Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-10-21

years ago, in the north-yes an
swered Murrell.
"Odd. isn't it, the way he chose to
spend the last years Of his life, shut
of like that and seeing no one?"
Murrell regarded the lawyer in sill
ence 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
Bladen.
Il mean it's pity he has no one
except Yancy to look after him." said
Murrell, but Baden 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. IL so, it eluded me-" said
Baden. ~ went through General
Quintards papers and they contained
no clue to the boys identity that |
could discover. Fact Is, the general
didn't leave much beyond an old &C.
count book or two; imagine that be-
fore his death he destroyed the bulk
.of his private papers; it looked as II
he'd wished to break with the past.
His mind must have been affected"
Has Yancy any legal claim on the
boy?" inquired Murrell.
mo, certainly not: the boy was
merely left with Yancy because Cren-
shaw didn't know what else to do with
him"
" Get possession of him, and IL l
dent buy land here I'll take him west
with me-" said Murrell quietly. Blad-
Ell gave him swift, shrewd glance.
but Murrell. smiling and easy, met it
frankly. Come" he said, tits q
pity he should grow up wild In the
pine woods-g get him away from
Yancy-I am willing to spend five
hundred dollars on this if necessary"
'As matter Of sentiment
"Ast a matter Of sentiment.
Bladen considered. He was not
averse to making five hundred dollars
but he was decidedly averse to letting
slip any chance to secure a larger
sum. 1t flashed in upon him that
Murrell had uncovered the real pur-
pose of his visit to North Carolina;
his interest in land had been merely q
subterfuge.
"Well?" said Murrell.
ell have to think your proposition
over'' said Bladen.
The immediate result Of this con-
|versation was that within twenty four
hours man driving two horses
hitched to light buggy arrived at
at Scratch Hill in quest of Bob Yancy
whom he found at dinner and to whom
he delivered letter. Mr.. Yancy was
profoundly impressed by the attention
for holding the letter at arms length,
he said:
"Well. sir, I've lived nigh on to
forty years, but never got piece or
writing .befo'-never, sir. People, II
they was close by, spoke to me, If at .
distance they hollered, but none OF
'em ever wrote" After gazing at the
written characters with satisfaction
.,lr. Yancy made taper of the letter
and lit his pipe, which he pulled med
itative, Sonny, when you grow up
you must learn SO you can send writ
ings to yo' Uncle Bob TO- him to light
his pipe with"
What was in the paper, Uncle
Bob?'. asked Hannibal.
"Writin','' said Mr.. Yancy and
smoked.
What did the writin' say, Uncle
Bob?" insisted the boy.
1T was private said Mr.. Yancy.
very private
whats your answer" demanded
! the stranger.
That's private, toe, said Mr..
Yancy. You tell him I'll be mon
strous glad to talk it over with him
any time he iancies to come out here
He said something about some one
T No, l. yvyf{1 y, mr. nj
jected the man.
who said that?' asked Mr. Yancy.
"Bladen did,
"How's a body to know who yo're
taking about unless You name him?
said Yancy severely
well. what am to tell him?'
| Its free country and | got no
call to dictate. You-all can tell him
whatever you like. Further than this
Mr. Yancy would not commit him.
self, and the man went as he came.
i the next day Yancy had occasion to
visit Balaam's Cross Reads. Ordin,
farily Hannibal would have gone with
| him. but ne was engaged in digging
out a ground hogs hole with Ogle-
thorpe Bellamy, grandson Of Uncle
Sammy Bellamy, the patriarch OF
Scratch HILL Mr. Yancy forbore to
interrupt this enterprise which he
considered OF scme educational value.
since the ground hcg's hole was an
old one and he was reasonably certain
that a family of skunks mad taken
possession of it. When Yancy reached
THE Cross Roads. Crenshaw gave him
a disquieting opinion as to the prob
able contents CT his letter, for he him
| self had heard from Baden that he
had decided to assume the care OF the
boy.
$50 you reckon it was that" said
Yancy. with deep breath.
Its blame outrage, Bob, TO- him
| to act like this!' said the merchant
with heat
When do you reckon he's going to
send TO- him." asked Yancy.
"Wheneyer the notion strikes him.
What about my having notions
| too?" inquired Yancy. fiecked into
passion, and bringing his fist down
on the counter with crash.
You surely amt going to oppose
| him, Bob?"
Does he say when he's going to
send TO my nevvy?'
He says it will be soon"