Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-15
CHAPTER XI.
The Orator of the Day.

manner were rather stern. Hannibal,
la man rode by here last night on big
lbay horse. He said he was looking for
a boy about ten years old-a boy with
Ia bundle and rifle" There was an
lawful pause. Hannibars heart stood
still for a brief instant, then 1t began
Ito beat with terrific thumps against
Ihis ribs. who was that man, Hanni-
Ibal?"
"I-please-I don't know" gasped
the child.
Hannibal, who was that MANI" re-
peated the judge.
1T were Captain Murrell." The judge
REGARDED him with a look Of great
steadiness. He saw his small face go
white, he saw the look Of abject terror
in his eyes. The judge raised his fist
and brought it down with a great
crash on the table, so that the break
fast dishes leaped and ratified. I'VE
don't know any boy ten years old with
a rifle and a bundle!" he said.
"Please-you won't let him take me
away, Judge-I want to stop with
lyou!" cried Hannibal. He slipped from
his chair, and passing about the ta-
BILE, seized the Judge by the hand. The
ljudge was visibly affected.
MOI" he roared, with a great oath.
He shan't have YOU'LL see him In
the farthest corner Of hell first! Is he
kin to you?"
NO." said Hannibal.
TOOK you to raise, did he-and
abused you-infernal hypocrite!" cried
the Judge with righteous wrath.
He tried to get me away from my
Uncle Bob. He's been following US
since we crossed the mountains"
Where is your Uncle Bob?"
He's dead" And the child began to
weep bitterly. Much puzzled, the judge
regarded him in silence for a moment,
then bent and lifted him into his lap.
There, my son" he said soothing
Ily. Now you tell me when he died,
and all about It,"
HE were killed. 1t were only yes
terday, and can't forget him! 1 don't
want to-but 1t hurts-it hurts terri
ble!" Hannibal buried his head In
the Judges shoulder and sobbed aloud.
Presently his small hands stole about
the judges neck, and that gentleman
Experienced strange thrill of pleasure.
Tell me how he died, Hannibal" he
urged gently. In a voice broken by
sobs the child began the story Of their
flight. a confused narrative, which the
Judge followed with many a puzzled
shake of the head. But as he reached
his climax-that cry he had heard at
the tavern, the men in the lane with
their burden-he became more and
more coherent and his ideas clothed
themselves in words Of dreadful SIM
plicity and directness. The judge
shuddered. Can such things be-" he
murmured at last
You won't let him take me?'
"I never unsay my words" said the
Judge grandly. with Gods help I'll
be the instrument of their destruc-
tion." He frowned with a preternatu-
raj severity. Eh-if he could turn a
trick like that, 1t would pull him up!
There would be no more jeers and
Laughter. What credit and standing 1t
would give him! His thoughts slipped
along this fresh channel What
prosecution he would conduct-what a
whirlwind of eloquence he would loose!
He began to breathe hard. His name
should go from end to end Of the state!
No man could be great without oppor-
ltunity-for years he had known this
but here was opportunity at last! Then
he remembered what Mahaffy had told
him of the man on the raft. This
Slosson's tavern was probably on the
upper waters of the Elk. Yancy had
been thrown in the river and had been
picked up in a dying condition. Han
lnibal he said, Solomon Mahaffy, who
was here last night, told me he saw
down at the river landing, man who
Ihad been fished up out Of the Elk-a
man who had been roughly handled.
Were 1t my Uncle Bob?" cried Han
nibal, lifting a swollen face to his.
Dear lad, don't know" said the
Ijudge sympathetically. Some people
on a raft had picked him up out OF the
Iriver. He was unconscious and no one
knew him. He was apparently a
stranger in these parts"
1T were Uncle Bob! 1t were Uncle
Bob-I know it were my Uncle Bob!
must go find him!" and Hannibal
slipped from the judges lap and ran
for his rifle and bundle.
stop a Bit" cried the judge. He
was taken on past here, and he was
badly injured Now, if it was your
lUncle Bob, he'll come back the moment
he is able to travel. Meantime. you
must remain under my protection
while we investigate this man Slosson." i"
But alas-that thoroughfore which
is supposed to be paved exclusively
with resolutions, had benefited greatly
, by Slcum Prices labors in the past and
, he was destined to toll still in its up
keep. He borrowed the childs money
and spent it, and if any sense of shame
manfully. Not so Mr. Mahaffy; fol
while he profited by his friends act
he told that gentleman just what he
thought of him with insulting candor
On the eighth day there was sobriety
for the pair. Deep gloom visited Mr.
, Mahaffy, and the judge was a prey to
melancholy.
1t was Saturday, and in Pleasantville
a iail-raising was in progress. During
all the years of it's corporate dignity
the village had never boasted any
building where the evil-doer could
be placed under restraint; hence
had arisen its peculiar habit OF
dealing with crime; but leading cit
izen had donated half an acre of ground
lying midway between the town and
the river landing as site for the pro-
posed structure, and the scattered pop
ulation of the region had assembled for