Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-09-25


Price. Intimately acquainted with the
judges mental processes, he could fol'
low all the devious workings OF that
magnificent mind; he could fsthom
the simply hellish ingenuity he was
capable OF putting forth to accom-.
splish temporary: benefits. Permitting
his thoughts to dwell upon the min.
gled strength and weakness which
was SO curiouslyl blended In Slocum
Prices character. he had horrid u
stons OF that great soul. freed from
the ;trammels Of restraint, contidin1
his melancholy history to Mr.. Peglos
in the hope of bolstering his fallen
credit at the City Tavern.
Always where the judge was CON
cerned he ductuated between extremes
Of doubt and confidence. He felt that
under the urgent spur Of occasion hia
friend could rise to any emergency
while o, sustained activity made dc
mands which he could not satisfy;
then his efforts were discounted BY
his insane desire tosrealize at once on
his opportunities; In his haste he wa
tor ever plucking unripe fruit: and
though he might keep one eye on the
main chance the other was fixed just
as .resolutely on the nearest tavern. Il
With the great stake which fats
had suddenly introduced into their los
ing game. he wished earnestly to be-
lieve that the Judge would stay quiet.
~ In his Office and complete the task
he had set himself; that with this on
his hands the promise of excitement
at Belle Plain would compel his pres.
ence there, when he would pass some.
what under the restraining influences
which he was determined to exert;
in short. to Solomon, life embraced
just the one vital consideration.
which was to maintain the Judge in
state Of sobriety until after his meet
ing with Fentress. 81 KS 5s% 5l3.., Y
The purple of twilight was stealing
over the land when he and his two
companions reached Belle Plain. They
learned that Tom Ware had returned
from Memphis, that the bayou had
been dragged but without results. and
that as yet nothing had been heard
from Darlington or the dogs he had
gone for. s$ss
Presently Cavendish and Yancy set
OF across the fields. They We're 60
ing on to the raft. to Polly and thu
six little Cavendishes whom they had
not seen since early morning; but
they promised to be back at Bells
Plain within an hour. Il \. i i.
BY very nature an alien. Mahaffy
sought out dark corner, on the wide
porch that overlooked the river tc
await their return. The house had
been thrown open, and supper was DO
ing served to whoever cared to stay
and partake OF It. The murmur Of
idle purposeless talk drifted out to
him; he.was irritated and offended by
1t. There was something garish in
this indiscriminate hospitality In the
very home OF tragedy. AS the mo
ments slipped by his sense OF dis
pleasure increased. with mankind In
general, with himself, and with the
Judge principally with the Judge
who was to make foolish target OF
himself in the morning. He was go
Ing to give the man who had wrecked
his life a chance to take it as well
Mahaffy's cold logic dealt cyntcally
with the preposterous situation bill
friend had created. y.
II In the midst of his angry medita
lions he heard clock strike in the
hall and counted the strokes. 1t wa
nine o'clock. Surely Yancy and Cav
endish had been gone their hour! Iii
quilted his seat and strolled restless
~ about the house. He felt deeply
Indignant with everybody and every
thing. Human intelligence seemed
but pitiable advance on brute I'm
stinct. A whole day had passed and
what had been accomplished? Car
rington. the judge, Yancy. Cavendisn
tho four men who might have
worked together to some purpose
had widely separated themselves; and
here was the duel, the very climax q
absurdity. He resumed his dark cor
ner and waited another hour. Stin
no Darlington. and Yancy and Caven
dish had not come up from the raft.
''Fools!" thought Mahaty bitterly
| .Au OF them fools! .
(To BE coNr1NUED.)
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