The Washington herald., 1911-11-20
CHAPTER XII.


In that bare upper room they had
shared, the judge, crushed and broken
watched beside the bed on which the
dead man lay; unconscious of the flight
| of time he sat with his head bowed in
his hands, having scarcely altered his
position since he begged those who car
| ried Mahaffy up the narrow stairs "a
leave him alone with his friend.
He was living over the past. He re-
| called his first meeting with Mahaffy ir
the stuffy cabin of the small river packet
| from which they had later gone ashore
| at Pleasantville: he thanked God that
| it had been given him to see beneath
SolomOn's forbidding exterior and into
that starved heart! He reviewed each
! phase Of the almost insensible growth
of their intimacy; he remembered Ma
| haffys fine true loyalty at the time of
his arrest-he thought of Damon and
Pythias-Mahaffy had reached the
heights of a sublime devotion: he could
only feel ennobled that he had inspired
it.
At last the dusk of twilight invaded
the room. He lighted the candles on
the chimney piece, then he resumed his
seat and his former attitude. Suddenly
he became aware of a small hand that
was resting on his arm and glanced up;
Hannibal had stolen quietly into the
room. The boy pointed to the still figure
on the bed
Judge, what makes Mr.. Mahaffy lie so
quiet-is he dead" he asked in a whisper
Yes dear lad" began the judge in a
shaking voice as he drew Hannibal to-
ward him, your friend and mine is dead
we have lost him" He lifted the boy
into his lap, and Hannibal pressed a
tear-stained face against the judges
shoulder. How did you get here?" the
Judge questioned gently
Uncle Bob fetched me- said Hanni-
bal. Hes downstairs, but he didn't tell
me Mr.. Mahaffy was dead
We have sustained great loss, Han
nihal, and We must never forget the
moral grandeur of the man. Some day,
when you are older. and l can bring
myself to speak of it, I will tell you of
his last moments" The judges voice
broke, a thick sob rose chokingly in his
throat. Poor Solomon, A man of such
tender feeling that he hid 1t from the
world, for his was a rare nature which
only revealed itself to the chosen few he
hOnored with his love" The judge
lapsed into a mOmentary broodng 81
lenCe, in which his great arms drew the
10y closer against his heart. Dear lad,
since l left you at Belle Plain a very
astonishing knowledge has come to me-
1t was the Hand of Providence-I see it
now-that first brought us together
You must not call me judge any more;
l am your grandfather-your mother
was my daughter"
Hannibal instantly sat erect and looked
up at the judge, his blue eyes wide with
Amusement at Inns extraordinary state
ment
1T is a very strange story, Hannibal
and its links are not all in. my hands,
but I am sure because of what l already
know. |, who thought that not a drop
of my blood flowed in any veins but my
own. live again in you. Do you under
stand what | am telling you? You are
my own dear little grandson" and the
judge looked down with no uncertain
love and pride into the small face up
turned to his.
Il am glad If you are my grandfather.
judge" said Hannibal very gravely. 'T
always liked you.
Thank you. dear lad responded the
judge with equal gravity, and then as
Hannibal nestled back in his grand
fathers arms a single big tear dropped
from the end Of that gentleman's promi-
nent nose.
Copyright 1911. the Bobbs.Meuin Company
~, mr. r,oN-r,N-TrET no Nroppou,