The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-23
IN TIE GREk CHAIR UN6rH
 HE RogTRAIT or IRE ODl COLONEL SAT JODGE PYNchE0 ON ROEI UPR!GHT, AND DEADJ

out of the sunshine with the departure of Phoebe: and for another occupant or the great old mansion a large hole seemed to have opened suddenly in the appointed order of things. As for Hep zibah. she was too busy with the shop to indulge in fancies and could only fret a little because the healthy, help ful young girl was not within call. So several days passed over the Sew en Gables heavily enough. An easterly storm set in and Clifford withdrew to an upper chamber and played melan- choly tunes on an old harpsichord.
 out of the gloom of the storm one l afternoon came Judge Pyncheon, How do you do. Cousin Hepzibah, and how Is dear Cousin Clifford? ! could not rest without calling to ask whether l can be of any assistance or not. You know, cousin. that all I have Is at the disposal of yourself and poor Clifford. Come, now, what can I doT
 You can do nothing" replied Hep zibah controlling her agitation as well as she could.
 Judge Pyncheon wassbeyond all ques- tion, a man of the most eminent re- spectability, from his well blackened shoes to his carefully brushed head The world said SO. and the Judges conscience bore Accordant testimony to the verdict of the world. In politics. in the church, in works of charity, in reform movements, in temperance so- cieties, who so strong and correct as Jaferey Pyncheon? Who has not met men like the Judge? They are ordt- narily men to whom forms are of par amount importance. Their field of ac- tion lies among the external phenorn- ena of life. They possess vast ability in grasping and arranging for them- selves the solid unrealities of life. such as wealth and position, and out of these and plentiful doing of goodly works they build for themselves an ed- ifice which to others, and ultimately to them, becomes the mans character. Behold, therefore, palace! But down in some secret nook. beneath the mo- safe pavement where the man daily says his prayers, is a corpse. diffusing its death scent through all the place. He is not conscious of 1t, for it has long been his daily breath; and his guests smell only the costly odors flung around. But that secret abomination is the mans miserable soul.
 T must see dear Clifford" continued the Judge smiling his best sTpile.
 You cannot see him." replied Hepzi- bah. Have mercy, go away. Oh, do go awayi Have you not done enough to make us mlserable2" Cousin Hep zibah." replied the Judge. looking for a second as if he had just stepped out of the frame in the oak parlor. "have done with this nonsense. I set Cliff ford free and have come here now to see if he shall retain his freedom. l have had strict watch kept over him. have enough evidence to have him removed to an insane asylum if want to Rut fl shall rest with him. When our Uncle Jaffrey died-was found dead-all his estate went to me except vour life interest in this house. But That estate was much smaller than 1t sl,o1,1d have been He was known to nossess great sums of money invested abroad or in fictitious names to which have found no clue. Clifford knows. T4e boasted to me in the old days that he knew of hidden wealth. Now Cliff ford must give up his secret or I send him to A lunatic asylum. Stand aside, consinl Tell Clihord to come to me in the oak parlor"
 Trembling like a leaf. Hepzibah stood aside and then fled with beating heart to Clifford's room. Clifford was not there. She ran to the ~room of Hol- crave His room also was empty Fearfully, slowly, timidly, she retraced her steps to the parlor.
 As she opened the door she heard ClifTord's voice. He was laughing wildly, In the great chair under the portrait of the old Colonel sat Judge pvncheon-bolt upright, and dead. with a bfoody stain over his shirt front. a,tJenzlbah." cried Clifford, we can dance and sing now. See how quiet ho Is. The weight Is on this drearY old