The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1911-10-25

cared fo but keep him out of my
sight. His name is Hannibal Wayne
Hazard That is all the general ever
said on the matter"
The old general was borne across
what had once been the west lawn to
his resting place in the neglected acre
where the dead and gone of his race
lay, and the record of the family was
complete, as far as any man knew.
Then Crenshaw, assisted by Bob
Yancy, proceeded to secure the great
house against intrusion.
They passed from room to room Sc
curing doors and windows, and at last
stepped out upon the back. porch.
"Hullo!" said Yancy, pointing.
There on bench by the kitchen door
was Hannibal Wayne Hazard asleep,
with his old spo'tin rifle across his
knees.
"Well, | declare to goodness!" said
Crenshaw.
! 81 reckon you'd rather drop word
with yo' missus before you toted him
home?" suggested Yancy, who knew
something of the nature of his friends
domestic thraldom.
"A woman ought to be boss in her
own house." said Crenshaw.
"Feelin' the truth of that, I've never
married, Mr.. John. But was going
to say, what's to hinder me from tot
Ii ing that boy TO my homer"
IF you'll take the boy, Bob, you
shan't lose by it."
Yancy rested big knotted hand on
the boys shoulder.
Come, wake up, sonny" The child
reused with start and stared into
the strange bearded face that was
bent toward him. ITS yo' Uncle
Bob" continued Yancy in wheedling
tone. Here, give us the spo'tin rifle
to tote!"
Yancy balanced the rifle on his
great palm and his eyes assumed a
Speculative cast.
81 wonder what's to hinder us from
loading this old gun, and firing this
old gun, and hearing this old gun go
bang! Eh?"
The child's blue eyes grew wide.
please, Uncle Bob, make it 60
bang!" v
"You come along, then" and Mr.
Yancy moved off in the direction of
his mule, the child following.
Thereafter beguiling speech flowed
steadily from Mr.. Yancy's bearded
lips, in the midst of which relations
were established between the mule
and cart, and the boy quilted the
Barony for new world.
The afternoon sun waned as they
went deeper and deeper into the pine
woods, but at last they came to their
journeys end, a widely scattered set,
Element on hill above branch.
"This," said Mr.. Yancy, "are Scratch
Hill, sonny. Why Scratch Hill? Some
say it's the fleas; others agin hold it's
the eternal bother of making living
here, but whether f1eas or living, you
scratch TO- both"
Chapter II.
Captain Murrell Asks Questions.
In the deep peace that rested like
a benediction on the pine-clad slopes
of Scratch Hill the boy Hannibal fol
lowed at Yancy's heels as that gentle
man pursued the not arduous rounds
of temperate industry which make up
his daily life, for if Yancy were not
completely idle he was responsible for
a counterfeit presentment of idleness
Having most of the merits of the real
article.
The Barony had been offered for
sale and bought in by Crenshaw for
eleven thousand dollars, this being
the amount of his claim. Some six
months later he sold the plantation
for fifteen thousand dollars to Nathan
Iiel Ferris, of Currituck County.
"There's money in the old place
Bob at that figure" Crenshaw told
Yancy.
"Bladen's got an answer from them
South Carolina Quintards, and they
don't know nothing about the boy
added Crenshaw. so you can rest
easy, Bob; they amt going to want
him."
WELL sir, that surely is passed.
of comfort to me, l find got all the
instincts of father without having
had any of the instincts of a hus,
band"
A richer, deeper realization of his
JOY came to Yancy when he had turn.
ed his back on Balaam's Cross Roads
and set out for home through the
fragrant silence Of the pine woods
Just beyond the Barony, which was
midway between Balaam's and the