Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-01-09

ritably.
That's right-carp-! But you
can't relegate me! You can't shoVe
me away from the portal Of hope
metaphorically speaking, I'm on the
stoop; 1t may be Gods pleasure that
1 enter; there's a place for gray heads
and there's a respectable slice OF
life after the meridian is passed"
"Humph" said Mahaffy.
i've made my impression; I've
been thrown with cultivated minds
quick to recognize superiority; I've
met with Difference and considera-
tion."
Aren't you forgetting the boy?"
inquired Mahaffy.
mo, sir! I regard my obligations
where he is concerned as a sacred
trust to be administered In lofty and
impersonal manner. If his friends
if Miss Malroy. for instance-cares to
make me the instrument Of her bene-
factions, I'll not be disposed to stand
on my dignity; but his education shall
be my care I'll make such lawyer
of him as America has not seen be-
fore! I don't ask you to accept my
own opinion of my fitness to do this,
but two gentlemen with whom / talk
ed this evening-one Of them was the
Justice of the peace-were pleased 10
say that they had never heard such
Illuminating comments on the crimi-
nal law. 1 quoted the Greeks and
Romans to 'em, sir; 1 gave 'em the
salient points on medieval law; and
they were dumfounded and speech
less. 1 reckon they'd never heard such
an exposition Of fundamental princi-
pies: 1 showed 'em the germ and
showed 'em fruition. Damn it, sir,
they were overwhelmed by the array
of facts I marshaled for 'em. They
said they'd never met with such cru
dition-no more they had, for l boil
ed down thirty years Of study into ten
minutes Of talk! I flogged 'em with
facts, and then we drank" The
Judge smacked his lips. 1T is this
free-handed hospitality 1 like; it's
this that gives life its gala aspect"
He forgot former experiences; but
without this kindly refusal Of men,
ory to perform its wonted functions,
the world would have been a chill
place indeed for Slocum Price. But
Mahaffy. keen and anxious. with
doubt in every glass he drained. a
lurking devil to grin at him above the
rim, could see only the end OF their
brief hour of welcome. This made
the present moment as bitter as the
last.
II have a THEORY. Solomon. that
shall be handsomely supported by my
new friends. They'll snatch at the
opportunity"
IT see 'em snatching, Mr.. Price,
said Mahaffy grimly.
That's right-go on and plant
doubt in my heart if you can! You're
as hopeless as the grave side!" cried
the judge. a spasm of rage shaking
him.
THE thing for us to do-you and 1,
Price-is to clear out of here" said
Mahaffy.
But what of the boy?"
Leave him with his friends"
How do you know Miss Malroy
would be willing to assume his care
It's scandalous the way you leap at
conclusions. No, Solomon, mo-
won't shirk a single irksome RESPONSE
bility," and the judges voice shook
with suppressed emotion. Mahaffy
laughed. There you go again, Solo
mon, with that indecent mirth OF
yours! Friendship aside. you grow
more offensive every day" The judge
paused and then resumed. II under
stand there's a Federal judgeship va
cant here. The president-"Mr Ma
haffy gave him a furtive leer. Il tel
you General Jackson was my friend
we were brothers, sir-I stood at his
side on the glorious blood-wet field OF
New Orleans! You don't believe me
Price, you've made more demands
on my stock of credulity than any
man I've ever known
The judge became somber-faced.
unparalleled misfortune overlook
mel stepped aside, but the world
never waits; l was a cog discarded
from the mechanism of society" Ht
was so pleased with the metaphor tha
he repeated it.
Look here, Price, you talk as though
you were a modern Job; what's the
matter anyhow ?-have you got boils?'
The Judge froze into stony silence
Well, Mahaffy could sneer-he would
show him. This was the last ditch
and he proposed to descend into 1t, Il
was something to be able to demand
the final word of fate-but he instant
| ly recalled that he had been playing
at hide and seek with inevitable conse'
uuences for something like quarter
of a century: , had been a triumph
merely to exist.
Mahaffy having eased his conscience
rolled over and promptly went to sleep
Flat on his back, the judge stared VI
at the wide blue arch of the heavens
and rehearsed those promises whicl
in the last twenty years he had mad
and broken times without number. HI
planned no sweeping reforms, his sys
TEN of morality being little more thai
series of graceful compromises Will
himself. He must not get hopelessl!
in debt; he must not get helplessl!
drunk. Dealing candidly with his sou
in the silence. he presently came t
the belief that this might be done with
out special hardship. Then suddenl.
the rusted name-plate on Hannibal
old rifle danced again before his burn
ing eyes, and a bitter sense of hur
and loss struck through him. He saV
himself as he was. a shabby outcast
tavern hanger-on. the utter travest
OF all he should have been; he dropped
his arm across his face.
The first rift of light in the SIX.
| Poupd tho indigo stirring. II found hin