Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-02-02

| The judges office became a perfect
Mecca for the idle and curious, and
while he overf1owed with high-bred
courtesy he had never seemed so un.
pproachable-never so remote from
matters Of local and contemporary In
terest.
why don't you show 'em the let
ter?" demanded Mr.. Mahaffy. wher
they were alone. Cant you gee they
are suffering for sight of it?"
"All in~Eood time, Solomon" He
became yhtful. Solomon I am
thinking on offering a reward for any
information that viii lead to the dis
covery Of my anonymous correspon'
dent" he at length observed with q
finely casual air, as II the idea had
just occurred to him, and had not
been seething in his brain all day.
There you go. Price" began Ma
haffy.
Solomon. this is no time for me to
hang back. I shall offer reward. of
five thousand dollars for this informa-
ton" The judges tone was resolute.
"Yes, sir, shall make the figure COM
mensurate with the poignant grief /
feel. He was my friend and client"
The moisture gathered in his eyes.
II should think that fifty dollars
was nearer to being your figure" sug-
gested the cautions Mahaffy.
Inadequate and most insulting" "
said the Judge.
'"Well, where do you expect to get
five thousand dollars?" cried Mahaffy
in a tone of absolute evaporation.
where would I get fifty?" inquired
the judge mildly.
For once Mahaffy frankly owned
himself beaten. A gleam Of admira-
ton lit up his glance.
Price, you have a streak Of real
greatness!" ne declared.
Before the day was over 1t was gen.
orally believed that the Judge was
wearing his gag with humility; in
terest in him had declined, still the
public would have been grateful for
sight Of that letter.
'Shucks. he's nothing but an old
windbag!" said Mr.. Pegloe to a group
Of loungers gathered before his tav-
ern in the early evening.
AS he spoke. the judges door open
ed and that gentleman appeared on
his threshold with a lighted candle In
each hand. Glancing neither to the
right nor the left he passed out and
up the street. Not breath Of wind
was blowing and the flames Of the
two candles burnt clear and strong
lighting up his stately advance.
At the corner Of the court house
green stood a row of locust hitchins
posts. Two of these the judge decor
ated with his candles, next he meas
ured off fifteen PAGES strides as liberal
as he could make them without sac
rifice to his dignity; he scored a deep
line in the dust with the heel Of his
boot, toed 1t squarely, and drew him.
self up to his fullest height. His righ'
hand was seen to disappear under the
frayed tails of his coat, 1t reappeared
and was raised with movement
quicker" thun the eye could foiiow-anu
pistol shot rang out. One Of the
candles was neatly snuffed.
The judge allowed himself a covert
glance In the direction Of the loungers
before the tavern. He was aware
that a larger audience was assem-
bling. A slight smile relaxed the firm
set of his lips. The remaining candle
sputtered feebly. The Judge walked
to the post and cleared the wick from
tallow with his thumb-nail. There was
no haste In any Of his movements; his
was the deliberation Of conscious ef-
ficiency. Resuming his former sta
ton back Of the line he had drawn
in the dusty road he permitted his
eve to gauge the distance afresh. then
his hand was seen to pass deftly to
his left hip pocket. the long barrel OF
the rifle pistol was leveled,' the piece
cracked, and the candles yellow flame
vanished.
The judge pocketed his pistol. walk
ed down the street. and with never
glance toward the tavern re-entered
/ his house.
The next morning 1t was discovered
that sometime during the night the
Judge had tackled his anonymous COM
munication on the court house door;
just below it was another sheet Of pa
per covered with bold script:
ITO whom 1t may concern: Judge
Slocum Price assumes that the above
was intended for him since he found
it under his office door on the morning
Of the twenty-fifth inst.
Judge Frice begs leave to state II
as his unqualified conviction that the
writer Is a coward and cur, and Of
fers a reward Of five thousand dollars
FLOR any information that will lead to
his Identification.
Judge Price has stated that he
would conduct an intelligently direct
ed investigation Of the Norton murder
mystery without remuneration. He
has the honor to assure his friends
that he is still willing to do so; how
ever, he takes this opportunity to
warn the public that each days delay
is a matter of the utmost gravity.
Furthermore. Judge Price avails
himself Of this occasion to say that
he has no wish to avoid personal con-
clusions with the murderers and cut
throats who are terrorizing this COM
munity; on the contrary, he will con-
tinue earnestly to seek such personal
conclusions"
To Be Continued.
From Behind Prison Walls.-Not