Part 47 (2/2)

”Want to see her?” Bob asked cheerfully.

Tom stopped. ”Yes,” he answered.

”I can tell you where she is,” Bob went on cautiously. ”What'll you give me if I let you know?”

”I'm in a hurry,” Tom said. ”Don't fool.”

”Gimme your top?”

Tom thrust his hand in his pocket and brought the top out. Grabbing it with one hand, Bob pointed with the other. ”See her over there?” He indicated the white figure across the street. ”That's her. Say,” he called after Tom as he dashed away, ”will it vanish for me?”

”Bob, come to bed,” came a man's voice from within the house, and, accepting the inevitable, Bob went within.

Tom had hurried across the street. He was the bearer of bad news and had no thought for anything but the white figure ahead to whom he must bring sorrow. Running to where Hertha stood in the bright light he touched her on the arm saying gently, ”Sister!”

The girl started back with a cry. The sight of her brother, here in the night, unnerved her. Was he G.o.d's messenger, come out of the shadow of the past, to stop her in the path she was about to take? The thought rushed through her mind as she gave her startled cry.

Then behind her came a sound like the bellowing of some wild creature, and d.i.c.k flung himself upon the Negro. With a blow he struck the lad to the earth, and holding him fast beat him fiercely.

”Let him alone,” Hertha cried, pulling with all her might at d.i.c.k's arm.

”He did me no harm!”

The man never heard her. His eyes bulging, his breath coming quick, he pounded the prostrate boy with a fury that made Hertha cry out in horror.

”What's up?” A group of men came running in from the street. ”What you got?” one demanded. ”A n.i.g.g.e.r? Gimme a turn at him.”

Moving a moment from where he bent over Tom to turn to his questioners, d.i.c.k gave the lad a chance to wriggle from his grasp. In an instant the black boy was on his feet and running from his enemy into the darkness of the park.

”Catch him,” d.i.c.k cried, leaping up and calling on the others. ”Lynch the n.i.g.g.e.r!”

The men, there were a dozen by this time, scattered among the trees, d.i.c.k leading in the pursuit. Some ran from curiosity, interested to learn the turn events would take; others were bent on executing vengeance. None of them listened to Hertha who in her sweet, light voice was reiterating that the boy had done her no harm.

It was very dark away from the lamp and Tom, who had dashed down one of the paths, turned among the trees and slipped along close to the bushes.

He knew nothing of his way but he hoped in the obscurity to elude his pursuers until, weary with their search, they should turn back. He cursed himself for having brought trouble upon Hertha. ”If I can jest hide for a s.p.a.ce,” he thought, ”I reckon they'll all go away, and she won't be bothered no more.” And crouching under a great bush filled with snow-white blossoms he waited for the men to pa.s.s.

It would have turned out as he desired had not his first pursuer been a man from Georgia to whom a hunt for a Negro's skin was as justifiable as a hunt for the skin of a rabbit. And d.i.c.k's fury was at its height, for he had seen Tom touch Hertha's arm. He bent to the ground, deaf to everything but his work, and slipped among the bushes until he found Tom crouching close. Then with a great cry he sprang on the boy again.

His grasp slipped and Tom was up and on once more, but this time men closed in about him to the right and left while d.i.c.k bellowed behind.

Running on ahead as fast as his strength would carry him his foot slipped, and he fell headlong on the path close to the lake. Before he could rise d.i.c.k was striking him cruelly in the face.

”Come on, boys,” he cried, ”somebody get a rope. We'll string this d.a.m.ned buck on the nearest tree!”

”Let him alone,” came Hertha's voice as she ran toward them through the trees. ”Let him alone.”

Her call only infuriated her lover. Turning upon the black boy he kicked him with his boot; and as though he could not wait for the rope for which he had called, encircled his neck with his hands as though to strangle him.

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