Show IF THE a W ka 0 IGA Z V I 1 STER aa N SYNOPSIS the scene atno lit bt the opening ot at the story lory la Is rid laid in the library a of f an old worn ou out t southern ou thern plantation known as a the barony ony the place la Is to be sold old and its history an and pace that thai at 0 the owners the Quin lards in of the subject of discussion by jonathan crenshaw Crena haw a business man a stranger known as bladen and bob yancy a farmer when hannibal wayne wayn R hazard ar a mysterious child of 0 the old old southern bouthern family amity makes make his appearance ceic yancy tells how he adopted the boy nathaniel th a n i e I 1 ferris buys buy the elie barony but the Q u i n t aran deny any knowledge of 0 the boy yancy to keep li hannibal annibal captain murrell murell a friend of the Quin tards appears and asks questions question about the barony barany trouble a at t scratch hill when hannibal la in by dave blount captain murrells murrella Murr ellB agent yancy overtaken ll lount given lit him a thrashing and secures secure the he boy yancy appears before squire squar balaam and la is discharged with costs tor the he plaintiff betty malroy a friend of the he ler Fer rles rises has an encounter with cap win tain murrell who forces his attentions on her and Is in rescued by bruce carrington betty sets out tor for her tennessee Tenne asee home carr agton takes the same stage yancy and I 1 hannibal lann ibal disappear with murrell on their trail 11 hannibal annibal arrives at the home of judge slocum price the judge recognizes in the b boy oy th the a grand grandson sot pt an old time friend mu murrell r re 11 arrives at judges home cavendish family on raft rescue yan yancy y who Is apparently dead price barels breaks j jail all betty and carrington arrive fit bt belle P plain aln cannibals Hanni bals rifle dise discloses losee tome some startling startling things to the judge hannibal n and betty meet again murrell arrives in belle bella plain Is playing for big stakes yancy awakes from long dream less leas sleep ale p on board the raft judge price makes startling discoveries in looking up land titles charley norton a young planter who assists the judge la is mysteriously assaulted norton informs carrington that betty has promised to marry hinl him norton la Is mysteriously shot more I 1 light ight on murrells plot ile he plans u uprising is of negroes judge price with hannibal visits betty and she keeps the boy lis a companion in a stroll betty takes wl with t h hannibal they meet bess alicks daughter of the overseer who vrho warns betty ot of danger and counsels her to leave belle plain at arwe CHAPTER continued whatever tho the that inspired this warning they plainly had nothing to do with either lining liking or sympathy her dominating emotion seemed to be a sullen sort eort ot of resentment which lit up her glance with a dull fire yet her feelings were so 50 clearly and so keenly personal that betty understood the motive that had brought her there the explanation she che found left her wondering just where and how her own tate fate was linked with that of this poor white you have been waiting some time to see me moa she asked ever since along about noon you were afraid to come to the I 1 house 1 I want to be seen there and yet you knew I 1 was alone alone but how do you know chos watching the place do you think there was reason to be afraid of that asked betty again the girl stamped her foot with angry impatience youre just wasten bastin time lust just tool foot in it away and you aint got none to spare I 1 you must tell me what I 1 have to tear fear 7 rl 1 roust must know more or I 1 shall stay just where I 1 aral ami well then stay I 1 the girl turned away and then as quickly turned back and faced betty once more 1 I 1 reckon hed kill me it lie be knew 1 reckon ive earned that already of whom are you speaking hell have you away from here tonight S he be who and what if I 1 refuse to goa go did they ask charley norton whether he wanted to live or dley die came the sinister question A shiver passed through betty she was seeing it all again charley as aa he groped among the graves with the band of death heavy upon him A moment later she aha was alone the girl had bad disappeared there were only the shifting shadows as the wind tossed the branches of the trees and the bands of 0 golden light 11 that slanted along th the empty path the fear or of the unknown leaped up afresh in bettys soul in an instant flying feet had borne her to the boys sift side come come colue quick hanniball she gasped out and seized his hand what Is it miss betty the matter atter baked asked hannibal as aa they bleil fled panting up tip the terraces terr acea 1 I dont amow only we must get away from here just as soon as we caul then seeing the look ot of alarin alarm on the childs tace raco she added more quietly dont be frightened near dear only we roust must go away from rom hello belle plain at once but where they were to go eo she had not considered reaching the house they stole to bettys room her well billed purse was the tha important thing that together with some necessary clothing went into a small handbag hand bag you must carry this hannibal if any ono one sees bees us leave the house bouse think it gom something ething you are taking away atway she explained hannibal nodded understandingly dont you trust your ut figgers nig gers egers miter mi betty etty 13 he be whispered as they went from tho the room boora 1 I 1 only trust you dearl dear I 1 what maties you go was it some thing that woman told you are they coming alter us alias dotty ris fa it captain bladell bla ell captain there w wa s team leaa M f mystery liow but more 0 terror and her hand stole up to her heart and white and slim rested against the black fabric ol of her dress dont you bo be seared scared miss dotty betty 1 11 said bald hannibal they went silently from the house and again crossed the lawn to the terrace under the leafy arch which can ogled them thero there was already the deep purple of 0 twilight do you reckon it were captain murrell shot mr norton miss betty asked hannibal in a shudder shuddering ins whisper illish hush oh hush hannibal it to la too awful to even speak of and sobbing and halt hysterical she covered her faco face with her hands bands but where are we going miss betty asked the boy 1 I dont know dearl dear she had an agonizing sense of the nights ni gilts approach and of her own utter helplessness ill tell you what miss betty lets go to the judge and mr Maba said hannibal judge price she had not thought of him as aa a possible protector why miss betty aint I 1 told you bearnt beal he aint nt afraid of nothing we could walk to raleigh easy tt it you dont want your biggers to hook up a team tor for you 11 betty suddenly remembered the car ariage which had bad taken the judge into town she was sure it had not yet returned we will 9 to the judge hanniball hannibal 1 george wh whai drove above him into raleigh Kal elgh has not noc come back it if we hurry wo we may meet him on the road screened by the thick shadows they passed up the path that edged the bayou at me head ot of the inglot they entered a clearing and crossing this they came to the cornfield corn field which lay jay between the house and the highroad following one of the shock rows they hurried to the mouth of 0 the lane I 1 dont want to tell the judge why I 1 am leaving belle plain abor the woman woma n lu U mean said betty you reckon kill her dont you miss betty it they knew what shed done speculated the boy it occurred to him that an adequate explanation of their night flight would require preparation since the judge was at all times singularly alive to the slightest discrepancy or of statement they had issued from the cornfield corn field held and went along the road toward raleigh suddenly betty paused Ilar barkl kt she whispered it were nothing miss betty said hannibal reassuringly and they hurried forward again in the utter stillness through which they moved hetty betty hoard heard the beating ot of her own heart and the soft and all but inaudible patter of 0 the boys boya bare feet on the warm dust of the road vague forms that resolved themselves into trees and bushes seemed to creep toward them out of the nights black uncertainty once more betty paused it were nothing bliss betty said hannibal as before and lie he returned to his consideration ot of the judge lie ho sensed something of that intellectual nimbleness which his patrons physical makeup make mako up in nowise suggested since his face was a mask that usually left one in doubt as to lust just how much of what he heard succeeded in making its impression on him but tho the boy know knew that slocum prices blind side was a exposure you dont think the carriage could have passed us while we were crossing the corn held 7 said betty no I 1 reckon we a missed hearing it answered hannibal lie ha had scarcely spoken when they caught the rattle ot of wheels and the beat of hoofs these sounds swept nearer and nearer and the darkness disgorged dis gorged the belle plain team and carriage georgel george I 1 cried betty a world or of relief in her tones whoa youl and george reined in his horses with a jerk chos darl dar he be asked bending forward on the box as he be sought to pierce the darkness with his glanco glance george Ge orse oh it you missy 11 yes I 1 wish you to drive mo me into raleigh said eald detty betty and she and hannibal entered the sarri carriage arr lage age all right missy yo all ready to me to go along out 0 here bore yes drive fast Geore Wl urged betty its right dark to ins fas driving missy with the road jos jes almin to to bus yo springs with chuckhole st a he had turned his horses heads in n the direction of raleigh while he was speaking its scandalous black in these heah woods missy I 1 clar I 1 never seen it no blackert blacker the carriage swung forward tor for per haps a hundred years then suddenly the horbes came to a dead stop go 0 along on dart darl cried george and struck them with hla his whip but ti t the a horses only reared and plunged hold on nig gerl said a rough put of the darkness what at y yo 0 doln colu the coachman gasped don yo know dis do plath carriage take yo bans often offen dem bosses blast two men stopped stepped to the side of the carrl carrle co show your tight light bunker said the same rough voice that had bad spoken before instantly a hooded lantern was aas uncovered and hannibal uttered a cry of terror ile he was wan looking into tho the face of Sloss cn the tavern keeper CHAPTER prisoners in the face of bettys indignant protest and the man named bunker climbed into the carriage dont you yon be scared maam said the tavern keeper who smelt strongly strongly of whisky 1 I lift my hand ngin no good looking female except in kindness how dare you stop my carriage cried betty with a very genuine an ain C 0 1 0 0 Y 61 0 0 4 lip 0 0 0 0 0 41 0 1 I 1 01 rr howan into the face of the ger which for or the moment dominated all her other emotions sho she struggled to her feet but put out a heavy hand and thrust her back there now ho he urged soothingly why make a fuse wo we aint going to harm you we tor for no sum of money drive on jim drive like ilka heill this last was addressed to the mancho had taken georges place placa on tho the box where a fourth member ot of blossoms Blos sons band had forced the coachman down into the narrow space be between tween tho the seat and dashboard and was holding a pistol to his head while he sternly enjoined silence lence el with a word to the horses jim swung about and the carriage rolled off through the night nigh at a brea breakneck kIc pace bettys shaking hands drew draw hannibal closer to her sido side as stio she felt the surge of her terrors rise within her who were these men where could they bo be taking her and for what purpose pur poso the events of the past week linked themselves in traffic sequence in hor her mind what was it she had to tear fear was it tom tor for whom these theao men were gT tom who would profit greatly by hot her disappearance or deattie they swept past the entrance at dello belie plain past a break in the wall of 0 the forest pale light ot or stars stare showed betty the she bho and hannibal had but lately crossed and then on into pitchy darkness again she clung to the desp de sperato hope that they might meet some one on the road when sho she could cry out and give the alarm she held herself in readiness for this but there was only the steady pounding of the big bays as jim with voice and whip urged them forward at last he abruptly checked thorn them and hunker bunker and sprang from their seats get down maaen ma ain said tho the latter at where are you taking me moa asked betty in a voice that shook in alte spite of her efforts to control it you must hurry maam urged ai osBon impatiently 1 I wont move antl I 1 guyy whery you intend taking mol met said hetty if I 1 am to die mr air laughed loudly and in dul gently you aint it you ilont dont want to walk im man enough to to tote you we ain aint t far to go and ivo ive tackled jobs id a heap less jose heart to in my time he be concluded gallantly krom from the opposite side eldo of the carr carriage lago bunker swore nervously lie he desired to know if they were to stand there talking all night shut your filthy mouth dunker bunker and see you keep tight hold of that young rip eald ties hes a perfect eel ive h bad d dealings with him athrel you yott tried to kill my uncle ilog hob at the tavern you and captain mur rell I 1 heard you and I 1 seen you drag him to the diverl cried hannibal gave a start of astonishment at this why aint he be hateful lie he exclaimed aghast see here young feller faller no kind of a way to you to talk to a man who has riz his ten children childre nl again bunker swore while jim told to make haste basto this popular clamor served to recall the tavern keeper to a sensa of duty Ma maaen ain like I 1 should toto tote you or will you walk he inquired and reaching out his hand band took hold bold of oc cetty betty ill walk said the girl quickly shrinking from the contact keep close at my heels bunker 4 ou i tuck along after her with the tha boy what about this asked the fourth man fetch him along with us said bald they turned from the tha road while he was speaking and entered a narrow path thit that led off od tt through rough tho the woods apparently in the direction ot of the river A moment lat later er hetty betty heard the carriage drive away they aboy went onward in silence for a little time then spoke over tits shoulder eh yes maam ive riz ten children but none nona of em am was ilke haca him halml L trained em up te tc thu thi air seamed to have passed completely under the spell of tits his domestic recollections for ho he continued with just a a reminiscent sadness tn in his bis tone there was all ail told tour four mrs blossoms Blos sons two ot of em am was south carolinians one was from geor gla and the last was a widow lady out of 0 east tennessee shed burled buried three husbands and I 1 figured wo we could start perfectly even the intrinsic fairness of this start made its strong appeal mr dwelt upon it with satisfaction she abe h had three to her credit I 1 had three to mine neither could crow none over the other TO BE |