Putnam patriot., 1912-04-19
CHAPTER Xx.
MurreII Shows His Hand,

Murrell Shows His Hand.
 At length points of light began to show through chinks in the logs. Han- nibal reused and sat up, rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands.
 Wasn't you able to sleep none?' he inquired Betty shook her head. He looked at her with an expression of troubled concern. How soon do you reckon the judge will know?" he asked.
 Very soon now, dear" Hannibal was greatly consoled by this opinion.
 Miss Betty, he will love to find us"
 'Hark! What was that?" for Betty had caught the distant splash of oars. Hannibal found chink in the logs through which by dint of much squint- ing he secured a partial view of the bayou.
 They're fetching up keel boat to the shore, Miss Betty-it's a whoop- erl" he announced. Betty's heart sank; she never doubted the purpose for which that boat was brought into the bayou, or that 1t nearly concerned herself
 Half an hour later Mrs. Hicks ap- peared with their breakfast. It was in vain that Betty attempted to en- gage her in conversation. Either she cherished some personal feeling Of dislike for her prisoner. or else the situation in which she herself was placed had little to recommend it., even to her dull mind, and her dis titude toward the girl.
 Betty passed the long hours of morning in dreary speculation con- corning what was happening at Belle Plain. In the end she realized that the day could go by and her absence occasion no alarm. Steve might req sonably suppose George had driven her into Raleigh or to the Bowens' and that she had kept the carriage. Finally all her hope centered on Judge Price. He would expect Hannibal dur ing the morning; perhaps when the boy did not arrive he would be tempt ed to go out to Belle Plain to dis cover the reason of his non-appear- ance. She wondered what theories would offer themselves to his in- genious mind, for she sensed some thing of that indomitable energy which in the face of rebuffs and laughter carried him into the thick Of every sensation.
 At noon Mrs Hicks, as sullen as in the morning, brought them their din- her. She had scarcely quilted the loft when a shrill whistle pierced the si- lence that hung above the clearing. It was twice repeated, and the two women were heard to go from the cabin. Perhaps half an hour elapsed, then a step became audible on the packed earth of the dooryard. Some one entered the room below and be- gan to ascend the narrow stairs, and Betty's fingers closed convulsively about Hannibal's. This was neither Mrs. Hicks nor her daughter, nor Slosson with his clumsy shuttle There was a. brief pause when the landing was reached, but 1t was only momen- tary; hand lifted the bar. the door was thrown open, and its space framed the figure of a man. It was John Murrell.
 Standing there he regarded Betty in silence, but deep-seated fire glowed in his sunken eyes. The sense of pos session was raging through him, his temples throbbed. a fever stirred his blood Love, such as 1t was, he un- doubtedly felt for her, and even his giant project, with all Its monstrous ramifications, was lost sight of for the moment She was the inspiration for it all. the goal and reward for which he struggled.
 "Rettyl" the single word fell softly from his lips He stepped into the room, closing the door as he did so.
 The girls eyes were dilating with a mute horror. for by some swift, in- tuitive process of the mind, which asked nothing of the logic of events, but dealt only with conclusions, Mur- rell stood revealed as Norton's mur- derer. Perhaps he read her thoughts, but he had lived in his degenerate ambitions until the common Judg- ments or the understanding of them no longer existed for him. That Bet ty had loved Norton seemed incense cuential even; 1t was memory 10 be swept away by the force Of his greater passion. So he watched her smilingiy, but back of the smile was the menace of unieashed impulse.
 Cant you And some word of well come for me, Betty?" he asked at length, still softly. still with some thing of entreaty in his tone.
 Then it was you-not Tom-who had me brought hers!" She could. have thanked God had 1t bssA Tom yAoss Aets yss nos ta ka fsassa aA