Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1912-08-08
CHAPTER XXX.
soIomon's Last Night.

It had been with no little reluctance
that Solomon MahaEy accompanied
Yancy ard Cavendish to Belle plain:
no 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, conhding
his melancholy history TO Mr.. Pegloe
in the hope of bostering his fallen
credit at the City Tavern.
Always where the Judge was con-
cerned he nuctuated between extremes
Of doubt and confidence. he felt that
under the urgent spur Of occasion his
friend could rise 60 any emergency,
while a sustained activity made do
mands which he could not satisfy;
then bis efforts were discounted by
bis insane desire TO realize at once on
HIS opportunities iu his haste he was
tor ever plucEtug uurIpe fruit; ami
though he might keep one eye on the
main chance the other WAS liked just
as ros0lutely on the nearest tavern.
With the great stake which fato
had suddenly introduced into their los
ing game, he wished earnestly 10 be-
lieYe that the judge would stay quiet
~ In bis Office and complete tbs task
he had set himself, aat with this OIL
his hands the promise OF excitement
at Belle plain would compel his pres
ence there, when be would pass some
what under the restraining influence
which he was determined to exert:
I'm 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 Fentross.
The purple Of twilight was stealing
over the land when no 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 no had
gone for
Presently Cayondlsh and YRncy set
on aoroB5 tho folds. They were 90
ing on to the raft, 70 Polly and tho
six little Cavcndiahos. whom they had
not seen siace early morning; but
they promised to be back at Belle
Plain within on hour.
BY very nature an alien, MahuRy
sought out q dark corner on the wide
porch that overlooked the river 70
await their return. The house had
been thrown open, and supper was bo-
ing served to whoever cared TO stay
and partako Of IT, The murmur OF
idle purposelcas talk drlted out 70
81, There was something garlsh IA
this iudiscrimlnate hospitality in the
very home Of tragedy. AS tho mo.
meDts slipped by hts sense Of dis
pleasure increased, with mankind IN
general, with himself, and with the
1udge-principally with the Judge
who was to make q foolish target OF
himself ia the morning. lie was go-
Ing to give the man who bad wrecked
his life q chance to take It as well.
.Mahaffy's cold logic dealt oynically
with the prepoBterous situation his
friend had created.
In the midst Of his angry medita-
tons ho heard q clock strike In the
hall and counted the strokes. 1t waa
nine o'clock. Surely Yaney and Cav
endish had been gone their bourl lie
quilted his seat and strolled restless
~ about the house, lie felt deeply
indignant with everybody and every
thing. Human Intelligence seemed
but pitiable advance on brute In
stinct. A whole day had passed and
what had been Accomplishment Car
rington, the Judge, Yaucy, Cavendish
the four men who might have
worked together to some purpose
had widely separated themselves; and
here was tho duel, the very climax OF
absurdity. He resumed his dark cor
ner and waited another hour. shu
no Darlington, and Yancy and Caven-
dish had not come up from the raft.
'Fools" thought Mahaffy bitterly.
IAN OF them foolsl"
At last he decided to go back to
the Judge; and 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
made tremendous demands on him,
and It was midnight when he entered
the little town.
1t cannot be said that he was alto
gether surprised when no found their
cottage dark and apparently desert.
ed. He had half expected this. En.
tering, and not stopping to secure a
candle, he groped his way upstairs to
the room on the second floor which
he and the judge shared.