Cheraw chronicle. (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, August 01, 1912, Page PAGE SIX, Image 6
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SYNOPSIS.'
CHAPTER I.?The scene at the openlnf I
ef the story is laid in the library of an j
old worn-out southern plantation, known
as the Barony. The place is to be sold, I
and its history and that of the owners, !
the Qulntards, is the subject of discus- |
slon by Jonathan Crenshaw, a business
man, a stranger known as Bladen, and !
Bob Taney, a farmer, when Hannibal
Wayne Hazard a mysterious child of
the old southern family, makes his ap- j
pearance. Yam? tow* how ho adopted
the boy.
CHAPTEK II.?Nathaniel Ferris buys
the Barony, but the Qulntards deny any
knowledge of the aoy. Yancy to keep
Hannibal. Captain Murrell, a friend of
the Qulntards, appears and asks questions
about the Barony.
CHAPTER in.?Trouble at Scratch Hill,
Taney's home, when Hannibal Is kidnaped
by Dave Blount, Captain Murrell's
agent Taney overtakes Blount, gives
him a thrashing and secures tha boy.
CHAPTER IV.?Taney Is served with a
warrant for assaulting Blount Taney
appears before Squire Balaam, and Is
discharged with costs for the plaintiff.
CHAPTER V.-Betty Malroy, a friend !
Of the Ferrises, has an encounter with }
Captain Murrell, who forces his atten- j
tlons on her, and is rescued by Bruce !
Carrlngton, who thredten* to whip tha I
captain.
CHAPTER VT.?Betty sets out for her
Tennessee home. Carrlngton takes the
same stage. Taney and Hannibal disappear,
with Murrell on their trail. He
overtakes them in the mountains of Tennessee.
Murrell gets Taney drunk and
stabs htm in a light that followed. Han- '
nlbal escapes In a canoe.
CHAPTER Vn.?Hannibal arrives at
the home of Judge Slocum Price.
CHAPTER VIII.?The Judge recognizes
In the boy, the grandson of an old time
friend. Murrell arrives at Judge's home.
Hannibal hears of the finding of Tancy'e
body. Price arrested as counterfeiter.
CHAPTER IX.?Cavendish family on
raft rescue Taney, who la apparently
dead. Price breaks Jail.
CHAPTER X.?Betty and Carrlngtoa
arrive ut jDtue r-itun.
CHAPTER XI.?Hannibal's rifle dlsu
closes some startling things to the Judge. !
A^^Iannlba^ and Betty meet_agaln.
Mun-ell arrives In
Belle Plain. Is playing for big stakes.
CHAPTER XIII.?Taney awakes from
long dreamless Bleep on board the raft.
CHAPTER XIV.?Judge Price makes i
startling discoveries In looking up land |
titles. Charley Norton, a young planter, i
who assists the Judge, is mysteriously as- I
saulted.
CHAPTER XV.?Norton Informs Carrlngton
that Betty has promised to marry
him, Carrlngton bids Betty good-bye.
Norton Is mysteriously shot.
CHAPTER XVI.?More light on Murrell's
plots. He plans uprising of negroes.
CHAPTER XVTI.?The Judge and Hannlbal
visit BeUjr.
CHAPTER XVm.-Betty Is told why I
Norton was killed and leaves Belle
Plain, taking Hannibal with her. The
carriage Is held up In the woods.
The Judge Meets the Situation.
' The Judge's and Mr. Mahaffy's cele- '
bration of the former's rehabilitated
credit had occupied the shank of the
evening, the small hours of the night,, j
and that part of the succeeding day
which the southwest described as soon
In the morning; and as the stone Jug.
In which were garnered the spoils of
the highly confidential but entirely
misleading conversation which the
Judge had held with Mr. Pegloe alter
his return from Belle Plain, lost in
weight, it might have been observed
that he and Mr. MahalTy seemed to
gain In that nice sense of equity which ,
should form the basis of all human relations.
The judge watched Mr. Ma- 1
haffy, and Mr. Mahaffy watched the
Judge, each trustfully placing the reg-!
ulatlon of his private conduct in the
hands of his friend, as the one most
likely to be affected by the rectitude
of his acts.
Probably so extensive a consumption
of Mr. Pegloe's corn whisky had ;
never been accomplished with great- j
er highmindedness. They honorably .
split the last glass, the judge scorning
to set up any technical claim to it as
his exclusive property; then he stared f
at Mahaffy, while MahafTy, dark-1
- ? " Li l Ji kn/tlr I
vlsagea ana lorDioaius, duuou u?,k i
at him.
The Judge sighed deeply. He took !
tip the Jug and Inverted It A stray \
drop or bo fell langtrldly Into his glass. (
"Try squeezing it. Price," said Ma- (
haffy. j
The Judge shook the Jug, it gave
forth an empty sound, and be sighed
again; he attempted to peer into it
closing one watery eye as he tilted it
toward the light.
"I wonder no Yankee has ever j
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"Try 8queezlng It, Price," Said Mahaffy.
thought to Invent a jug with a glass
bottom," he observed.
"What for?" asked Mahaffy.
"You astonish me, Solomon," exclaimed
the judge. "Coming as you
do from that section which invented
the wooden nutmeg, and an eight-day
clock that has been known to run
as much as four or five hours at a
stretch. I am aware the Yankees are
an Ingenious people; I wonder none
of 'em ever thought of a jug with a
glass bottom, so that when a body
holds It up to the light he can see at
a glance whether It Is empty or not.
Do you reckon Pegioe has sufficient
confidence to- fill the jug again for .
us?" V )
But Makoffy's expression Indicated
no great confidence In Mr. Pegioe's
confidence.
"Credit" began the judge, "is pro
verblally shy; still It may Esmetimes
be increased, like ite A.dscleijiOf tbe
body and the mental ft4cultles/*>y Judicious
use. I've always regarded.
Pegloe's as a cheap mind. I K*pe 1
have done him an Injustice." put
on his hat, and tucking tbe Jug under
his arm went from tlw-fcadse.
Ten or fifteen mffhites elapsed. Mahaffy
considered this a good sign; it
didn't take long to say no, he reflected.
Another ten or fifteen elapsed.
Mahaffy lost heart. Then there came
a hasty step beyond the door, it was
thrown violently open, and the Judge
precipitated himself into the room. A
glance showed Mahaffy that be was
laboring under intense excitement.
"Solomon, I bring shocking news.
God knows what the next few hours :
may reveal!" cried the judge, mopping
his brow. "Miss Malroy his disanneared
from Belle Plain, and Han
nlbal has gone with her!"
"Where have they gone?" asked Mahaffy,
and his long jaw dropped.
"Would to God I had an answer
ready for that question, Solomon!"
answered the Judge, with a melancholy
shake of the nead. He gazed
down on his friend with an air of
large tolerance. "I am going to lielle |
Plain, but you are too drunk. Sleep j
It off, Solomon, and join me when j
your brain Is clear and your legs
Bteady."
Mahaffy jerked out an oath, and I
lifting himself off his chair, stood '
erect. He snatched up his hat.
"Stuff your pistols Into your pock- j
ets, and come on, Price!" he said,
and stalked toward the door.
He flitted up the street, and the
4nHerr\ nnffo/1 a rt/1 nantoH in hla nrnlto
JUUftg |li?u%WU ?u
They gained the edge of the village
without speech.
"There is mystery and rascality
here!" said the Judge.
"What do you know, Price, and
where did you hear this?" Mahaffy
shot the question back over his shoul*
der.
"At Pegloe's; the Belle Plain overseer
bad just fetched the news into
town."
Again they were silent, all their |
energies being absorbed by the physl-1
cal exertion they were making. The J
road danced before their burning j
eyes, it seemed to be uncoiling Itself j
serpent-wise with hideous undulations, j
Mr. Mahaf!y_ waa_ conscious that the
Judge," or whom "he caugfiF a"6lurre3
vision now at his light side, now at
his left, was laboring painfully In the
heat and dust, the breath whistling
from between his parched lips.
"You're Just ripe for apoplexy,
Price!" he snarled, moderating hia
pace.
"Go on," eald the Judge, with stolid I
resolution.
Two miles out of the village they
came to a roadside spring; here they
paused for an Instant. MahaXTy
ecooped up handfuls of the dear water
and sucked It greedily. The Judge
dropped on his stomach and buried
his face in the tiny pool, gulping
up great thirsty swallows. After a
long breathless instant he stood erect,
with drops of moisture clinging to his
nose and eyebrows. Mahaffy was a <
dozen paces down the road, hurrying k
forward again with relentless vigor.
The Judge shuffled after him. The
tracks they left in the dust crossed
and re-crossed the road, but presently
the slanting lines of their advance
e+f-airrtitanari the ludge gained and
held a fixed place at Mahaffy's right,
a step or so In the rear. His opulent
fancy began to deal with the situation.
"If anything happens to the child,
the man responsible for It would better
never been born?I'll pursue him
with undiminished energy from this
moment forth!" be panted.
"What could happen to him, Price?"
asked Mahaffy.
"God knows, poor little lad!"
"Will you shut up!" cried Mahaffy
saragely.
"Solomon!"
"Why do you go building on that
Idea? Why should any one harm him
?what earthly purpose?"
"I tell you, Solomon, we are the
pivotal point In a vast circle of crime.
This is a blow at me?this Is revenge,
sir, neither more nor less! They have
struck at me through the boy, It Is as
plain as day."
"What did the overseer say?"
"Just that they found Miss Malroy
gone from Belle Plain this morning,
and the boy with her."
"This is like you, Price! How do
you know they haven't spent the night
at some neighbor's?"
"The nearest neighbor Is five or six
miles distant, ^llss Malroy and Hannibal
were seen along about dusk in
the grounds at Belle Plain; do you
mean to tell me you consider It likely
that they set out on foot at that hour,
and without a word to any one, to
make a visit?" inquired the Judge; but
Mahaffy did not contend for this
print.
"What are you going to do first,
V^re?" f ? gTr - "Have
a look over the grounds, and
tnlk with the slaves." i
"Where's the brother?wasn't he at
Belle Plain last night?"
"It seems he went to Memphis yesterday."
They plodded forward in silence;
" ?- *noaA/? hv
DOW &DG 106/ weio paoocu \jj
some man on horseback whose destination
was the same as their own,
and then at last they caught sight of
Belle Plain In Its grove of trees.
CHAPTER XXII.
The Judge Takes Charge.
All work on the plantation had
stopped, and the hundreds of slaves? i
men, women and children?were gath.
ered about the bouse. Among these ;
moved the members of the dominant <
race. The Judge would have attached 1
himself to the first group, but he
heard a whispered question, and the
answer:
"Miss Malroy's lawyer."
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 J
doorway was big Steve, while groups
of men stood about in the hall, the
hum of busy purposeless talk pervad- i
lng the place. The Judge frowned. 1
This was all wrong. i
"Has Mr. Ware returned from Mem
phis?" he asked of Steve. 1
"No, sah; not yet"
'Then show me into the library," 1
said the judge with bland authority, (
surrendering his hat to the butler.
"Come along, Mahaffy!" he added. <
They entered the library, and the
judge motioned Steve to close the /
door. "Now, boy, you'll kindly ask I
those people to withdraw?you may
say It is Judge Price's orders. Allow
no one to enter the house unless they ,
have business with me, or as I send
for them?you understand? After you
have cleared the house, you may
bring me a decanter of corn whisky?
stop a bit?you may ask the sherlfl
to step here."
"Yes, sah." And Steve withdrew.
The Judge drew an easy-chair up to
the flat-topped desk that stood In the
center of the foom, and seated himself.
"Are you going to make this the
excuse for another drunk, Price? It
so, I feel the greatest contempt for
you," said Mahaffy sternly.
The Judge winced at this.
"You have made a regrettable
choice of words, Solomon," he urged
CORTRIC
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Don't buy that roof for the new
5 until you have examined the Cort
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gently.
"Where's your feeling for the boyf , j
"Here!" said the Judge, with an elo-J j
quent gesture, resting Ms band on nis ,
heart. 3
"If you let -whisky alone, I'll believe
you; otherwise what I have said must (
stand."
The door opened, and the sheriff ,
slouched into the room. He was chew* t
lng a long wheat straw, and his whole j
appearance was one of troubled weakr
ness. |
"Morning," he said briefly.
"Sit down, sheriff," and the Judge (
indicated a meek seat for the oflicial ]
In a distant corner. "Have you learned 1
anything?" he asked.
The sheriff shook his head.
"What you turning all these neigh- j
bors out"of doors for?" he questioned.
"Wa. don't want people tracking in j
and out the house, sheriff. Important ,
evidence may be destroyed. I propose
examining the slaves first?does that (
meet with your approval?"
"Oh, I've talked with them; they
don't know nothing," said the sheriff
"No one don't know nothing."
"Please God, we may yet put our
fingers on some villain who does?" 1
said the judge.
Outside it was noised about that Judge
Price had taken matters in
hand?be was the old fellow who had 1
been warned to keep his mouth shut,
and who had never stopped talking '
since. A crowd collected beyond the
library windows and feasted its eyes ]
on the back of this hero's bald head. ]
One by one the house servants were i
ushered into the Judge's presence. ]
First he Interrogated little Steve, who <
had gone to Miss Betty's door that j
morning to rouse her, as was his cus- j
tom/Tioxt he examined HettyTHfiMl* j
then the cook, and various house serr.
ants, who had nothing especial to tell, ]
but told it at considerable length; and \
lastly big Steve.
"Stop a bit," the Judge suddenly In- i
terrupted the butler in the midst of 1
his narrative. "Does the overseer al- j
ways come up to the bouse the first j
thing in the morning?' i
"Why, not exactly, sab, but he come <
up this mo'ning, sah. He was talking <
to me at the back of the house, when
the women run out with the word that ]
Missy was done gone away." J
"He joined in the search?" i
"Yes, sah." <
"When wae Miss Malroy seen last?" 1
asked the judge.
"She and the young gemman you
fotched heah were seen in the gyar- den
along about sundown. I seen then) ,
myself." |
"They had had supper?"
"Yes, sah."
"Who sleeps here?"
"Just little Steve and three of the (
women; they sleeps at the back of
the house, sah."
"No sounds were heard during the
night?"
"No, sah."
"I'll see the overseer?what's his
name??Hicks? Suppose you go for
him!" said the judge, addressing the
sheriff.
The sheriff was gone from the room j
onlv a few moments, and returned
with the information that Hicks was
down at the bayou, which was to be
dragged.
"Why?" inquired the. Judge.
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"Hicks says' Miss Malroy's been actng
mighty queer ever since Charley
Norton was shot?distracted like! He
says he noticed it, and that Tom Ware
loticed it."
"How does he explain the boy's die
appearance:
"He reckons she throwed herself In,
md the boy tried to drag her out, Ilka
ie naturally would, and got drawed
In."
"Humph! I'll trouble Mr. Hlcka to
step here," said the judge quietly.
'There's Mr. Carrlngton and &
couple of strangers outside who've
been asking about Miss Malroy and
the boy; seems like the strangers
knowed her and him back yonder In
No'th Carolina," said the sheriff as ha
turned away. ,
"I'll see them." The sheriff went
from the room and'the?Judge dismissed
the servants.
"Well, what do you think, Price?"
asked Mahaffy anxiously when they
were alone.
"Rubbish! Take my word for 'It,
Solomon, this blow Is leveled at me.
I have been too forward In my attempts
to suppress the carnival ot ,
crime that Is raging through west /
Tennessee. You'll observe that Miss
Malroy disappeared at a moment
when the public is disposed to think
she has retained me as her legal adriser;
probably she will be set at liberty
when she agrees to drop the matter
of Norton's murder. As for the
boy, they'll use him to compel my alienee
and Inaction." The judge took
i long breath. "Yet there remains one
point where the boy Is concerned that
completely baffles me. It we knew
lufjt a little more of his ^ntecedentt
Mahaffy was clearly not Impressed
by the vague generalities in which
the judge was dealing.
'There you go, Price, as usual, trying
to convince yourself that you are
the center of everything!" he said, In
i tone of much exasperation. "Let'e
?et down to business! What does this
man Hicks mean by hinting at suicide?
You saw Miss Malroy yester*
layr
"You have put your finger on a
point of some significance," said the
ludge. "She bore evidence of the
shock and loss she had sustained;
islde from that she was quite as she
las always been."
Continued on page 3
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