The Springdale news., 1912-08-02
Continued from last week. )
CHAPTER XXI,
Solomon's Last Nigi1f.

he would have preferred to remain In Raleigh i'll 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 euriousiy blended in SleeHm Prices character. he had horrid yi- sions of that great soul. freed from the tranmels of restraint, eonhding his melancholy history to MT, Pegloe in the hope Of boisterng 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 hts 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; i'll 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 Oil the nearest tavern.
 With the great stake which late had suddenly introduced Into their los Ing game, he wished earnestly to be lieye that the judge would stay quiet =ly in his office and complete the task he had set himself. that with this of his hands the promise ot 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 atter 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
 
 from Darlington or the dogs he had gone for.
 Presently Cavendish and Yancy set of across the fields. They were go- ing on to the raft to Polly and the six little Gavendishes, 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 a dark corner on the wide porch that overlooked the river to await their return. The house had been thrown open. and supper was be- ing served to whoever cared to stay and partake of It. The murmur ot 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 udge-principally with the judge who vas to make foolish target Of himself in the morning. He was go- ing to give the man who had wrecked his life chance to take It as well. Mahaffy's cold logic dealt cynieall! with the preposterous situation his friend had created.
 Tn the midst Of his angry medita. tions he heard a clock strike in the hall and counted the strokes It was nine o'clock. Surely Yancy and Cav endish had been gone their houri 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. A whole day had passed and what had been accomplished? Car rington. the judge. Yancy. Cavendish --the four men who might have worked together to some purpose had widely separated themselves; and here was the duel the very climax Of absurdty. He resumed his dark cor her and waited another hour. Still no Darlington, and Yancy and Cayen- dish had not come up from the raft.
 "Fools." thought MahafTy 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- tion of the highroad but, jaded as he was by the effort he had already put for that day, the walk to Raleigh i made tremendous demands on him. and it was midnight when he entered the little town.
 It cannot be said that he was alto gether surprised when he found their cottage dark and apparently desert ed. He had half expected this. En- |