Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-12-29

boy, or Solomon Mahaffy?' inquired
the judge.
| For what?"
How is my innocence going to b'
established-how am going to cleal
myself If my witnesses are houndee
out of the country"
'I love to hear you talk, sir. Itole
'em at the raising today that 1 con
sidered you one Of the most eloquent
minds I had ever listened to-but nat
urally. sir, you are too smart to bt
honest. You say you amt been con
victed yet; but you're going to be
There's quite a scramble for places or
the Jury already. There was pistols
drawed up at the tavern by some OF
our best people, sir, who got het uI
disputin' who was eligible to serve.
The Judge groaned. You should be
thankful them pistols wasn't draweo
on you, SIR" said the sheriff amiably
You've got a heap to be grateful
about: for we've had one lynching
and we've rid one or two parties on
rail after giving 'em a coat Of tar and
feathers"
The Judge shuddered. The sheriff
continued placidly:
"Im take it you'll get all that's COM
ing to you. sir-say about twenty
Iyears-that had ought to let you out
easy. Sort of round out your earthly
career, and leave something due you
t'other side Of Jordan
81 suppose there is no use in my
pointing out to you that 1 did not
know the money was counterfeit, and
that 1 was quite innocent of any in
tention to defraud Mrs. Walker?' said
the judge, with a weary. exasperated
air.
1T don't make no difference where
you got the money; you know that
for you set up to be some sort Of a
lawyer"
Presently the sheriff went his way
into the dusk Of the evening. and
night came swiftly to fellowship the
Judges fears. A single moonbeam
found it's way into the place. making
a thin rift in the darkness. The judge
sat down on the three-legged stool,
which. with a shake-down bed, fur
nished the Jail. His loneliness was a
great wave of misery that engulfed
him.
well. just so my life amt cut
short" he whispered.
He had known a varied career, and
what he was pleased to call his un-
paralleled misfortunes had reduced
him to all kinds of desperate shifts to
live, but never before had the law
laid it's hands on him. True. there
had been times and seasons when he
had been grateful for the gloom of the
dark ways he trod, for echoes had tax
en- the place of the living voice that
had once spoken to his soul; but he
could still rest his hand upon his
heart and say that the law had al
ways nodded to him to pass on.
Where was Solomon Mahaffy, and
where Hannibal? He felt that Ma
haffy could fend for himself, but be
experienced a moment Of genuine con-
Germ when he thought of the child. In
spite Of himself, his thoughts return
ed to him again and again. But surely
some one would shelter and care for
him!
"Yes-and work him like a horse,
and probably abuse him into the bar
gain"
Then-there was a scarcely audible
rustic on the margin Of the woods, a
dry branch snapped loudly. little
pause succeeded in which the judges
heart stood still. Next a stealthy step
sounded in the clearing. The judge
had an agonized vision Of regulators
and lynchers The beat of his pulse
quickened. He knew something Of the
boisterous horse-play of the frontier
The sheriff had spoken of tar and
feathers-very quietly he stood erect
and picked up the stool.
Heaven helping me. I'll brain q
citizen or two before it comes to
that" he told himself.
The cautious steps continued to ap-
proach. Some one passed below the
closely shuttered window. and hand
struck the boards sharply. A whisper
stole into the jail.
Are you awake, Price," 1t was
Mahaffy who spoke.
God bless you, Solomon Mahaffy!'
cried the judge unsteadily.
I've got the boy-he's with me,
said Mahaffy.
God bless you both" repeated the
judge brokenly. Take care of him
Solomon. l feel better now. knowing
he's in good hands" .
please. judge" it was Hannibal
Yes. dear lad?"
I'm mighty sorry that ten dollars
loaned you was bad-but you don't
need ever to pay it back"
Mahaffy gave way to mirth.
Never mindI' said the judge in
diligently. 1T performed all the es'
sential functions Of a perfectly lega
currency. Just suppose we had dis
covered it was counterfeit before
took it to the tavern-that would have
been a hardship"
1T were Captain Murrell gave it tt
me-" explained Hannibal.
Il consecrate myself to his de-
struction. Judge Slocum Price car
not be Inundated with impunity!
Il should think you would save
your wind, Price. until you'd waddlet
out of danger" Mahaffy spoke gruff'
ly.
How are you going to get me ou
of this. SolomOn-fOr l suppose yor
are here to break Jail for me-" said
the judge.
Mahaffy inspected the building. He
found that the door was secured by
two ponderous hasps to which were
fitted heavy padlocks, but the solid
wooden shutter which closed the
square hole in the gable that served
as a window was fastened by a hasI