The Washington herald., 1911-11-11
CHAPTER XXX-Continued.
By VAUGHAN KESTEF

Perhaps not under that name-at any
rate, you are going to hear Of him now
This man Gatewood, who between our
selves was a damned scOundrer'-the col
Onel winCed-"this man GatewOod had a
friend who threw money and business in
his way-a planter he was, same as Gate
wood. A sort of partnership existed be-
tween the pair. 1t proved an expensive
enterprise for Gatewood's friend. since he
came to trust the damned scoundrel more
and more as time passed-even large
sums OF his money were in GatewOOd' S
hands" Fentress' countenance was like
stone, as expressionIess and as rigid.
BY the door stood Mahaffy with Yancy
and Cavendish; they understood that
what was obscure and meaningless to
them held a tragic significance to these
two men. The judges heavy face, ordi-
narily battered and debauched, but infin-
itely gOOd-natured, bore now the mark
ings of deep passion, and the voice that
rumbled forth from his capacious chest
came to their ears like distant thunder.
This friend of Gatewood's had a
Wife" The judges voice broke, emo
tion shook him like a leaf; he was tear
ing open his wounds. He reached over
and poured himself a drink. sucking it
down with greedy lips. There was a
wife-"he whirled about on his heel and
faced Fentress again. There was a wife,
Fentress-" He fixed Fentress with his
blazing eyes. "A wife and child. Well,
one day GatewOOd and the wife were
missing Under the circumstances Gate
woods friend was we'll rid of the pair
he should have been grateful but he
wasn't for his wife took his child, a
daughter; and Gatewood a trif1e of thirty
thousand dollars his friend had intrusted
to him.
There was another silence.
AT a later day l met this man who
had been betrayed by his wife and robbed
by his friend He had fallen out of the
race-drink had done for him-there was
just one thing ne seemed to care about,
and that was the fate OF his child, but
maybe he was only curious there. He
wondered if she had lived. and mar
ried-" Once more the judge paused.
Whats all this to me?" asked Fem
tress.
Are you sure it's nothing to you?'' de-
manded the judge hOarsely. Understand
this, Fentress. Gatewood's treachery
brought ruin to at least two lives. It
caused the woman's father to hide his
face from the world; it wasn't enough
for him that his friends believed his
daughter dead; he knew differently, and
the shame of that knowledge ate into his
soul. 1t cost the husband his place in the
vagabOnd and a renniless wanderer."
This is nothing to me-" said Fentress.
Watt cried the judge. About six
years ago the woman was seen at her
fathers home in North Carolina. reckon
GatewOOd had cast her off. She didn't go
back empty-handed. She had run away
from her husband with a child-a girl;
after a lapse of twenty years she return
ed to her father with a boy of two or
three. There are two questions that must
be answered when I find Gatewood: what
became of the woman, and what became
of the child; are they living or dead; did
the daughter grow up and marry and
have a son? When I get my answer It
will be time enough to think of Gate
woods punishment The judge leaned
forward across the table, bringing his
face close to Fentress' face. Look at
me-do you know me now?''
But Fentress' expression never altered.
The judge fell back a step.
'Fentress, I want the boy" he sad
quietly.
What boy?'
My grandson"
You are mad! What do I know of
him-Or you?' Fentress was gaining
courage from the sound of his own
voice.