The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-12-20

| What am to do without your
his voice was almost a whisper. "What
is this thing you have done?' Bet
tvs heart was beating with dull sick
ening throbs.
eff you had only GOMEZ" she moaned.
Nov | am going to be married to-
morrow. | am to meet him at the
Spring Bank church at ten o'clock"
How can l give you up?" he said,
his voice hoarse with emotion. He
put her from him almost roughly, and
leaning against the trunk of tree
buried his face in his hands. Betty
watched him for moment in Wretched
silence
ITS good by" he muttered.
She went to him, and, as he bent
above her, slipped her ans about his
neck
kiss me" she breathed.
He kissed her hair, her soft cheek,
then their lips met.
| Another hot September sun was
beating upon the earth as Betty gal
loped down the lane and swung her
horses head in the direction OF Raj
eigh. She would keep her promise to
| Charley and he should never know
| w lldI lid ildppli1Coo ucu COoI 1lcl.
Norton joined her before she had
covered third of the distance that
separated the two plantations.
| "We are to go to the church. Mr..
bowen will be there; I arranged with
him last night; he will drive over with
his wife and daughter, who will be
our witnesses, dear"
Afterward Betty could remember
standing before the church in the
fierce morning light; she heard Mr..
Bowen's voice, she heard Charley
voice, she heard another Voucher
own, though she scarcely recognized
it.
"I'll tie the horses, Betty said Nor
ton.
He had reached the edge of the oaks
when from the silent depths of the
denser woods came the sharp report
of a rifle. The shock of the bullet
|sent the young fellow staggering back
|among the messy and myrtle-covered
Igraves.
For moment no one grasped what
had happened, only there was Norton
who seemed to grope strangely among
the graves. He had fallen now. Even
as the shadows deepened he was
|aware that Betty was coming swiftly
toward him.
Pm shot" he said, speaking with
difficulty.
"Charley-Charley- she moaned
slipping her arms about him and gath
ering him to her breast.
He looked up into her face.
Its all over" he said, but as
|much in wonder as in fear. "But
knew you would come to me-dear-'
he added in whisper.
She felt a shudder pass through
him. He did not speak again.
CHAPTER XXI.
The Judge Offers a Reward.
The news of Charley Nortons muir
der spread quickly over the county
For two or three days bands of armed
men secured the woods and roads, and
then this activity quite unproductive
of any tangible results ceased, amtters
were allowed to rest with the consti
tuted authorities, namely Mr.. Belts
the sheriff, and his deputies.
No private citizen had shown great
er zeal than Judge Slocum Price. One
morning he found under his door a
folded paper:
"You talk too much. Shut up, or
you'll go where Norton went"
A few moments later he burst in on
Mr.. Saul.
"Glance at that, my friend!" he
cried, as he tossed the paper on the
clerks desk What do you make of
it, sir?'
"Well, I'd keep STILL
The Judge laughed derisively as he
bowed himself out.
He established himself in his office.
He had scarcely done so when Mr..
Belts knocked at the door. The sheriff
came direct from Mr.. Saul and ar
rived out of breath, but the letter was
not mentioned by the judge. He spoke
of the crops, the chance of rain, and
the intricacies of county politics. The
sheriff withdrew mystified. wondering
why it was he had not felt at liberty
to breach the subject which was up
permost in his mind.
His place was taken by Mr.. Pegloe,
and on the heels of the tavern keeper
came Mr.. Bowen. Judge Price received
them with condescension, but back of
the condescension was an air of re-
serve that did not invite questions
ltUe JuuSe ulSCuSSSu lllS SAtcllotSl VI
the national roads with Mr. Pegloe,
and the religion of the Persian fire.
Worshipers with Mr.. Bowen; he per-
mitted never a pause and they retired
as the sheriff had done without sight
of the letter.
The judges Office became perfect
Mecca for the idle and the curious,
and while he overlooked with high
bred courtesy he had never seemed
so chable-never so remote
from matters of local and cOntempor-
airy interest
why don't you show 'em the let,
ter?" demanded Mr. Mahaffy, when
they were alone. Cant you see they
are suffering for sight of it,"
"All in good time. Solomon He
became thoughtful. Solomon, l am
thinking of Offering reward for any
information that will lead to the dis,
covery of my anonymous correspond,
ent," he at length observed with fine,
ly casual air, as if the idea had just
occurred to him, and had not been
Seethiny in his brain all day