Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-02-29
CHAPTER XVI.
The judge Offers a Reward.

ne IuQQG OUcTk q nSWail,
The news OF Charley Norton's muir.
der spread quickly over the county.
For two or three days bands OF armed
men secured the woods and roads,
and then this activity quite unpro-
ductive of any tangible results ceased,
matters were allowed to rest with the
constituted authorities, namely Mr
Belts, the sheriff, and his deputies.
No private citizen had shown
greater zeal than Judge Slocum Price.
One morning he found under hls door
g folded paper:
"You talk too much. Shut up or
you'll go where Norton went"
A few moments later be burst in
on Mr.. Saul.
"Glance at that, my friend!' he
cried, rs Ire tossed the paper on the
clerks desk. What do you make OF
it, SIR
Well Id keep still"
The Judge laughed derisiVely as he
bowed himself out.
He established himself In his Of
ice. lie had scarcely done so when
MIR Belts knocked at the door. Inc
sheriff came direct from Mr.. Saul and
arrived out OF breath, but the letter
was not mentioned by the judge. lie
spoke OF the crops, the chance OF
rain, and the intricacies OF county
notifies The sheriff withdrew mysti-
fed wondering why Il was he had
not felt at liberty to breach the sub
icrt which was uppermost In his
mind.
His place was taken by Mr.. Pegloe
and on the heels OF the taYern-keeper
came Mr.. Bowen. Judge Price re-
catved them with condescension, but
back OF the cond ascension was an air
of reserve that did not invite ques-
tons. The Judge discussed the exten.
sion of the national roads with Mr..
Pegloe. and the religion OF the Per-
sian fire.worshipers witch Mr.. Bowen;
ne permitted neyer.a pause and they
retired as the sheriff had done with
Oul SfRnC OIL Tue lellei.
The, judges office became q per
feet Mecca for the idle and the curl
Gus. and : while he: oyerttowed with
hien.bred courtesy he had never
seemed so unapproachable-never so
remote from matters OF local and con-
temporary interest.
: why don't you show 'em the let
ter??' demanded Mr.: Mahaffy. when
They were alone. Cant, you see they
are suffering for q sight OF it,.
All IN good time, Solomon He
became thoughtful. Solomon, l am
thinking of. offering reward for any
information that. vii! lead to the dis
covery Of my anonymous correspond
emit" he at length observed with
finely casual air, as II the idea had
just occurred to him, &.and had not
been, seething in his brain all day.
There you go, Price" began Ma
haffy. = =
+, Solomon, this is no time for me TO
hang back I shall offer reward or
five thousand dollars for this informa-
ton" The judges tone was resoiute.
yes. sir, shall. make.th the figure COM
miensurate with the poignant grief
feel. He. was my. friend and client
The next morning it was discovered
that some time during the night the
Judge had tackled his anonymous COM
munication on the court house door;
Just below 1t was another sheet OF pa
per covered with bold script:
ITO Whom 1t May Concern:
Judge Slocum. Price assumes that
the above was intended for him since
he found II under his Office door on
he morning of the twenty-hfth inst.
Judge Price begs leave to state 1t
as his unqualified conviction that the
writer is coward and a cur. and
offers a reward of FIVE thousand dol
lars for any information that will lead
70 his Identification"
Tom Ware was seated alone over
his breakfast. He had left his bed
as: the pale morning light crept across
the great fields. that were alike his
pride and his despair-what was the
use Of trying to sleep when sleep was
an impossibility! He was about to
quit: the. table when big Steve en-
tered the room to say there was
Th.te fellow at the door.
Fetch him along in here" said
Ware.
The white fellow delivered pen
ciled note from Murrell. When ne
ree gone. the planter ordered " dis