The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, June 15, 1912, Image 6
THE
PRODIGAL
. JUDGE
)\By \5\uoHAfi Kesten
lnvsrwrws By JDlMeiyiu
C*mmm,*f rfite WtfSMM "*s+*t* Gm>m**r
Ho was charmed to bear hit name
pass la a whisper from Up to Hp.
Wall. It was time they know him! He
aqua red his ponderous shoulder and
made a gesture commanding silence.
Bettered, shabby a;id debauched, be
was like some old war horse who
sniffs the odor of bsttle that the wind
incontinently brings to his nostrils.
"Don't let him speak!" cried a
voice, and a tumult succeeded.
Cool sad indomitable the Judge
waited for It to subside. He saw that
the color was stealing back Into Mur
roll's face. The outlaw was feeling ;
that ho was a leader not overthrown;
these were hi* friends and followers,
his eifety was their safety, too. In a
mil In the storm of sound the Judge
attempted to make himself heard, hut
his words were lost in the angry roar
that descended on him.
"Don't let him speak! Kill him! |
Kill him!"
A score of men sprang to their feet
and from all sides came the click of
rifle and pistol hammers as they were
drawn to the full cock. The Judges
fate seemed to rest on a breath. He
swung about on his heel and gave a
curt nod to Yancy and Cavendish,
who, fslllng back a step, tossed their
guns to their shoulders and covered
Murrell. A sudden hush grew up out
of the tumult; the cries, angry and
leering, dwindled to a murmur, and s
dead pall of silence rested on the
crowded room.
The very taste of triumph was In
"Don't Lst Him 8peak. Kill Hlml
Kill Him."
the Judge's mouth. Then catr ? a com.
motion at the back of the b ding.
A ripple ot comment, s* Colonel
Fentress elbowed bis way through the
crowd. At sight of his enemy the
fudge's face went from white to red,
while bis eyes blazed; but for the mo?
ment the force of bis emotions left
aim speechless. Here and there, as
he advanced, Fentress recognized a
friend and bowed coolly to the right
and left
"What does this ridiculous mockery
mean?" he demanded harshly. "Mr.
Sheriff, as a member of the bar, 1
protest' Why don't you clear the
building" He did not wait for Hetts
to answer him. but continued. ' W ere
la this man Hues?"
"Yonder, colonel, by the captain,"
said Betts.
"I bare a warrant for his arrest
You will take hlra into custody."
-Wait!" cried the Judge "I repre?
sent Mr Hues. I desire to seo that
warrant!''
But Fentress igi.ored blm. He ad?
dressed the crowded benches.
??Oentlemon. it Is a serious matter
forcibly to s?i/c ,1 man without author?
ity from the ?ourts and expose hit 1
to the danger of mob violence?Mr.
Hues will bam this bet?re wo have
done with him '
Instantly there was a not .
stratlon that swell* d Into a burst ot
applause, which <iui< kly spent itseit.
fhe struggle seesnetl to gave ggf
rowed to an Individual contest lor
supremacy between .Yntre^s and the
Jndgs. On the edge of the raliedoff
spar? they confronted SOCk other; the
colonel, a tall, well t ared for pres?
ence; the Judge, shabby und unkempt
for a moment their eye* met. wulio
the Judges face purpled and paled,
and purpled again. The silence deep?
ened. Fentress* thin lips opened,
twitched, but no sound rarne rrotu
them; then bis glance wavered und
fell. He turned u*ay.
"Mr. Sberlfi:" he called sharply.
"All rlgbt. colonel! '
"Take your man Into custody," or?
dered Fentress. As be epoke be band?
ed the warrant toward lictts. who
looked st It, grinned, and stepped to
ward Hues. He would have pushed
the Judge aside had not that jp title
man. bowing civilly, made way for
him.
"In my profound respect for the law ;
and properly constituted authority 1
yield to no man, not even to Colonel .
Fentress," he said, with a gracious
gesture. "I would not place the slight?
est obstacle In the way of Its sane
tloned manifestation. Colonel Fen
tress comes here with that high sane- '
tlon." He bowed again ceremoniously j
to the colonel. "1 repeat, I respect his
dependence upon the law!" He whirled
suddenly. "Cavendish?Yancy?Car
ringt on?I call upon you to arrest
John Murrell! I do this by virtue of
the authority vested In me as a Judge
of the United States federal court ;
His crime?a mere trifle, my friends
passing counterfeit money! Colonel
Fentress will inform you that this Is
a violation of the law which falls
within my Jurisdiction/' and he
beamed blandly on Fentress.
"It's a He!" cried the colonel.
"You'll answer for that later!" said
the Judge, with abrupt austerity of
tone.
"For all we know you may be some '
fugitive from Justice!?Why, your
name Isn't Price!"
"Are you sure of that?" asked the
judge quickly. '
"You're an impostor! Your name
is Turberville!"
"Permit me to relieve your appre?
hensions. It is Turberville who has
received the appointment. Would you
like to examine my credentials??1
have them by me?no? I am obliged
for your introduction. It could not
have come at a more timely moment.''
The judge seemed to dismiss Fentress
contemptuously. Once more he faced
the packed benches. "Put down your
weapons!" he commanded. "This man
Murrell will not be released. At the
first effort at rescue he will be shot
where he sits?we have sworn it?his
plotting Is at an end." Me stalked
nearer the benches. "Not one chance
In a thousand remains to him. Either
he dies here or he lives to be taken
before every judge In the state, if
necessary, until we find one with cour?
age to try him! Make no mistake?
it will best conserve the ends of Jus?
tice to allow he state court's juris?
diction in this case; and I pledge my?
self to furnish evidence which will
start him well on his road to the gal?
lows!" The judge, a tremendous pres?
ence, stalked still nearer the benches.
Outfacing the crowd, a sense of the
splendor of the part he was being
called upon to play flowed through
him like some elixir; he felt that be
was transcending himself, that bis in?
spiration was drawn from the hidden
springs of the spirit, and that he
could neither falter nor go astray.
"You don't know what you are med?
dling wit/! T Iis man has plotted to
lay the south in ruins?he has been
arming the negroes?it Is Incredible
that you should all know this?to
such I say, gc home and thank God
for your escape! For the others"?
his shaggy brows met In a menacing
frown?"if they force our hand we
will toss them John Murrell's dead
carcass?that's our answer to their
challenge!"
He strode out among the gun muz?
zles which wavered where they still
covered him. He was thinking of Ma
haffy?Mahaffy, who had said he was
still a man to be reckoned with. For
the comfort of his own soul he was
proving it.
"Do you know what a servile insur?
rection means??you men who have
wives and daughters, have you
thought of their fate? Of the mon?
strous saeagery to which they would
be exposed? Do you believe he could
limit and control It? Look at him!
Why, he has never had a considera?
tion outside of his own safety, and yet
he expects you to risk your necks to
save his! He would have left the
state before the first blow was struck
?his business Wg| all down river?
but we are going to keep him here to
answer for his crimes! The law, as
implacable as It, is impartial, has put
its mark on him?the shadow In
which he sits t& the shadow of the
gallows!"
The Judge i aused, but the only
sound in that expectant silence was
the heavy breathing of man. He drew
his unwleidly lern erect, while his
voice rumbled on, aggressive and
threatening lg it* every intonation.
"Yo'i are In in to defend something
that no longei exists Your organ*
Igatlon is wracked, your signals and
passwords are known, your secrets
have, become public property?I cau
even produce a list of vour members;
there gff POM of you who do not
stand In Imminent peril -yet under?
stand. I have no wish to strike at
thogg who hive been misled or
coerced into Joining Murreils band IM
The fudge's sodden old face glowed
now with the magnanimity Oi Ms sen?
timents. "BUl I have no feeling of
mercy for your leaders, none for Mur?
rell himself Put down your guns! ?
you can only kill us alter we havo
, killed Murrell but you can t kill the
law! If the arch conspirator dies In
this room and hour, on whose head
?will tut punisnment fall?" He swung
round his ponderous arm In a sweep?
ing gesture and shook a tat hut ex?
pressive fore-finger in the faces of
those nearest him. "On yours?and
yours?and yours!"
Across the space that separated
thorn the judge grinned his triumph
at his enemy. He had known when
Fentress entered the room that a
word or a sign from him would pre?
cipitate a riot, but he knew now that
neither this word nor this Fign would
be given. Then quite suddenly he
strode down the aisle, and foot by
foot Fentress yielded ground before
his advance. A murderous light
flashed from the judge's bloodshot
'Draw, Damn You!" He Roared at
Fentreaa.
eyes and his right hand was stealing
toward the frayed tails of his coat.
"Look out?he's getting ready to
shoot!" cried a frightened voice.
Instantly by doors and windows the
crowd, seized with Inexplicable panic,
emptied itself into the court-house
yard. Fentress was caught up In the
rush and borne from the room and
from the building. When he reached
the graveled space below the steps he
turned. The Judge was In the door?
way, the center of a struggling group;
Mr. Bowen, the minister, Mr. Saul
and Mr. Wesley were vainly seeking
to pinion his arm.
"Draw?damn you!" he roared at
Fentress, as he wrenched himself
free, and the crowd swayed to right
and left as Fentress was seen to
reach for his pistol.
Mr. Saul made a last frantic effort
to restrain his friend; he seized the
Judge's arm just as the latter's finger
pressed the trigger, and an instant
later Fentress staggered back with
the judge's bullet In his shoulder.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Good Times Coming.
It was not strange that a number ol
gentlemen in and about Raleigh yield
ed to an overmastering impulse to vis?
it newer lands, nor was it strange
that the initial steps looking to war
the indulgence of their desires should
have^ been taken in secrecy. Mr. Beg
loe was one of the lirst to leave; Mr
Saul had informed him of the Judge'
declared purpose of shooting him on
sight. Even without this useful bint
the tavern-keeper had known that be
should experience intense embarrass
meat in meeting the judge; this was
now a dreary certainty.
"You reckon he means near all he
says?" he had asked, his fat sides
shaking,
"I'd take his word a heap quicker
than I would most folks',"' answered
Mr. Saul with conviction.
Pegloe promptly had a sinking spell
Me recalled the snufling of the can
dies by the judge, an extremely de?
pressing memory under the clrcum
stances; also the reckless and head
long disregard of consequences which
had characterized so many of that
gentleman's acts, and his plan
shaped themselves accordingly, with
this remit; that when the judge took
Occasion to call at the tavern, and the
hostile nature of his visit was em
phasi/ed by the cautious manner
his approach, he was greatly shocked
to discover that his Inten d victim
had sold his business overnight lor
small lump Bum to Mr. Saul's brother
in law, who had appeared most op
portunely with an offer.
Region's Hight created something
a sensation, but it was dwarfed by
the sensation that developed a day or
so later when it became known that
Tom Ware and Colonel Fentress had
likewise tied the country. Still later,
Fentress* body, showing marks ol vio?
lence, was washed ashore at. a wood
yard below (lirard. It was conjec?
tured that he ami Ware had set out
from The Oaks to cross the river;
there was reason to believe that Fen
tresfl had in his posses ion at the
time a considerable sum ol money,
and it was supposed that his com?
panion had murdered and robbed him.
Of Ware's subsequent career nothing
was ever known.
These were, after all, only episodes
In the collapse of the Clan, sporlilc
manifestations of the great work ot
disintegration that was going forward
and which the Judge, more than any
other, perhaps, had brought gbOUt.
This was something no one ques
Honed, and lie quickly passed to the
first phase of that unique and peculiar
esteem in which be was ever after
held. Hi; fame widened with the suc?
ceeding suns; he had offers of help
which impressed him as so entirely
creditable to human nature that he
quite lacked the heart to refuse them,
especially as he felt that In the im?
provement of his own condition the
world had bettered itself and was
moving nearer those sound and right?
eous ideals of morality and patriotism
which had never lacked his indorse?
ment, no matter how Inexpedient it
had seemed for him to put them into
practice. But he was not diverted
from his ultimate purpose by the
glamour of a present popularity; be
was able to keep his bleared eyes
resolutely fixed on the main chance,
namely the Fentress estate and the
Quintard lands. It was highly im?
portant that he should go east to
South Carolina to secure documentary
evidence that would establish his own
and Fentress' Identity; to Kentucky,
where Fentress had lived prior to his
coming to Tennessee.
Early in November the Judge set
out by stage on his journey east; he
was accompanied by Yancy and Han?
nibal, from neither of whom could he
bring himself to be separated; and as
the woods, flaming now with the
torch of frost, engulfed the little
town, he turned In his seat and looked
back. He had entered it by that very
road, a beggar on foot and in rags; he
was leaving it in broadcloth and tine
linen, visible tokens of his altered
fortunes. More than this, he could
trurt b'.a hands deep down Into his
once empty pockets and hear the
clink of gold and silver. The Judge
slowly withdrew his eyes from the
last gray roof that showed among the
trees, and faced the east and the fu?
ture with a serenely confident ex?
pression.
sees
Betty Malroy and Carrington had
ridden Into Raleigh to take leave of
their friends. They had watched the
stage from sight, had answered the
last majestic salute the judge bad giv?
en them across the swaying top of
the coach before the first turn of the
road hid it from sight, and th*?n they
had turned their horses' heads in the
direction of Belle Plain.
"Bruce, do you think Judge Price
will ever be able to accomplish all he
hopes to?" Betty asked when they
had left the town behind. She drew
in her horse as she spoke, and they
went forward at a walk under the
splendid arch of the forest and over a
carpet of vivid leaves.
"I reckon he will, Betty," respond?
ed Carrington. Unfavorable as had
been his original estimate of the
judge's character, events had greatly
modified It.
"He really seems quite sure, doesn't
he?" said Betty.
"There's not a doubt In his mind,"
agreed Carrlrgton.
He was still at Belle Plain, living
in what had been Ware's office, while
the Cavendishes were domiciled at
the big house. He had arranged with
the Judge to crop a part of that hope?
ful gentleman's land the very next
season; the fact that a lawsuit inter?
vened between the Judge and posses?
sion seemed a trifling matter, for Car?
rington had become infected with the
judge's point of view, which did not
admit of the possibility of failure; but
he had not yet told Betty of his plans.
Time enough for that when he left
Belle Plain.
His eilence concerning the future
had caused Betty much thought. She
wondered if he still intended going
south into the Purchase; she was not
sure but It was the dignified thing for
him to do. She was thinking of this
now as they went, forward over the
rustling leaves, and at length she
turned in the saddle and faced him.
"I am going to miss Hannibal
dreadfully?yes, and the Judge, and
Mr. Yancy!" she began.
"I am to be missed, too, am 1, Bet?
ty?" he Inquired, leaning toward her.
"You, Bruce???h, I shall miss
you, too, dreadfully?but then, per?
haps in five years, when you come
back?"
"Five years!" cried Carrington, but
he understood something of what was
passing in her mind, and laughed
shortly. "Five years, Betty?" he re?
peated, dwelling on the numeral.
Betty hesitated and looked thought?
ful. Presently she stole a surrepti?
tious glance at Carrington from under
her long lashes, and went on slowly,
as though she were making careful
choice oi her words.
"When you come back in three
years, Bruce?"
Carrington still regarded her fixed?
ly There was a light in his black
eyes that seemed to penetrate to the
most secret recesses of her heart and
soul.
"Three years, Betty?" ho repeated
again.
Betty, her eyes cast down, twisted
her rein nervously between her slim,
white fingers, but Carrington's steady
glance never left her sweet face,
framed by its halo of bright hair. She
stole another look at him from be?
neath her dark lashes.
"Three years, Hetty?" bo prompted.
"Bruce, don't si are at me that way,
it makes me forget what I was going
to say! When you come hack?next
year?" and then she lifted her eyes
to his and he saw that they were full
of sudden tears. "Bruce, don't go
away?don't go a way at all?"
Carrington slipped from tho saddle
and stood at her side.
"Ho you meat. that. Betty?" he
asked. He took her hands loosely in
his and relentlessly considered her
crimsoned face "I reckon it will al?
ways be right hard to refuse you any?
thing- here is one settler the Pur?
chase will never get!" and he laughed
softly
"It was the Purchase?you were go?
ing there!" she cried.
"No, I wasn't Betty, that notion
died Us natural death long ago. When
we are Bure you Will be safe at Belle
Plain with just the Cavendishes, 1
am going Into Haleigb to wait as best
I can until spring." He spoke so
gravely that she asked in quick alarm.
"And then, Bruce?what?"
"And then? Oh, Betty, I'm starv?
ing?" All In a moment he lifted her
slender figure in his arms, gathering
her close to him. "And then, this?
and this?and this, sweetheart?and
more?and?oh, Betty! Betty!"
CHAPTER XXXV.
The End and the Beginning.
When Murrell v.as brought to trial
his lawyers were able to produce a
host of witnesses whose sworn testi?
mony showed that so simple a taing
as perjury had no terrors for them.
His fight for liberty was waged in and
out of court with incredible bitter?
ness, and, as judge and jury were
only human, the outlaw escaped with
the relatively light sentence of twelve
years' imprisonment; he died, how?
ever, before the expiration of his
term.
The Judge, when he returned to
Raleigh, resumed his own name of
Turberville, and he allowed it to be
known that he would not be offended
by the prefix of General. During bis
absence he had accumulated a wealth
of evidence ot undoubted authenticity,
with the result that his claim against
the Fentress estate was sustained by
the courts, and when The Oaks with
Its stock and slaves was offered lor
sale, be, as the principal creditor,
was able to buy it In.
One of his first acts after taking
possession of the property was to
have Mahaffy reinterred in the grove
of oaks below his bedroom windows,
and he marked the spot with a great
square of granite. The judge, visibly
shaken by his emotions, saw the
massive boulder go Into place.
"Harsh and rugged like the nature
j of him who lies beneath It?but en?
during, too, as he was," he murmured.
, He turned to Yancy and Hannibal, and
added: "You will lay me beside him
when I die."
Then when the bitter struggle came
and he was wrenched and tortured by
! longings, bis strength was in remem
j bering bis promise to the dead man,
and it was his custom to go out under
the oaks and pace to and fro beside
Mahaffy's grave until he had gained
the mastery of himself. Only Yancy
and Hannibal knew bow fierce the
conflict was be waged, yet in the end
he won that best earned of all vie
tories, the victory over himself
"My salvation has been a costly
thing; it was bought with the blood
of my friend," he told Yancy.
It was Hannibal's privilege to give
Cavendish out of the vast Quintard
tract such a farm as the earl had never
dreamed of owning even in bis most
fervid moments of imagining; and be
abandoned all idea of going to Eng?
land to claim his title. At the judge's
suggestion he named the place Earl s
Court. He and Polly were entirely
satisfied with their surroundings, and
never ceased to congratulate them?
selves that they had left Lincoln coun?
ty. They felt that their friends, the
Carringtons at Belle Plain, though Hin
tltled people, were still of an equar
rank with themselves; while as for
the judge, they doubted if royalty It?
self laid it any over him.
Mr. Yancy accepted his charged
fortunes with philosophic composure.
Technically he filled the position of
overseer at The Oaks, but the judge's
I activity was so great that this posi?
tion was largely a sinecure. The most
arduous work he performed was
spending his wages.
Certain trilling peculiarities sur?
vived with the judge even alter be
bad entered what he had once been
prone to call the Portal of Hope; tor
while his charity was very great and
he lived with the splendid air of plen?
ty that belonged to an older order,
it requirad tact, patience and per?
sistence to transact business with
him; and his creditors, of whom there
were always a respectable number!
discovered that he esteemed them as
tney were aggressive and determined.
He explained to Yancy that too gnat
certainty detracted from the charm of
living, for, after all, life was a game?
a gamble?he desired to be reminded
of this. Yet he was held in great re?
spect for his wisdom and learning,
which was no more questioned than
his courage.
Thus Burrounded by his friends,
! who were devoted to him, he began
Hannibal's education and the prepara?
tion of his memoirs, intended primar?
ily for the instruction of bis grand?
son, and which he modestly decided
to call "The History of My Own
Times,'* which clearly showed tbo
magnificence of his mind and its out?
look.
THE END.
M\\Tom\j, CAMPAIGN wil l. BG
HELD.
Male In-moeiatie I ]\? em i\o Commit.
l?e Mil In Columbia VctfterdlUf?
l Uli. r Mattem < nasldrrrd.
Columbia, lane It.? The state
Democratic executive rommlttaa
meeting here yesterday ai noon in the
library u the State boaee fixed the
assessments tor the candidate? en*
t?i-iii_r the State campaign, and decid?
ed upon a separate itinerary for the
candidates for the United states
senate, p(niKr.-,-s and solicitor. The
itinerary for the State < fib ers was
mapped out at a meeting of a sub?
committee, heb] here several days
ago. The constitutional provision of
the party that a separat.- campaign
be held where there is more than
one candidate in the race for the Uni?
ted States senate was cited by F. H.
Dominiek, member of the executive
Committee from Xewberry county.
a for seme dlecueeton ? resolution
providing for the senatorial cam?
paign was adopted l.y th.- c ommittee
and the subcommittee eras authi rizeo
to prepare the Itinerary.
; The tollowing assessments for all
candidates in the campaign w tie tixed
by the committee:
United States senate |Z50, congress
$200, ptvcrnor $100. railroad com?
mission $75. State officers. $50. solici?
tors $50.
It is estimated that over $4.100 will
be required for the campaign and
upon the above assessments about
$4.000 will he raised. The first cam
p*jgn meeting will be held at Sumter
next Tuesday. John Gary BvnnS, the
State chairman, announced the ap
i? dntmen! <-i Christie Benet of Coium
bln as secretary of the executive
< ommittee.
The senatorial campaign win open
n Columbia on Tuesday, June 25. and
will close in Aiken <>n August 23.
The separate campaign was made
necessary because two cam idates have
already tiled their pledgee for the
United States senate. They are Jas
per YV. Talbert of Parskville. in
Edgetield ? county, and X. R Dial of
Daurcns. Senator Tillman is in the
ra<??? f?>r reflection, hut he will not
make the canvass of th?> State. The
< andidates for congress ;n the va?
rious (li.-^tri. ts and the andidates for
solicitor of the several circuits 0701
speak on the same dry with the can?
didates for the senate.
it arai <!??< tided yoatsrdnj by the ex
ecutlve committee not to return the
assessments to candidates who with?
draw from the race after filing their
pledges. All pledges must be Slag
by next Monday at noon, the day be?
fore the State campaign opens.
The following itinerary was decid?
ed upon at a meeting <>f the subcom?
mittee for the ? andidates for the Fni
ted States senate, congressmen and
a >l Id tors:
Columbia?Tuesday. June 25.
st. Matthews?Wednesday, June
20.
Orangehurg?Thursday. June 27.
1 St. George - Friday. June 2s.
Bamberg?Saturday. June 29.
' Sumter?Tuesday. July 2.
BlshopvtllS?Wednesday. July I.
Darlington?Thursday. July 4.
I BenhettSVtlle?Friday. July I.
I Chesterfield?Saturday. July 6.
I Florence?Tuesday. July 0.
Dillon?Wednesday. July 10.
i
Marion?Thursday, July ii.
Conway?Friday. July 12.
Georgetown?Saturday. July 13.
j Kingstree?Tuesday. July It.
Manning?Wednesday. July 17.
Monde's Corner?Thursday. J >1>
IS.
I Charleston?Friday. July Is.
Waiterboro?Saturday. July 20.
Beaufort?Tuesday. July 23. -
Rldgeland?Wednesday. July 2 4
Hampton?Thursday, Iwly 25.
I Barnwell?Friday. July 20.
' Xewberry- Monday, lull It.
Laurens?Tuesday, July It.
Greenwood?Wednesday. July II
j Abbeville Thursday. August 1.
! Anderson?Friday, August 2.
1 Walhalla?Saturday. August 3.
1 Diekens?Monday. August 5.
Greenville Tuesday, August I,
Ppnrtanburg?Wednesday, Aug ist
7.
Union?Thursday, August I.
; Gaffney- Friday. August I.
I Vorkvllle Tuesday, August 1
Lancaster Wednesday, August 14.
i umdi n Frldaj. August 11,
t iiesl r l Vlday, A ugtiet 11.
! Wlnnsboro ?Katurday, August i".
Lexington Tuesday, August It
s 11u.i.i w . dnesday, August II.
: Rdg< Held- Thursday, August IS.
I Alken Fl id ay. A ugust 13.
Matter of Perseverance.
Bishop Rurgeee of l>mg islsrd.
speaking of his crusade against St.n
day (lying, saiii: M| am against the
I formation of had habits, whether they
i> > habits ol latlnees or selftshneHs,
or of Sunday dying 'Be sure.' we are
told he svire your sin will find you
out ' That is true, but it is also true
that, when your sin pays you a second,
third and fourth call, It generally finds
you In."