rop of negro
blood in her veins, could appear colored. Perhaps this second woman
was Delia, the quadroon mother. But if so, how did she chance to fall
alone into Kirby's clutches? Was she aboard the keel-boat, locked
below in the cabin, when it rammed into us? If she had been captured
at Shrunk's camp during their murderous raid, what had become of her
companion? Where was Eloise Beaucaire? The harder I sought to
straighten out this mystery the more involved it became. I knew so
little of the facts, there was nothing I could argue from. All that
remained was for me to go forward blindly, trusting implicitly to the
god of luck.

With every additional glance at the face reflected by the mirror, my
confidence strengthened in the ability to encounter Kirby, and pass
unrecognized. Convinced as he undoubtedly was of my death beneath the
black waters of the river he could not possibly imagine my presence
aboard the _Adventurer_, while my personal appearance was so utterly
changed as to suggest to his mind no thought of familiarity. The
conditions were all in my favor. I was smiling grimly at this conceit,
well pleased at the chance thus afforded me, when the stateroom door
was suddenly flung open, and the hairy face of the mate thrust within.

"I reckon yer better tote them wet duds down ter the boiler room," he
said, gruffly, "an' then git sum grub. Likely 'nough yer wound't mind
eatin' a bit. Be yer a river man?"

"I've never worked on a steamboat, if that is what you mean."

"No; well I reckoned not, but the captain he thought maybe yer had. I
tol' him yer didn't talk like no steamer hand. Howsumever we're
almightly short o' help aboard, an' maybe yer'd like a job ter help pay
yer way?"

My fingers involuntarily closed on some loose gold pieces in my pocket,
but a sudden thought halted me. Why not? In what better way could I
escape discovery? As an employe of the boat I could go about the decks
unsuspected, and unnoticed. Kirby would never give me a second
thought, or glance, while the opportunity thus afforded of speaking to
Rene, and being of service to her, would be immeasurably increased. I
withdrew my hand, swiftly deciding my course of action.

"I suppose I might as well earn a bit," I admitted, hesitatingly.
"Only I had about decided I'd enlist, if the war was still going on
when we got up there."

"That'll be all right. We'll keep yer busy til' then, enyhow. Go on
down below now, an' e