| Show THE by h r coffi Cof wi rit fieM comerf SYNOPSIS I jd the in scene the st library the opening of the story is of an old worn out southern plantation tation known as the bar ony the place is to be sold and its history and abat of the owners the Quin tards in the subject of by jonathan crenshaw a business man it arranger known 14 bladen and bob taney a farmer when hannibal wayne hazard it mysterious child of the old family makes his appears kancir talis how he adopted the boy ga thaniel berris buys ti 0 bla but tiao deny any u knowledge a of the boy curreli Mur gyl reli yancy JiS it friend to keep of fsr the hannibal e Quin tards AI captain ap pears and ask about the nar ony trouble at scratch 8 when ae han albi in 1113 by dave blount cap tain an af at murrella murrells agent yancy overtakes blount given him P u euid secures ther h boy yancy 1 a FPS pears before squire tasi balsam dal Si and is dc barged with C coti 0 M fo tor the th hs 11 Y tty elal maroy a mend 0 ot t the For rises h haj an counter encounter with cap min f 11 murrell W who forces CM his atten on yr der and to rescued by bruce carrington lietar sets 1 out u t for her tennessee a home carrington 01 takes the th same 1 stake 8 tancy and hannibal 1 11 disappear with murrell on their trail hannibal arrives at the home of SLi judge slocum 10 price th the 1 rec co 0 ilges in the 1 bot b hotd ahe lh grandson on of 0 an 0 time tarn friend murrell arrive arrives at judges home cavendish family on raft rescue yanc bac yf who Is 1 apparently dead price break a jail hetty detty and carrington arrive at belle belie plain rifle discloses disc losee st alart artlin linK g things to the jud judge go llan han anibal an and d B betty ett Y meet aga again I 1 n murrell ar rivea in belle plain la in playing for big takes stakes yancy awakes from long loner dream lea less leep sleep on board the rate judge price makes discoveries diacon erica eries in looking up land ditlea ties charley norton a young planter lanter who assists the judge Is mye mys assaulted norton informs car rington arington that betty haa has promised to marry him norton la is mysteriously eliot shot more light on murrella murrells plot he lie plan plans cupris in ing 11 ot of negroes butge judge pric price with hannibal visits betty and she he keep keeps the boy aa as a companion in a troll stroll betty takes with hannibal they meet bess hicks daughter ot of the overseer who ho warm betty of daricek da ger and counsels coune fis her to leave belle plain at once betty herrl wit way their carriage it stopped b by eson flet aed acta acts on bess advice any and on their the tavern keeper and a confederate and betty and hannibal are made prisoner prisoners the pair ara taken to hick hicks cabin in an almost inaccessible spot and there murrell visits belt betty and reveals his part in the plot and his object betty 11 U ant ervIs hia his proffered love and the Int interview W la a endea by the arrival of ware terrified at possible outcome of the crime judge price hearing of the abduction plana plans aci uon CHAPTER the judge takes charge all work on the plantation bad had stopped and the bund hundreds reds ot slaves 1 men women ind children were viere gatti ered about the bouse house among these moved the members of the dominant race the judge would have attached himself to the first group but be he heard a whispered question and the answer miss halroye Mal roye latiker laT 1 iyer clearly it was not for him to mix with these outsiders these curiosity seekers he crossed the lawn to the house and mounted the steps in the doorway was big steve while groups ot of men stood about in the ball the hum of 0 busy purposeless talk pervading the place the judge frowned this was all wrong has mr air ware returned from memphis he asked of steve no sah not yet then ebow show me into the library bald said the judge with bland authority surrendering rendering eur his hat fiat to the butler come along mahaffy he added they entered the library and the judge motioned steve to close the door now boy kindly ask those people to withdraw ou may pay say it Is judge prices orden allow no one to enter tile house unless they havo have business with me or as I 1 send for or them you understand after ou on have cleared tho tte house you maa roa bring me a decanter of corn whisky ky atop a bit you may ask tile cherim to step here yes sall and steve withdrew the judge drew an easy chair up to the flat topped desk that stood in the center of tho room and seated him bim self tho the door opened and the sherler slouched into the th room he ile was chew ing a ion wheat straw and bis whole of troubled beai appearance appe arane was as one ness morning ho said briefly sit down sheriff and the judge indicated a meek seat for the official in e distant corner comer have you learned athing auy thing be he asked tho the sheriff shook his head what you turning all these neigh burs out of doors for he questioned we dont want people tracking in and out the house sheriff sheri tr important evidence may be destroyed I 1 propose lavee slaves first does that eu examining mining the meet with your approval oh ive talked with them they dont know imbuing 11 said the fl no one dont know nothing plea please Plea ee god we may yet put our lingers a on n same villain who does bald the didge outside it wae was noleen about that judge price had taken matter matters in hand he wae was the old fellow follow who bad had been beell warned to keep hie hill mouth shut and who bad had never st talking bince A crowd collected b beyond yond tho the library window e and feasted tta its yes ye on the back of or this heros bald head one by one the o 0 servants er vante wore were tired into ole judgie presence first bo he interrogated little steve who bad had tone one to ml bettys betty a door that rooming morning to rouse her aa as vaa ble his cue torn tow next be he examined dettye bettys maid then tho the cook and various bouse house err ante who bad nothing especial to toll but told it at considerable length and lastly big stevo stop a bit the judge suddenly oud denly in the butler in the midat midst of ble his narrative dode dods the over at a anys ays come up to the bouse house tha tint thing in the morning why not exactly sab but be he come up this mont ngi sah ho ile was talking to me at the back of the house when the women run cut out with the word that blisak was done gone away he joined in the search T yes aoh bob when was mire malroy seen last asked the judge she and the young bemman you fetched heah were nere seen in toe the ayar den along about sundown I 1 seen them myself tacy tb had had supper yes gan 1 who sleeps here just little sto stevo and three of the women they slee sleeps pa at the back or of the bouse house sab sah no sounds were heard during th the night no sab sah ill see the overseer w tints his name hicks suppose you go for him said the judge judg e addressing the sheriff the sheriff was gone from the roo room only a few moments and returned with the information that hicks was which waa was to be down at the bayou dragged why inquired the judge hicks says alls been act ing mighty cheer e ver since charley noon was shot di distracted str acted ciket ho he says gays he noticed it alli that tom ware noticed IL 11 how linw does he b ain ahn boys disappearance i he reckons she be thrower herself int in and the bey bay tried lo 10 drag dra hoi bei out liko like he ho naturally would and got draped la in humpel ill 11 tro 1 mr flicks to tep stop bore anid said tho the judge quietly theres mr bir carrington and a cc couple uple of strangers str angora angern outside who above a ben been asking about mins 1 malcor and the boy acome liko tho the strangers knowel her and him back yonder in noth carolina bald said the sheriff as be he turned away ill III see them the sheriff went from tho the room and tho the judge tho the servants well what do you think price asked bl mahaffy abaffy anxiously when they were alone take my word for it solomon this blow ie Is leveled at me I 1 have been too forward in my sl a tempts to suppress the camier cam ivr 1 of crime thai that Is I 1 raging through tennessee observe that bits malroy disappeared at a moment when the public to disposed to think bhe she has retained me na an her bar legal ad blaer probably she be will be not et at liberty when bhe she agree agrees to drop the mat ter of at Norton nortons 1 murder As an tor tho boy uee use him to compel my at lenco lance and inaction the judge took teck a long breath yet there commins one point where the boy Is to concerned that completely baffles me if it we knew know just a little more of at his bf it might cause me to make a startling and radical arnove Bla mahaffy hafty wae wits clearly not impressed by the vague generalities in wh which ich the judge was dealing there you go price as an usual trying to con convince yince yourself that you are the center of he be bald baidin aln a tone at 0 much exasperation bets lets get got down to busi business I 1 what does tats man inan hicks mean by hinting athul ride you saw miss malroy yester day you have put your finger on an a point of some aid said the judge bhe she bore evidence of the shock and loss lose she had sustained 0 ir 1001 10 01 hicks say says miss 1 halroye Mal Mair roye cys been acting queer since charley norton wa was shot show aside from thai she was quite ae as she has always been well what do you want to eee see hicks for what do you expect to learn earn from him 1 I dont like his on the idea that mis 4 is mentally unbalanced its a question of come delicacy tho the law sir mr fully recognizes that it seems to me he Is to overanxious to account for her disappearance in a manner that can compromise no one CHAPTER the judge finds allies they were interrupted by the opening of the doer dr and big steve admitted carrington Carrl ngon and tho the two men of whom the sheriff bad had A sheck shocking ing cault caulthon lon of at affairs mr said tho the cago by way of erecting creating yes eald said carrington shortly you left these parte parts some time ume ago I 1 believe continued the judge a rho day before norton was ahot shot I 1 bad had started borne home for kentucky A I beard heard of bis bin death when I 1 reached rlph on second bluff ez ex carrington from rom whose cheeks tho hoir beaten bloom bad had fidia ho lie rested hie his hand on the edge dg et the desk and turned to the men who had followed dim him into the room ehte tate to ahn gentleman you wish to seo 9 be lie said aid and topped stopped to one of at the tile windows do mv it overlooked the borrae whore where be he bad said goodby good by to hetty betty scarcely arcely ac a week before the two men bad paused by the door they now advanced one was wa gaunt and haggard nil his face dialI gurvA by it great red rod car the other wae was i a aback beaded individual who move bovea with A shambling gait doth both carried rifles 1 and both were dressed in cearto homespun hoines A morning lorning sir air aid said the man ata tie ear e ar Yan cyB my name alia this gentleman iowa hed hold ratter tos known BOW now aa an mr cavendish the judge darted to ate feet ft dob bob yancy he cried yea yes air me ac the juda passed nimbly around the leak ant abt shook the scratch hiller warmly the hand where wheres my r all thia this about him aad sad miss ml betty ott soft drawl waa was denly eager please god well recover blai him scout said the judge dy by the window carrington oa moved 4 impatiently no barm could corae come ta th the boy but betty a shudder arf through him stolen him fancy 0 with conviction 1 I reckon started back to noth Carol laz him only that dont explain come of mill miss betty do doea id and se ile dropped rather help helplessly lely into a cbs chair dob bob are tire juat just getting off at a act alch b fd he hoa been powerful corl la in bouw of at having hia his head told laid OR copee and then being thrower into the ue bile river where I 1 fished him out explained cavendish who aim boutte aed to regard the judge with astonishment arat cocking his aha head on ono one side and then oh oil ur the other his bis bleached blanched narrowed to Is pat now rind then ho favored tho th austere Axa haffy with a fitlow fit log glance he ile boomed intuitively to ua derc deric tand the comradeship of their degradation mr cavendish fetched lehere OIL ble his raft we tied up to the she ho ahto morning it waa was there we met mr carrington id knowel him chuy back yonder in noth Carol CA untied yancy he said id find haa nabal with you I 1 was counting coun a on fleeing my newy carrington no longer able to con arol bime Ulm self elt swung about on hl hoal boon been done ho he asked falorca repression going tob tobe done donot dont you know that evary ever second ie in precious pre clouaT 1 1 I am about to conclude my investigations ions air mud the ude judge wim dignity 0 carrington stopped to the door after all what waa was there to expect of theae men whatever their interest Int ert it was plainly centered in the boy he passed out into the hall As the door cloard on him the judge turned again to the scratch awer mr yancy mr mahaffy Ma hatty rad and I 1 hola hold your nephew in the ten kenderest tend erect derest re regard gardt he baa has been our constant comp companie compan anim toa ever since you were lost to him la thia this crisis you may rely upon ua us w we aro committed to his hi recovery n nc matter what it involves tb th judger tone waa was one of at unalterable coln resolution tion 1 I reckon you alt alk have been mighty good and kind to bim him said yancy huskily we have endeavored endear ored to be mr yancy indeed I 1 had formed the resolution legally to adopt him should you not come to claim him I 1 should have gevea him my name and him my heir his education haz ha already begun under my supervision and the judge remembering the high use to which he bad had dedicated one of pes peg loes trade labels fairly glowed with p philanthropic ill fervor think of murmured yancy loftly ho he was deeply moved so 80 mr cavendish who was gifted with a wealth of ready syre patty he thrust out a hardened barto tile th judee I 1 shake 1 ho he said bald youre a heap better than thail you look A thin ripple of laughter laugh toc escaped Ma mahaffy hatly but ino the judge accepted chills and fevers proffered band hand he understood that here aas as a simple genuine soul price it important for us to know why mr yancy thinks the boy has been taken back 0 t coith caro cara rua said Ma mahaffy hafty just what kin Is hannibal to you mr air yancy asked the judge resuming his Is seat w strict strictly s speaking he aint none that ho he come to live with me Is all owing to mr mir crenshaw a good man when left to himself but hea hes got a wife so a body may mily say he never Is left to himself began yancy and then briefly he told the story of the tb woman aud the child much as an he haa told it to bladen at the barony tile aft day of general Quin tarda tu funeral the judge hia his ack zack to the ta hught aau UA hia his face in shadow rested his ai left jett tr ot bow on the deek desk and with ate me eksa sunk sk in his palm followed the juileen zarr narrative aUve with the el attention tent los M I 1 TO BB 71 7 1 |
