoona, Pa. Both Had Eczema In Its Worst 1F'orm After Physicians Trailed, Hood's Sarsaparilla Perfectly Cured. Great mental agony is endured by parents who see their children suffering from diseases caused byimpure blood, and for which there seems ho cure. This is turned to joy when Hood's Sarsaparilla is resorted to, for it expels the foul humors from the blood, and restores the dis- eased skin to fresh, healthy brightness. Read the following from grateful parents: "To C. I. Hood & Co., Lowell, ]glass.: "We think Mood's Sarsaparilla is the most valuable medicine on the market for blood and skin diseases. Our two children suffered torre bly with the Worst Form of Eczema for two years. We had three physicians In that time, but neither of them succeeded in miring them or even In giving then a little relief. At last we tried Hood's Sarsaparilla and in a month both children were geek. feetly cured. Wo recommend Hood's Sarsaparilla as a standard family medicine, and would not bo without it" MR, and Mas. M. M. SotLEza, 1412 2nd Avenue, Altoona, Pa, HOOD'S PILLS cure liver ]lir, aonetii,ation, biliousness, jaundice, kick headaohi,indigiltlon,( LET I. "Let former geadg,:s Be not swift to Tae Auger is a foe tai Lc Brood not dark Which will disc Bather sing thi Lci Le Strife surround As the unregnoe Le Any vulgar sou 'May condemn 'Tie tete noble v L L•. Echo not an an L Think how oft< Lr Sines our joys Lilco the dew d Wherefore shot L L If for good yet Do not with se Time at last n Let us not rose And our triure I I Bid your angi Lav those lion Follow not th. Better to be vs Therefore sine I Valuab Mr. George For invented a butter grand success, an, tion by letters pat en one made itnpe by a coating of pa up. tight and by lid the gutter c again sealed up w of time and lab that his tub has c tin one and none fine is perfectly d better packed in 1 consumer perfect derived from the of rust from c point in favor of cheapness, as it c than half tete co: ages. We trust good as the invei his ingenuity me Of our se2eems i making radial! c During the wiut a certain extent the bbo.i Toa lid lack of exercise, ly ventilated she causes. 'lith 1$ sluggish, tired season, and wit the heel tli may Heed'Hstil shoat est popularity t favorite sp=Tui amain nliitiou bowelF, kidney, ing to the bite necessary to;to that tired fedi' in Coning lilt card. The illustratlnnf, jokes obi! too nlents. . Reber ca W Ind., clays : condition, for nes:+, Weak nes and Iudi;;estio I had been 11 relief. 1 bone, ericau Nervin, than any $50 in my life. 1 person to use edy." Warranted at Why is a pie like al there isn't a English SI hard, sift, or Tabes fr,,n 1 Splints, Mr Sprains, Son etc. Save ee: ranted by 01 .,•ad iu:1 0Oullts for t Itch on lt1' Matti Onrc'cl i Sanitary Lo ranted tit 01 The roa but too pia out the tro• e. e rth,iguarn i, Rheumatism, One ht Perth cot 'W'orld's "