The Lamar register., 1912-06-05


to mention the rent. The house had
come to him as boot in q trade. 1t
had been occupied by a doctor and q
lawyer; these gentlemen had each de-
camped between two days. heavily in
debt At the stores and taverns. espe-
cially the taverns. And thus hand
somely did Charley Norton acQuit
himself Of the mission he had under
taken at Betty Malroy's request.
That same morning Tom Ware and
Captain Murrell were seated in the
small detached building at Belle Plain,
known as the once, where the former
spent most of his time when not in
the saddle.
80 your sister doesn't Ike me.
Tom-that's on your mind this morn
ing. il tit" Murrell was saying.
Make 1t worth my while and III
take her OF your hands," and Muir
rell laughed.
Tom favored him with . sullsn
stare.
There was . brief silence. during
which Murrell studied bis friends
face. When he spoke. 1t was to give
the conversation . new direction.
Did she bring the boy here last
nightf saw you drive on with him
in the carriage"
Yes. she makes . regular Pct Of
the little ragamuffin."
rs the boy going to stay at Belle
Plainf" inquired Murrsll.
That notion hasn't struck her yet.
for heard her say At breakfast that
she'd take him to Raleigh this after.
noon"
That's the boy I Travelled all the
way to North Carolina to get for
Tsntress..
"Eh-you don't sayf" cried Ware.
Tom, what do you know about the
Quintard lands; what do you know
about Quintard himselfr' continued
Nurreu.
He was . rich planter: lived In
North Carolina. Ny father met him
whom he was In congress and got him
to invest In land here. They had
some colonization scheme on foot
but nothing came Of It Quintard
lost interest"
"And the landr
Oh, ne heid on 70 mat
"Quintard has been dead two years.
Tom. and back yonder In North Caro-
lima they told me he left nothing but
the homo plantation. The boy lived
there up to the time q Quintard's
death. but what relation he was to
the old man NO one knew. O6hand.
Tom. I'd say that by getting hold Of
the boy Fentress expects to get hold
Of the Quintard land"
That's likely" said Ware: then
struck By . sudden idea, he added.
Are you going to take all the risks
and let him pocket the cashf II it's
the land he's after. the stakes big
enough to divide"
He can have the whole thing and
welcome. I'm playing for q bigger
stake" His friend stared at him in
establishment. I'm licking . specula-
ton into shape that will cause me to
be remembered while there's . white
man alive In the Mississippi Valley!
Have you heard what the mixers did
at Hayt?"
You let the niggers alone; don't
you tamper with them" said Ware
AAO RObbCooo0 PAOAO0h0 OOAACA ~
Murrell's capacity. He knew how the
latter had shaped the uneasy popuia,
ton that foregathered ON the edge Of
civilization to his own ends, and that
what he had christened the Clan had
become an elaborate organization
disciplined and flexible to his ruthless
will.
Look here. what do you think
have been working for-to steal 9
few niggersf That furnishes u with
money. but you can push the trade
too hard and too far. The planters
are uneasy. The Clans got to deal 6
counter blow or 60 out Of business
Between here and the gulf" he
made . wide sweeping gesture witt
his arm. II am spotting the countr,
with my men: there are two thousand
active workers on the rolls OF the
Clan, and a. many more like you
Tom-and Fentress-on whose friend
ship can rely"
Sure as God. John Murrell. yor
are overreaching yourself! You
white men are all right, they've go
to stick by you; II they don't they
know it's only . question OF time un
til they get q knife driven into theil
ribs-but niggers-there isn't any
l.