Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-11-21
CHAPTER III.
Trouble at Scratch Hill.

CHAPTER III.
Trouble at Scratch Hill.
Captain Murrell had established
himself at Balaam's Cross Roads.
He was supposed to be interested In
The purchase Of a plantation, and In
company with Crenshaw visited the
numerous tracts of land which the
merchant owned; but though he pro-
fessed delight with the country, ne
was plainly in no haste to become
committed to any one Of the several
propositions Crenshaw was eager to
submit. Later, and still in the guise
of a prospective purchaser, he met
Rladen, who also dealt extensively In
land and. apparently If anything could
have pleased him more than the re-
gion about the Cross Roads 1t was
the country adjacent to Fayetteville.
From the first he had assiduously
cultivated his acquaintance with the
new owners Of the Barony. He was
now on the best of terms with Nat
Ferris, and 1t was at the Barony that
he lounged away his evenings. gos-
siping and smoking with the planter
on the wide veranda.
THE Barony would have suited
me-" he told Bladen one day. They
had just returned from an excursion
into the country and were seated In
the lawyers office.
You say your father was friend
of the old general's?" said Bladen.
Years ago, in the north-yes," an
swered Murrell.
odd, isn't 1t, the way he chose
to spend the last years Of his life.
shut off like that and seeing no one?"
Murrell regarded the lawyer in ST.
lence for a moment out Of his deeply
sunk eyes.
TOO bad about the boy" he said
at length slowly.
How do you mean, Captain? ?"
asked Rladen.
II mean It's a pity he has no one
except Yancy to look after him." said
Murrell. but Bladen showed no inter-
est and Murrell went on. Don't you
reckon he must have touched General
Quintard's life mighty close at some
point?"
We'll, If so, 1t eluded me-" said
Bladen. II went through General
Quintard's papers and they contained
no clew to the boys identity that ]
could discover. Fact is, the general
didn't leave much beyond an old ac-
count-book or two: 1 imagine that
before his death he destroyed the
bulk of his private papers; it looked
as If he'd wished to break with the
past. His mind must have been af-
fected."
Has Yancy any legal claim on the
boy?" inquired Murrell.
NO, certainly not; the boy was
left merely with Yancy because Cren-
shaw didn't know what else to do
with him."
Get possession Of him, and II
don't buy land here I'll take him west
with me-" said Murrell quietly. Bla-
den gave him a swift, shrewd glance,
but Murrell, smiling and easy, met II
frankly. Come" he said, 'it's a
pity he should grow up wild in the
pine woods-get him away from Yam
Cyl am willing to spend five hun
dred dollars on this If necessary"
LAS a matter of sentiment"
"As a matter of sentiment"
Bladen considered. He was not
averse to making five hundred dol
lars. but he was decidedly averse to
letting slip any chance to secure
larger sum- 1t flashed in upon him
that Murrell had uncovered the real
purpose of his visit to North Caro-
lima.
"Well?" said Murrell.
I'll have to think your proposition
over" said Bladen.
The immediate result Of this con-
hours a man driving two horses hitch
ed to a light buggy arrived at Scratch
Hill in quest Of Bob Yancy, whom he
found at dinner and to whom he de-
livered letter. Mr.. Yancy was pro-
foundly impressed by the attention
for holding the letter at arms length
he said:
well, sir, I've lived nigh on to
forty years, but 1 never got a piece OF
writing befo'-never, sir. People. II
they was close by, spoke to me, If al
distance they hollered, but none OF
em ever wrote" After gazing at the
written characters with satisfaction
Mr.. Yancy made taper Of the letter
and lit his pipe, which he puffed med
itatively. Sonny, when you gro"
up you must learn so you can send
writings to yo' Uncle Bob TO- him tc
light his pipe with"
What was I'm the paper, Uncle
Rob?" asked Hannibal.
"Wrltin'." said Mr.. Yancy, ano
smoked.
What did the writn' say, Uncle
Bob?" insisted the boy.
1T was private" said Mr.. Yancy
very private"
Whats your answer" demanded
the stranger.
That's private. too" said Mr.
Yancy. You tell him I'll be mon
strous glad to talk 1t over with him
any time he fancies to come here"