The Washington herald., 1911-10-25
CHAPTER XIII (Continued).
By VAUGHAN !

Are you awake. Price," It was Ma
hafy who spoke.
God bless you. Solomon Mahaffy"'
cried the judge unsteadily.
I've got the boy-hes with me-" said
Mahaffy.
God bless you both!' repeated the
judge brokenly. Take care of him,
Solomon. I feel better now, knowing
1e's in good hands,
Please, Judge" it was Hannibal
Yes, dear lad?"
I'm mighty sorry that ten dollars 1
loaned you was bad-but you don't need
ever to pay it back: It were Capt Muir
rell gave 1t to me-
'T consecrate myself 10 his destruction!
Judge Slocum Price cannot be humili-
Ited with impunity''
II should think you would save your
wind, Price, until you'd waddled out of
DANGER Mahafty spoke grufiy.
How are you going to get me out
of this, Solomon-for I suppose you are
here to break jail for me-" said the
judge.
We'll, Price, I guess all we can do is
to go back to town and See if 1 can get
into my cabin-I've GOT ~ Old saw there
II I can find it, I c.. u.uc again to-
IlOTTO" ulBll ana Gil y ~ DIlS VI lIlO
logs, or the cleats Of "a" door"
In heavens nam. do that tonight
Solomon implored the judge. why
procrustinate?'
Price, there's a pack of dogs in this
neighborhood, and we must have a full
night to move in, or they'll pull us down
before we've gone ten miles
You're right, Solomon. I'd forgotten
the dogs"
Mahaffy closed and fastened the shut
ter. then he and Hannibal stole across
the clearing and entered the woods.
The Judge went to bed. He was aroused
by the arrival of his breakfast, which
the sheriff brought about o'clock.
Well If 1 was in your boots
couldn't sleep like you" remarked that
official admiringly. But I reckon, sir,
this amt the first time the penitentiary
has started you in the face
It was nearing the noon hour when
the judges solitude was again invaded:
He first heard the distant murmur OF
volces on the road and passed an un-
easy and restless ten minutes, with his
eve to a crack in the door. He was
eoothed and reassured, however, when at
last he caught sight of the sheriff.
We'll, judge, I got company for you.
,ried the sheriff cheerfully, as he threw
open the door. "a hoss thief
He pushed into the building a man,
hatIesS and coatleSs, with a pair OF pale,
yillainous eyes and a tobacco-stalned
chin. The judge viewed the newcomer
with disfavor. AS for the horse thle1'
he gave his companion in misery
ro15Iy critical stare, seated himself on
rhe stool and with a fierce air de-
voted all his energy to masticatlon- lie
neither altered his position nor changed
his expression until he and the JCdge
were alone, then. catching the Judge
eve he made what seemed a casual
nd the three fin
.~ers raised; but to the judge this clearly
was without significance, and the horse
tbior manifested no further interest
Vi, here he was concerned. lie dlu not
even condescend to answer the one OF
.wo ci@il remarks the judge addressed
20 him. ..s
As the long afternoon wore ttselt
ov,av the Judge lived through the
many stages OF doubt and uncertainty:
Tor suppose anything had happened
10 Mahaffy.
standing before the window, the
Judge watched the last vestige OF hght
r,Go from the sky and the stars ap- |
,o.r V-ouId Nahafv come? The sus- |
..;,-, was intoIerable. Suddenly, out
.r i've silence. sounded a long-drawn
.rir+Io Three times it was repeated. |
~, morse thief leaped to his feet.
..>,c,-hbor. that means me- he cried |
The moon was rising now, and nE
/ light the Judge sd a
5o-spr?en appear at the edge OF the |
goods They entered the clearing, |
licking their way among the stumps |
,.itbotrt haste or confusion. When |
,u,:c c'ose. five of the band dis
oo,,,,trd. the rest continued on about |
he ;afl or cuntered off toward the road |
Look out inside, there! cried a
voice. and a log was dashed against
he door. onCe-twice-it rose and tell |
On the cIapboards, and under those
might thuds grew up a wide gap
tIrou-h which the moonlight streamed
sDlendidlv. The horse thief stepped |
between the dangling cleats and van
jshed. H.
The Judge tossed away the stool he
understood now. With a confident, not
to say jaunty step, the judge emerged
from the Jail
Your servant, scntlemen" he said
,ifting his hat.
cit" said one of the men briefly !
and the Judge moved nimbly away to-
ward the woods
Now to find Solomon and the BOY
and then to put the miles between
himself and Pleasantville with all dill
erence. AS he thought this, almost al
his elbow MahaTy and Hannibal rose
from behind a fallen log. The Yankee
motioned for silence and pointed west.
CHAPTER XIV.