The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-05-09

derstand the cOmradeship of their
degradation.
mr.. Cavendish fetched me here on
his raft. We tied up to the sho' this
morning. 1t was there we met Mr..
Carrington-rd knowed him slightly
back yonder in Moth Carolina" con-
tinued Yancy. HE said Id find Han
nihal with you. was counting heap
on seeing my nevvy."
Darlington, no longer able to con-
troll himself, swung about on his heel
Whats been done?" he asked, with
fierce repression. whats going to be
done? Don't you know that every
second is precious?"
Il am about to conclude my inves-
legations, sir" said the judge with
dignity.
Darlington stepped to the door.
After all, what was there to expect OF
these men? Whatever their interest,
it was plainly centered in the boy. He
passed out into the hall.
AS the door closed on him the judge
turned again to the Scratch Hitler.
"Mr. Yancy, Mr.. Mahaffy and 1 hold
your nephew in the tenderest regard;
he has been our constant companion
ever since you were lost to him. In
this crisis you may rely upon us; we
are committed to his recovery, no
matter what it involves" The judges
tone was one of unalterable resolu-
ton.
II reckon you-all have been mighty
good and kind to him." said Yancy
huskily.
"We have endeavored to be, Mr..
Yancy-indeed I had formed the reso-
luton legally to adopt him should you
not come to claim him. l should have
given him my name, and made him
my heir. His education has already
begun under my supervision" and the
Judge, rem embering the high use to
which he had dedicated one of Peg
loe's trade labels, fairly glowed with
philanthrop1c fervor.
Think Of that" murmured Yancy
softly. He was deeply moved. So was
Mr.. Cavendish, who was gifted with
a wealth of ready sympathy. He
thrust out a hardened hand to the
Judge.
"Shake!" he said You're a heap
better than you look" A thin ripple
of laughter escaped Mahaffy, but the
Judge accepted Chills and Fever's
proffered hand. He understood that
here was simple genuine soul.
price, isn't it important for US to
know why Mr.. Yancy thinks the boy
has been taken back to North Caro-
lina?" said Mahaffy.
"Just what kin is Hannibal to you,
Mr.. Yancy?" asked the judge resum-
ing his seat
strictly speaking, he amt none.
That he come to live with me is all
owing to Mr.. Crenshaw, who's a good
man when left to himself, but he's
got wife, so body may say he never
is left to himself" began Yancy; and
then briefly he told the story of the
woman and the child much as he had
told it to Bladen at the Barony the
day Of General Qutntard's funeral.
The Judge, his back to the light and
his face In shadow, rested his left el-
bow on the desk and with his chin
sunk in his palm, followed the Scratch
Killers narrative with the closest at
tention.
"And General Quintard never saw
him-never manifested any interest
in himr" the words came slowly from
the judges lips; he seemed to gulp
down something that rose in his
throat. Poor little lad" he NUT
tered. and again. Poor little lad!"
Never once, sir. He told the
slaves to keep him out of his sight.
We-all wondered, TO- you know how
niggers will talk. We thought maybe
he was some kin to the Quintards,
but We couldn't figure out how. The
old general never had but one child
and she had been dead TO- years. The
child couldn't have been hers no-how.".
Yancy paused.
The judge drummed idly on the
desk.
What implacable hate-what iron
pride!" he murmured, and swept his
hand across his eyes. Absorbed and
aloof, he was busy with his thoughts
that spanned the waste of years
years that seemed to glide before him
In review, each bitter with its hideous
memories of shame and defeat. Then
from the smoke of these lost battles
emerged the lonely figure OF the child
as he had seen him that June night.
His ponderous arm stiffened where it
rested on the desk, he Strengthened up
in his chair and his face assumed its
customary expression of battered dig
nifty, while smile at once wtstful and
tender lowered about his lips.
''One other question" he said. I'm
til this man Murrell appeared you
had no trouble with Baden? He was
content that you should keep the
child-your right to Hannibal was