Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-10-08
CHAPTER XII.
Mr.. Babo at Home.

point attained by the IOdu, WHERE, III
a desolate plain Of bog, but little be-
low the crests Of some Of the granite
tors, stands a prison surrounded by a
few mean houses. From Prince
Town Barbara would have a rough
mOor-path, not a good road, before
her: and, as the horses were ez
hausted with their long climb, she
halted at the little inn, and ordered
some dinner for herself, and required
that the boy and the horses should be
attended to-
Whilst ham and eggs-nothing else
was procurabIe-were being fried,
Barbara walked along the road to the
prison, and looked at the gloomy,
rugged gate built Of untrimmed gran
tie blocks. The unbroken desOlatiOn
swept to the very walls of the
PRISON. At that height the wind means
The author has allowed himself a
slight anachronism. The prison was
MOI convict establishment at the
period Of this tale.
among the rocks and rushes mourn
fully; the air is never still. The land
lady of the inn came to her.
That is the Jail, she said. There
was prisoner broke out not long ago,
and he has not yet been caught.
How he managed it none can tell.
Who're he now is no one knows. He
may be still wandering on the moor.
Every road from it is watched. Per,
haps he may give himself up, finding
escape impossible. If not, he will die
Of hunger among the rocks.
What was the crime for which he
was here? asked Barbara; but she
spoke with an effort.
He was bad man; it was no or,
binary wickedncss he committed. He
robbed his own father
His own father echoed Barbara
starting.
Yes, he robbed him of nigh on two
thousand pounds The father acted
sharp, and had him caught before he
had spent all the money. The as
sizes we're next week, so it was quick
work; and here he was for a few days,
and then-he got away
Robbed his own father! murmured
Barbara, and now she thought she
saw more clearly than before into a
matter that looked the blacker the
more she saw.
There's a man in yonder who set
fire to his house to get the insurance.
Folks say his house was but rum
macy old place 'Tis a pity. Now, II
he had got away it would not have
mattered: but, a rascal who did not
respect his own father!-not that 1
hold with man prosecuting his own
son. That was hard. Still, If one
was to escape. I don't see why the
Lord blessed the undertaking Of the
man who robbed his father, and turned
His face away from him who only fired
his house to get the insurance.
Jordan rode the second stage of her
Journey; the sun was less bright, the
fragrance of the gOrse less sweet. She
did not speak to her young groom the
whole way, but rode silently, with
compressed lips and moody brow
The case was worse than she had an.
ticipated. Jasper had robbed his
father, and all that story Of his com
ing as a messenger from Mr.. Babb
with the money was false.
One evening, unattended, Barbara
Jordan rode 10 Buckfastleigh, asked
Tor the house of Mr. Babb, and dis
mounted at the door The house was
a plain, ugly, square modern erection
almost an insult to the beauty OF the
surroundings. The drive from the en-
trance gate was grass grown. There
was a stucco porch. The door was
painted drab, and the paint was blist
cred, and had faxed off. The house
also was notified. 1t had Deer
painted over plaster and cement, and
the paint had curled and come off in
patches. The whole phase had an un
caTed-for look. There were no flower
The air ceased to sparkle as Miss
beds. no creepers against the walls;
the rain-shoots TO the roof were
choked, and the overlooking water
had covered the walls where il
reached with slime, black and green
At the back of the house was a fac
tory. worked by a water-wheel, 10,
cloth, and gravel welltrodden patr
led from the back door of the house
to the factory.
Barbara had descended from he
cob to open the gate into the drive
and she walked up to the front door
leading her horse. There she rams
the bell, but had doubts whether the
wire were sound. She waited a lon:
time, and no one responded. She
tried the bell again, and then rappe,
with the handle of her whip agains
the door.
Then she saw a face appear at ;
side window, observe her and with
draw. A moment after, a shuf1in:
tread sounded in the hall. chains anC
bolts were undone, the door wa!
cautiously opened, and in 1t stood al
old man with white hair, and blacl
beady eyes.