Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-04-27
CHAPTER XI

came out that no persuasion, no counsel, could win Major OveTton to accept Al len Faunticroy' s surrender, that he per sisted ill leaving that fatal cloud on the title, Hawkins fell first into foaming rage, later into hard eyed, sharp edged anger that augured i'll for whoever might chance to be held in his power.
 Yet Hawkins was not ordinarily bad tempered. Indeed he reckoned himself among the most generous and orbearing of mankind, especially when he thought of Major Overton, whose secret he had so faithfully kept through all these years of warfare.
 To think that now the major could be so selfish, could set his own foolish mo- tion of right and honor above the music of jingling gold ill both pockets-HawT- kins' pockets! Clearly he ought to be reminded of what he owed to the disap- pointed attorney; made to understand that knowledge, especially of family Ikeletons, is always power.
 Sc reasoned MT. Hawkins as he made away to Ridgeley one bright day when July had slipped into golden August. Either hand the fields lay ripe and lush. All the world was bright with summers most radiant smile. Hawkins needed it as little as though blindness yelled his eyes He saw only precious yellow gold vanishing forever, held from his hand by an obstinate old man, whom he wish ed heartily dead and done with it all, not from any personal grudge, but sim ply by way of setting right an inconven- tent complication.
 All the way he told himself over and over the story of his wrong, his deserv- ing. By the time he came into Major Overtons presence he was so full of wrath as to lose sight of discretion.
 The major sat at case within the mar TOW front portico listening to the county news which Dare read in scraps from the local papers. Through the long hall came the drone of mammy's wheel from the back piazza Under q rosebush, lit tie to one side of the door, Jubilee sat polishing knives by rubbing them hard in the fresh earth at its root.
 Hawkins looked at all of it with a ContcmptuoUs eye-it was so poor and rough, poverty stricken almost, beside his gorgeous imaginings of what might so easily be in its stead. Very deliberate ly he flung his reins over the limb ofea near maple, got down and walked to the unhewn stone steps, paused with foot upon the lowermoSt one and said in deep est chest tones:
 Good day, major. I'd like little talk with you this morning. Will you come out with me, or shall come ln?''
 Good day, sir. Be seated" Major Overton said, rising courteously to wei come the guest, at sight of whom Dare had vanished.
 Hawkins climbed the three steps in front of him with the ponderous tread of an angry man and sat heavily down in big splint chair, dropped his hat upon the floor and said, brushing over his mustache a fine, scented cambric handkerchief:
 "You are surprised, know, to see me, major, but my surprise is that I haven't come before. "
 A deep line drew ill betwixt Major Overton's brows, but he said, with no hint of impatience in his tone: "Indeed! Then you must have urgent business?"
 ''I have,' said Hawkins, uncrossing his legs and setting both feet firm on the floor. Leaning forward, he continued:
 ''The fact is, major, you haven't used me well in this last turn of affairs. You know, for I sent you word through Hill dreth, how I stand regarding this sale, yet just for chimera you set yourself against everything. If it meant nothing to anybody but yourself, I'd agree you had a perfect right to act-well, the fool if it suited you But taking money out of my pocket is another thing. Do you think it is quite square, considering all you owe me?'
 The last words were spoken very low, ! but Major Overton caught their full meaning. He sat up very straight, and lightning began to play under his pent- house brows. Gripping hard the wooden arms of his chair, he said, not loudly, but with a ring of defiance: ''No doubt, MT. Hawkins, right and honor are to you but chimeras, not a feathers weight in the scale against hard cash. Unfortunately for you, see ' differently. AS to any obligation that I may be under, if money or material advantage can discharge it, then it does not exist.
 Hawkins rose up in white fury. "Do you mean to say that he?' he roared- Wouldn't you have paid all and more than all you were worth to keep people from hearing that your only daughter willfully, knowingly, ran away with married man? By the Lord, sir, they shall hear it, with proof, too, such proof as cannot be pushed aside, unless you listen to reason I've been easy with i you, your friend so long, you forgot, didn't you, how I could cut your pride? Now make your choice and be quick about it. I'm not in the humor to stand any more of your airs. '
 Both men had risen and stood face to