Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-03-19
CHAPTER XVIII.
Betty Leaves Belle Plain.

snuf6ng of the candles and the re.
ward of Ave thousand dollars. It vast
ly increased the child's sense of i'm.
portance and satisfaction when he
discovered she had known nothing OF
these matters until he told her OF
them.
why, where would Judge Price
get so much money, Hannibal?" she
asked, greatly astonished.
He won't have to get 1t, Miss Bet.
u; Mr.. Mahany says he don't reckon
no one will ever tell who wrote the
letter-he lows the man who done
that will keep pretty mum-he just
dassent tell" the boy explained.
mo, I suppose not" and Betty
saw that perhaps. after all, the judge
had not assumed any very great finan
cial responsibility.
"He can't be a coward, though. Han
,nibal!" she added. for she under
stood that the risk OF personal VIC
'lence which he ran was genuine. She
had formed her own unsympathetic
estimate Of him that day at Boggs'
race-track; Mahaffy in his blacklist
hour could have added nothing to It.
Twice since then she had met him in
Raleigh. which had only served to Fix
that first impression.
miss Betty, he's just like my Uncle
Bob was-he amt afraid of nothing!
He totes them pistols of his-loaded
III you notice good you can see
where they bulge out his coat" Han.
nibal's eyes. very round and big.
looked up into hers.
us he as poor as he seems, Han.
nibal?' inquired Betty.
"He never has no money, Miss Bet.
ty, but don't reckon he's what a
body would call pore"
It might have baf1ed far more
mature intelligence than Hannibars
to comprehend those peculiar process
es by which the Judge sustained him
self and his intimate fellowship with
adversity-that it was his magnifi.
cence Of mind which made tho
squalor Of his daily life seem merely
q passing phase-but the boy hae
managed to point delicate distinc-
ton. and Betty grasped something OF
died out In Slocum Prices indomita-
BILE breast.
But you always have enough to
eat, dear?" she questioned anxiously.
Hannibal promptly treasured her on
this point. you wouldn't let me
think anything that was not true, Han
nibai-you are quite sure you have
never been hungry?"
Never, Miss Betty; honest!'
Betty gave sigh Of relief. She
had been reproaching herself for her
neglect Of the child: she had meare
to do so much for him and had doce
nothing! Now 1t was too late for her
personally to interest herself In his
behalf, yet before she left for the east
she would provide for him. II she
had felt it was possible to trust the
judge she would have made him her
agent. but even In his best aspect he
seemed q dubious dependence. Tom.
Cor quite different reasons, was equal
ly out of the question. She thought
of Mr.. Mahaffy.
What kind Of man is Mr.. Ma
haffy, Hannibal?"
"He's an awful nice man, Miss Bet
ty, only he never let's on; a body's
got to find 1t out for his own self
he amt like the judge"
Does he-drink, too, Hannibal?"
questioned Betty.
ooh. yes; when he can get the
Ticker, he does" 1t was evident that
Hannibal was cheerfully tolerant of
this weakness on the part of the
austere Mahaffy. BY this time Betty
was ready to weep over the child,
with his knowledge of shabby vice,
and his fresh young faith in those old
but. no matter what they do. they
are very, very kind to you?" she con-
tinued TREMENDOUSLY.
Eyes. ma'am-why. Miss Betty,
they're lovely men!"
"And do you ever hear the things
spoken of you learned about at Mrs.
Ferris Sunday-school?"
when the judge is drunk he talks
a heap about 'em. It's beautiful to
hear him then; you'd love 1t, Miss
DSlSyS 0uV I16uuAUt1 6u1lSV up SW00Ie
~ into her face.
Does he have you go to Sunday
school in Raleigh?'
The boy shook his head.
II amt got no clothes that's fifteen
to wear. nor no pennies to give, but
the Judge, he lows that as soon as he
can make a raise got to 60, and he's
me my letters-but We amt
. book. Miss Betty, I reckon It'd
stump you some to guess how he's
liked It for me to learn?"
Hes drawn the letters for you, Is
that the way!" In spite Of herself,
Betty was experiencing certain re-
vulsion of feeling where the judge and |
were concerned. They were
doubtless bad enough. but they could
have been worse.
i mo, ma'am; he done soaked the |
label of one of Mr.. Pegloe's whisky
bottles and pasted It on the wall just
Is high rs my chin, SOS can see it
good, and he's learning me that.a-
way! Maybe you've seen tho kind OF I
bottle mean-Pegloe,S Mississippi
Pilot: Pure Corn Whisky?" But Han
1lhafsa, bright little fncA fell. lA was ]