The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-07-15
Copyright. 1908. by HARPER dBRoTHERS
CHAPTER I.

ID. L
speeches had been made on
both sides OF the case, opd the
~ attorney for the, state mad
grown severe and eloquent in urging
conviction. The jury had remained in
retirement all the morning and at last
had fled in and rendered their YER
dict. David Buckley, the prisoner at
the bar was found guilty Of having
deliberately and in the night stolen q
bale of cotton from n neighbor's barn,
branded it as his own and taken it to
market the next day.
He was n short, thickset man near
the age Of sixty-gray, stiff haired and
sulien faced, and JUS; now more an
cry, 1t was thought, Mt certain neigh
bors who had testified against him
than chagrined at the verdict of the
court. He glanced at his wife, who
sat against the railing behind him, and
then stared steadily at the floor till
the sheriff came and led him back to
Jail. .
Later In the afternoon he was
brought back. to receive his SENTENCES
The judge, a tall, powerful man, dark
Spaniard, was about to order him to
i stand up when Hiram Hillyer, n well
to do cotton and grain merchant Of
the town, rose and begged permission
to speak to the, Judge in private before
the prisoner was sentenced.
- "Well, reckon we've got time, Mr..
Hillyer," the judge, said pleasantly.
''If it's anything inSBuckley's favor I'd
like to hearH.' I've been on the bench
seven year and 1 don't think I ever
had a man pafore me that was painted
as black byshis neighbors."
Making his. way through the cluster
of lawyers and students of the law
around the. stove to one Of the vacant
jury rooms, the merchant waited for
the judge to join him, and when lie
came Hillyer, nervously pulling at. his
short, gray beard, faced him, an eager
look in his mild blue eyes. e.
'I'm afeard it ain't nothin' in the
old mans favor, Judge Moore" he fall
tered. "The truth is, I'm a-thinkip'
about his son. Judge, ef thar. ever
was q finer, more honest an upright
boy tissn George BuckleY.1 Il hain,t ney.
ere run across Inn -.
Oh. you can't tell me anything about
George" said Judge Moore. '"He and
are friends. He voted for me and
legged for me in the Upper Tenth dis
tr1ct. All, so he sent you to me, did
he? Well, what does George want?
was glad he wasn't in court to hear
all that stuff against his daddy"
You see, we thought-me'n' George
both thought that maybe you mought
Justice mought be carried out by i'm
posin' pretty heavy fine. an'"-
old Buckley isn't able to paw a
cent" broke In the Judge. I've made
inquiries, and If his little farm is sold
1t Will leave his old wife without any
means Of making support No, the
Jig's up with him." y
but Georges been savin' money for
the last five years" said HilIyer anx-
iously. I've got it borrowed, from ,ini
at regular rates. I can lay my hands
on the money at moments notice.
YES he can raise reasonable amount
all right"
Judge Moore froYsel, thrust his
hands into the pocketD6f his trousers
and turned to window which looked
out on the courtyard, where a few
idlers lay on the grass near the hitch.
ing rack,
! I'm not going to be the medium
through which deserving innocent peo.
pie suffer for the guilty." he said
firmly. T've thought 1t all over.
was afraid George might ask this, but
its no go. I've made up my mind on
that score"
"oh, Judge. don't say thatI pleaded
Hiilyer "The boy simply can't bear
1T. You see, Judge Moore, since I
tuck Inn an'ssent i'm of to school he's
been sorter away from his home, an
the feller's got as much feelin' as any,
BODY else. Then when he got through
college an give i'm place In my
business he's stood with the best. folks
in the town, an 1t would go hard with
'tm-to have his own daddy at the coal
mines" = u
II know all that, Mr. Hillyer. rye
thought of 1t twenty times during this
trial. I hardly slept last night trying
to make up my mind what to do in
case the Jury didn't recommend Buck !
ley to mercy. Well, they came down
on i'm like load Of bricks, an I'm not |
going to let George suffer for him. |
Why, the old rascal can't be cured of |
his dishonesty. Didn't you hear what |
Bradley said about his constantly steal
Ing from his neighbors, many Of whom
never made any charge against him out |
Of respect for Mrs. Buckley and George?
No. sir; his son, who is my friend, shall |
not sacrifice his savings for him"
"Then I'll pay 1t, judge; you know
I am able"
"You shan't do that, either" said the
Judge firmly. Even If I'd consent to
let as old man as you be out of
pocket for such hopeless reprobate,
George wouId find If out md insis+ ~,