The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-06-12
CHAPTER XXI,
SoIomon's Last Nioht.

Yancy and CavenGish to Belle Plain:
he would have preferred to remain in
Raleigh In attendance upon Judge
Price. Intimately acquainted with the
Judges mental processes, he could fol
low all the devious workings of that
magnificent mind; he could fathom
the simply hellish ingenuity he was
capable OF putting forth to accom-
plish temporary benefits. Permitting
his thoughts to dwell upon the min.
gled strength and weakness which
was so curiously blended In Slocum
Prices character, he had horrid vi
sions OF that great soul. freed from
the trammels Of restraint, contiding
his melancholy history to Mr.. Pegloe
In the hope of bolstering his fallen
credit at the City Tavern.
Always where the Judge was con-
cerned he fiuctuated between extremes
OF doubt and confidence. He felt that
under the urgent spur OF occasion his
friend could rise to any emergency,
while a sustained activity made de.
mands which he could not satisfy:
then his efforts were discounted by
his insane desire to realize at once on
his opportunities; In his haste he was
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.
With the great stake which fate
had suddenly introduced into their los.
ing game, he wished earnestly to be-
lieve that the Judge would stay quiet
ly In his office and complete the task
he had set himself: that with this or
his hands the promise of excitement
at Belle Plain would compel his pres
ence there, when he would pass some
what under the restraining influence
which he was determined to exert:
In short. to Solomon, life embraced
just the one vital consideration,
which was to maintain the Judge In a
state Of sobriety until after his meet.
ing with Fentress.
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.
Presently Caveudish and Yancy set
on across the fields. They were 60
Ing on to the raft, to Polly and the
six little Cavendishes, whom they had
not seen since early morning; but
they promised to be back at Belle
Plain within an hour.
BY very nature an alien, Mahaffy
sought out dark corner on the wide
porch that overlooked the river to
await their return. The house had
been thrown open. and supper was be-
IT" served TO whoever cared to stay
anu partake Of 1t. The murmur or
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 or
himself In the morning. He was go.
ing TO give the man who had wrecked
his life a chance to take 1t as we'll.
Mahaffy's cold logic dealt cynically
with the prepOsterOus situation his
friend had created.
In the midst OF his angry medita.
tions he heard clock strike in the
hall and counted the strokes. 1t was
nine o'clock. Surely Yancy and Cav.
endish had been gone their hour! He
quilted his seat and strolled restless.
ly about the house. He felt deeply
indignant with everybody and every.
thing. Human intelligence seemed
but a pitiable advance on brute In.
stinct whole day had passed and
what had been accomplished? Car.
rington, the Judge, Yancy, Cavendish
the four mer who might have
worked together to some purpose
had widely separated themselves; and
mere was the uuel, the very climax OF
absurdity. He resumed his dark cor.
ner and waited another hour. Still
no Carringtoa, and Yancy and Caven.
dish had not come up from the raft.
Fools" thought Mahaffy bitterly.
"All of them fools!"
At last he decided to go back to
the Judge; and a moment later was
hurrying down the lane In the direc.
ton OF the highroad, but, jaded as he
was by the effort he had already put
for that day, tle walk to Raleigh
made tremendous demands on him,
and II was midnight when he entered
the little town.
1t cannot be said that he was alto
gether surprised when he found their
cottage dark and apparently desert.