Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-11-02

east" the Judge jerked his thumb
with angindeflnite gesture" back east
at my ancestral home MahAfly
snorted harshly. "You don't believe
+ had an ancestral home well. hid!
/ It was OF brick, sir. with eight CORN
THAN columns across the 'front.' have
Ing a spacious paneled hall sixty feet
long. had tho distinguished honor to
entertain General Andrew Jackson
there"
"Did you get those dimensions ont
| of the jug?" inquired Mahaffy, with
frightful bark that was intended for q
sarcastic laugh.
"Sir, it is not in your province TO
Judge me by my present degraded as-
sociates. Near the housesL have de.
scribed-my fathers and HIS fathsg's
before him, and mine now--but for tho
unparalleled misfortunes which have
pursued me--liveds A. family by the
name OF Hazard. And when went To
the war of '12-"
what were you in that bloody time.
sutler?" inquired Mahatfy insult
ingly.
mo, sir--a colonel Of infantry!-I
say, when / went to the war. ono OF
these Hazards accompanied me 40 my
orderly. His grandson Ia back Of that
curtain now asleep In my bed!" Ma
haffy put down his glass.
"You were like this once before, he
said darkly. But ut that instant the
ishuck tick ratified noisly at some move
ment of the sleeping boy. MahaMy
Quilted his chair, and crossed the
room. drew the quilt aside. A glanc0
sufficed to assure him that in part, ht
least, the judge spoke the truth. He
let the curtain fall into place and Ne
sumed his chair. .t
Hes an orphan, Solomon: poor.
|friendless orphan. Another might
have turned him away from his door
I didn't; ii hadn't the heart to. Fbe-
speak your sympathy for him
I"Who is her, asked Mahaffy.
Haven't I just told :yoi7" said the
Judge reproachfuIly, MahafYy laughed
You've told me something. Who
is he?'' ,@s' SIsa t.sa
His name. is Hannibal Wayne Haz-
ard. Wait until he wakes up and sec
If 1t isn't"
| Sure he isn't kin to you?" said Ma
hary.
| mot drop OF my blood flows II, the
veinsrof any living creature" declared
the Judge with melancholy impressive
ness. He c-,tinued with deepening
feeling. "All shall leave to postertty
lis my frame {; 4
present, Mr.. Price, I'll say 1t - en-
barrassed by the attention" observed
Mahaffy.
| There was a long silence between
u 49, e.yS snlr onA WhAn
he did not drink he bit his under lip
and studied the Judge. This was a.
ways distressing to the latter gentle
man. Mahaffy's silence he could never
penetrate. What was back OF Ii
Judgment, criticism, disbelief-what!
! Or was it the silence OF emptiness!
Was Mahaffy dumb merely because
! he could think OF nothing to say ror
| did his silence cloak his feelingsTand
what were his feelings? DID his medi-
tations outrun his habitually insulting
speech as he bit his under lip ana
glared at him? The Judge always felt
impelled to talk at times, while Ma
haffy, by that silence OF his, seemed
Ito weigh and condemn Whatever No
said. y- ~.
The moon had slipped below the
horizon. Pleasantville had long since
gone to bed; It, was only the judges
window that gave Its light to tho
blackness of the night. There was =
|'hoof-beat on the road. Il came nearer
and nearer, and presently SOUNDED just
beyond the door. Then 1t ceased, and
voice said:
"Hullo, there!" The Judge scramb-
led to his feet, and taking up the can
die, stepped, or rather staggered. into
the yard. Mahaffy followed him.