Show two irv RYA L 2 IM ja r A JR Z 4 SYNOPSIS th in ucb icene at the opening ot of the story atory la Is laic tho the library ary of t on an old worn out outlier southern out liem plantation known as aa the barony conr the alace placa la in to be sold and its U his 0 y an aad that tat ot of the owners the yo u In i la Is the subject of 0 discussion by jonathan n athan crenshaw a business man a atran tranger known as bladen and bob yancy 1 n a farmer when hannibal wayne wayna hazard a mysterious child of the old fi louthern ou thern family makes him appear appearance anc yanc yancy y tells tella how he adopted the boy na nathaniel thaniel 1 l ferris buys buy the barony but tho the Quin tards deny any knowledge of the boy Jancy yancy to ta keep hannibal captain mu murrell 11 a friend ot of the Quin tards appears P and asks questions about the tha 13 barony ar trouble at scratch hill when hannibal la Is by days blouin blount t captain dp tain Mur murrella agent alye yancy 4 ancy overtakes mount rives gives him a t thrashing and secures the boy yancy pears before squire val Jia laam a am and Is disc discharged arged with costs for the he plaintiff betty malroy a friend of th the e Fer has an encounter with captain ta n murrell who forces his attentions on an her and Is in rescued by bruce carrington betty sets fete out for her tennessee home Carrig inton takes taken the same stage yancy and hannibal disappear with murrell on their trail CHAPTER VI continued in the tavern the three men man were drinking murrell with the idea that the more yancy came under the influence ot of sons corn whisky the easier his bis speculation would be managed mr yancy on his part believed that it if murrell went to bed reasonably drunk he would sleep late and give him the opportunity he coveted to quit the tavern unobserved at break of 0 day when yo get to teella like sleep young boss maar he says I 1 show yo to yo chamber it was saona Gons boy eph yes you can show me my chamber hannibal said eph secured a tin candlestick candle stick with a halt half burnt candle in it and led the way into the passage back ol of the bar they mounted a flight ot or stairs and passed down a narrow hall ball this brought them to the back ot of the th building and eph pushed open the door on his right this haahs yo chamber cha he be rk cedIng his conica into the room placed the candle on a chair the tha moon was rising and hannibal went vent to the open window and glanced out for a moment he considered tho the night not unaffected by its beauty then turning from the window he hla his bundle and rifle to the toot foot of the bed where they would be out of hla his way kicked off hla his trousers blow blew out the candle and lay down daucy had become more and more convinced as we the evening passed that murrell was bent on getting him bin drunk and suspicion mounted darkly to his brain have a drink with mel me cried aloa 0 ban qu gi giving ving way to drunken laughter the captains dropped out and 1 low its about time to these here festivities to come to an end im thinking some of going to bed myself said yancy he kept his eyes fixed on murrell lie ile realized that II if the latter could prevent it ho was not to leave tho the bar lie he never shifted his glance from murrells face scowling now the captains eyes blazed back their challenge as aa he be thrust his right hand under his coat fair play 1 I dont know who you are but I 1 know what you fantl want I 1 said yancy the light in his frank gray eyes deepening murrell laughed and took a forward step at the same moment snatched up a heavy club from the back of the bar and dealt yancy a murderous blow A single startled cry escaped the scratch hiller he struck out wildly as bo be lurched toward murrell Iu rrell who grow drew his knife and drove it into his shoulder yancy dropped heavily to tze floor how long laus the boy slept ha be never knew but ho he awoke with a start and a confused cont used sense of things it was evidently evIdent li very late probably long after midnight but where we was a his uncle bob ile he sank bank back on his pillow intent and listening A chilling terror thai gripped him fast and would not let him to go mounted to his brain vv was his uncle bob why he come to bed memories ot of idle tales of men foully dealt with in these lonely taverns flashed bashed through his mind lie ile slid troya from the bed and for a long moment stood cold and shaking hl ahli every sense on the alert with infinite caution he got into hla his trousers and again paused to listen since ho be feared his bis least movement might betray him next he ha secured hla his pack and was ready for tight flight encumbered by his belongings but with no mind to sacrifice them he stepped out upon the shed and made hla his way down the slant of the tha root roof to the eaves he tossed his bla bundle to the ground and going down on hla his kus lowered hla his rifle letting the muzzle tall fall lightly ag against ainest the odo ildo ot of tha no as it left hla hand bland then he be lay flat cm his stomach and sect feet wriggled out cut into space when he could no longer preserve hla balance he gate himself a shove away from the tha aveo end d dropped clear of the building ball dlag As he recovered himself he was sure be heard a door open and close and threw himself prone on the ground where the black shadow cast by the tavern hid him at the same moment two dark figures camo came from about a corner of the building he COU could id just distinguish that they carried some heavy burden between them and that they staggered as aa they moved they passed out cut of 0 sight and breathless and palsied hannibal crept about a corner of the tavern lie he must be surel presently he heard a distant sound a splash surely it was a splash A little later the men came up the lane to disappear in the direction or of the tavern hannibal peered after them his fits very terrors while thoy they arenc wrenched bed and tortured him gave him a desperate kind of courage As the gloom hid bid tho the two men he be started forward dorward again he reached the end of the cornfield climbed a fence and entered a deadening of timber in the long wet grass he be found where tho the men had dragged their burden ho he reached down and swept his hand to and fro once twice the third time hta his little palm came away red and discolored there was the first pixie pale premo premonition nl of dawn in the sky and as be hurried on the light grew and the black trunks of trees detached themselves from the white mist that tilled the woods and which the dawn made visible there was light enough for him to see that he be was following the trail lett left by the men ile he emerged upon the bank of the elk river white like the woods with its ghostly night sweat the dull beat of the childs heart quickened as he gazed out on the swift current that was hurrying on with its dreadful secret then the full comprehension of his loss jo fo overwhelm him and he be was desolate sobs soba shook him and he be dropped on an his knees holding fas fast t to the stock of hla his rifle uncle bob uncle dob bob come back cant you come back he walled wailed miserably presently he staggered to his teet feet As he be glanced about he be saw almost at his bis feet beet a dugout dug out made from a single poplar log it was secured to an overhanging branch by a length of a wild grapevine grape vine vino with one last fearful tool look off across the deadening in tion of the tavern he crept down to the waters edgo edge and entered the banoo in a moment he had it free from its lashing and the rude craft was bumping along the bank in spite of his best efforts with the paddle then a favoring current caught it and swept it out toward the center of the stream CHAPTER VII all on the river petty betty stood under a dripping umbrella in the midst of a downpour just arrived by the tour four horse coach that plied piled regularly between washington and georgetown sue she had bad found the long board plat platform forra beside the canal crowded with her fellow passengers suddenly she became aware ot of a tall familiar figure moving through the crowd it was waa bruce carrington at the same moment h ne e saw her and with a casual air that quite deceived her approached youre leaving tonight he be naked asked yes it miserable the way it rains and why are they so BO slow blow why dont they hurry with that boat beaff its in the last lock now explained carrington and gathering up bettys hand luggage tie be helped her aboard dy by the time they had reached wheeling betty had quite part parted edwith with whatever superficial prejudice she might have had concerning river men this particular one was waa evidently a very nice river man an exception to his kind lie he mado made choice of the steamer on which sho she should continue her journey and thoughtfully chose tho naiad a slow boat 1 I it a thing to offer ber this Is plain madness of minel he kept telling himself and then the expression of his face would become grim and determined no more of the river tor for him hed get hold of somo some land and go to raising cotton that was the way money was made slow as the naiad was the days daya passed much too swiftly toy for lim him when Al memphis emphis was reached their friendly intercourse would come to an end there would be her brother of 0 whom she had occasionally spoken he would be pretty certain to have the ideas of his class the days like any other days dwindled the end of it all was waa close at hand another twenty four hours and carrington reflected there would only be goodby good by to say we ne will reach new madrid tonight he told her they were watching the river under a hood flood of yellow moonlight carrington with his back against a stanchion watched tier her discontentedly be mighty glad to have this over with miss malroy he said at length with a comprehensive sweep toward the river yes shant you and she opened her eyes questioningly no said carrington with a short laugh drawing a chair near hers and sitting down betty in surprise gave him a quick look and then as quickly glanced away from what she encountered in his bis eyes As she looked suddenly pale points of light appear appeared edon on a distant headland ills Is that now new madrid oh la Is it mr air carrington she cried eagerly 1 I reckon so but be did not alter his bis position but youre not looking loo kingl yes yea I 1 arn am im looking at you S reckon think me crazy miss matroy malroy presumptuous and all that E L LI ia X V 7 7 t aps fps Z 9 af pf he H hearda sound a splash but I 1 wish memphis could be ba wiped off the map and that we could go on like this tor for eberl beyerl you talk so BO I 1 am nothing to you yes you are youre everything to me said carrington doggedly you shall love me she bho was powerless in his hia embrace she felt bla big breath on her cheek then he kiss kissed ed her suddenly his arms fell ell at his bla side bide his face was white 1 I 1 was wan a brute to do that betty forgive mel I 1 am sorry no I 1 cant be corryl sorry 1 they were alongside the new mad rid wharf now and a certain young man who had beon been impatiently watching the naiads naiades lights ever since they became visible crossed the gangplank gang plank with a bound deity betty why in the name ot of goodness did you ever choose this thir rubt tub said the newcomer new comer Char charley leyl I 1 carrington stepped back thid must bo be the brother who had come up the river from memphis to meet her but her brothers name was tomi tom I 1 ito ho looked this stranger strang cr this charley over with wim a hostile eye offended by his good looks his confident manner in which he thought he detected an air ot of ownership as if It certainly he was holding her bands longer than was necessary an instant later when dotty betty remembering turned to speak to him his place by the rail was deserted 15 0 0 0 0 all that day hannibal was haunted b by y the memory ot of what he had heard and seen at blossoms Blos sons tavern moro more than this there was his bla terrible sense ot of loss and the grief he could not master marking the course ol of the road westward he clung to the woods where his movements were as stealthy as the very shadows themselves presently as he bo stumbled forward ho be came to a small email clearing la in the th center of which stood a log dwelling the place seemed deserted tilted back in a chair by the door of this house a man was sleeping Ble the hoot of an owl from a nearby near by oak roused him ile he yawned dawned and stretched himself thrusting out his bis tat fat legs and extending his great arms then becoming aware of 0 that path as he be slept and now stood bo be fore him in the uncertain light he tell fell to rubbing his bis eyes with the small figure which had bad stolen up the knuckles of his plump hands bands who are you he demanded im hannibal wayne hazard said the boys boy the man quitted his bis chair well I 1 am glad to know you wayne hazard I 1 am bio cum price judge blockum price sometime major general of militia and ex member ot of congress to mention a few ot of those honors my follow fellow countrymen have thrust upon me lie he made a sweeping gesture with his two hands outspread and bowed ponderously the boy saw a man of sixty whose gross mil and battered visage told its ito own story there was a sparse white frost about his bis ears earn and his eyes pale blue and prominent looked oui out from under beetling brows lie he wore a shabby plum colored coat and tight arab rab breeches about his bis fat neck was a black stock with just a 8 suggestion u 9 of soiled linen showing above it if ills his figure was corpulent and unwieldy you dont belong in these parts do you asked the judge when ho he had completed his scrutiny no sir answered answer nil Ad the boy lie ho glanced off down the road where lights were visible among the trees what town is that pleasantville which Is a lie but I 1 am neither sufficiently drunk n nor 0 r sufficiently sober to cope with the possibilities ties your question offers have you so much as fifty cents about you and the judges fudges eyes narrowed to a silt alit above their folds of puny puffy flesh hannibal keeping his glance fixed on the mans face fell back a step 1 I cant let you go it you are I 1 penniless I 1 cant do cried the judge with sudden vehemence you ahall be my guest tor for the night a pack of thieves at the tavern he lowered his voice 1 I know em for plucked met roe lie he rested a fat hand on the boys shoulder anti and drew him gently but firmly into the shanty lla avith flint and steel he bo made a light and presently a candle was sputtering in his bis hands ile he fitted it into the neck ot of a tall bottle and as the light flared up the boy glanced about him the interior was mean enough with it rough wills dirt floor and black cavernous replace fl A shakedown bed an in one corner of abo room was tastefully screened from the public iaze gaze bya by a tattered quilt TO PE CONTINUED |