The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-06-13
CHAPTER xxxlV.
Good Times Coming.

Good Times Coming.
It was not strange that number OF
gentlemen in and about Raleigh yield
ed to an overmastering impulse to WIS.,
It newer lands, nor was it strange
that the initial steps looking toward
the indulgence of their desires should
have been taken In secrecy. Mr.. Peg
loe was one of the first to leave; Mr..
Saul had informed him Of the judges
| declared purpose of shooting him on
sight. Even without this useful hint
the tavern-keeper had known that he
should experience intense embarrass-
ment In meeting the Judge; this was
now a dreary certainty
"You reckon he means near all he
says?" he had asked, his fat sides
shaking
I'D take his word heap quicker
than would most folks" answered
Mr.. Saul with conviction.
Pegloe promptly had a sinking spell.
He recalled the snufing of the can
dies by the Judge, an extremely de-
pressing memory under the c1rcum-
stances; also the reckless and head
long disregard of consequences which
had characterized so many of that
gentleman's acts, and his plans
shaped themselves accordingly, with
this result; that when the Judge took
occasion to call at the tavern, and the
hostile nature of his visit was en-
phasized by the cautious manner of
his approach, he was greatly shocked
to discover that his intended victim
had sold his business overnight for
small lump sum to Mr.. Sauls brother
! 1n-law, who had appeared most OPP
portunely with an offer.
Pegloe's fight created something OF
sensation, but it was dwarfed by
the sensation that developed day or
SO later when 1t became known that
Tom Ware and Colonel Fentress had
likewise fled the country. Still later,
Fentress' body, showing marks of vio-
lence, was washed ashore at a wood
yard below Girard. It was conjec-
tured that he and Ware had set out
from The Oaks to cross the river;
there was reason to believe that Fen
tress had In his possession at the
time a considerable sum of money,
and it was supposed that his COM
panion had murdered and robbed him..
OF Wares subsequent career nothing
was ever known.
These were, after all, only episodes
in the collapse of the Clan, spor11c
manifestations Of the great work Of,
disintegration that was going forward
and which the judge, more than any
other, perhaps, had brought about.
This was something no one ques-
TONED. andnhe quickly passed to the
first phase of that unique and peculiar
esteem in which he was ever after
held. His fame widened with the suo.
ceeding suns; he had offers Of help
which impressed him as so entirely
creditable to human nature that he
quite lacked the heart to refuse them,
especially as he felt chat In the I'M
provement Of his own condition the
world had bettered itself and was
moving nearer those sound and right
eous ideals Of morality and patriotism
which had never lacked his indorse-
ment. no matter how inexpedient It
had seemed for him to put them into
practice But he was rot diverted
from his ultimate purpose by the
glamour OF q present popularity: he
was able to keep his bleared eyes
resolutely> fixed on the main chance.
namely the Fentress estate and the
Quintard lands. It was highly i'm
portant that he should go east to
South Carolina to secure documentary
evidence that would establish his own
and Fentress' identity; to Kentucky,
where Fentress had lived prior to his
coming to Tennessee.
Early In November the Judge set
out by stage on his journey east; he
was accompanied by Yancy and Han
nibal, from neither of whom could he
bring himself to be separated: and as
the woods. flaming now with the
torch of frost, enguHed the little
town. he turned In his seat and looked
back. He had entered 1t by that very
road, beggar on foot and In rags; he
was leaving 1t in broadcloth and fine
linen, visible tokens of his altered
fortunes. More than this, he could
trust his hands deep down into his
once empty pockets and hear the
clink of gold and silver. The Judge
slowly withdrew his eyes from the
last gray roof that showed among tho
trees, and faced the east and the fu-
ture with serenely confident ex-
preston.
Betty Malroy and Darlington had
ridden into Raleigh to take leave OF
their friends. They had watched the
stage from sight, had answered the
last majestic salute the Judge had CIV
en- them across the swaying top OF
the coach before the first turn of the
road hid 1t from sight, and then they
had turned their horses heads In the
direction of Belle Plain.