The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1912-02-07

differently, and the shame of that
knowledge ate into his soul. 1t cost
the husband his place in the world,
too-in the end it made of him a vag-
abond and penniless wanderer."
This is nothing to me-" said Fen.
tress.
"Wait!" cried the judge. about six
years ago the woman was seen at her
fathers home in North Carolina. l
reckon GateWOOd had cast her off. She
didn't go back empty-handed. She
had run away from her husband with
child-a girl; after lapse of TWEEN
ty years she returned to her father
with boy of two or three. There
are two questions that must be an
swered when l find Gatewood; what
became of the woman, and what be-
came of the child; are they living or
dead; did the daughter grow up and
marry and have son? When l get
my answer it will be time enough to
think of Gatewood's punishment"
The judge leaned forward across the
table, bringing his face close to Fen.
tress' face. Look at me-do you
know me now?"
But Fentress' expression never al
tered. The judge fell back a step.
"Fentress, want the boy" he said
quietly.
What boy?"
"My grandson!"
"You are mad! What do l know OF
him-or you?" Fentress was gaining
courage from the sound of his own
voice.
"You know who he is and where he
is. Your business relations with this
man Ware have put you on the track
of the Quintard lands in this state.
You intend to use the boy to gather
them in"
You're mad!" repeated Fentress.
unless you bring him to me inside
of twenty-four hours I'll smash you!"
roared the judge. "Your name isn't
Fentress, it's Gatewood; you've stolen
the name of Fentress, just as you
have stolen other things. What's come
of Turberville's wife and child? Wha
has come of Turberville's money?
Damn your soul! want my grand
son! I'll pull you down and leave you
stripped and bare! I'll tell the world
the false friend you've been-the thief
you are! I'll strip you and turn you
out Of these doors as naked as when
you entered the world" The Judge
seemed to tower above Fentress; the
man had shot up out of his deep de-
basement. Choose! Choose!" he
Numbered, his shaggy brows bent
in menacing frown.
II know nothing about the boy"
said Fentress slowly.
"By God, you lie!" stormed the
Judge.
II know nothing about the boy"
and Fentress took step toward the
door.
"Stay where you are!" commanded
the judge. IF you attempt to leave
this room to call your niggers I'll kill
you on it's threshold!"
/ But Yancy and Cavendish had step
ped to the door with an intention that
was evident, and Fentress' thin face
cast itself in haggard lines. He was
feeling the judges terrible capacity.
his unexpected ability to deal with a
supreme situation. Even Mahaffy
gazed at his friend in wonder. He
had only seen him spend himself on
trifles, with no further object than
the next meal or the next drink; he
had believed that as he knew him so
he had always been, lax and loose Of
tongue and deed, noisy tavern hero,
but now he saw that he was filling
what must have been the measure of
his manhood.
II tell you l had no hand in car
rying off the boy" said Fentress with
a sardonic smile.
81 look to you to return him. Stir
yourself, Gatewood, or by God, I'll hold
so fierce reckoning with you"
The sentence remained unfinished,
for Fentress felt his overweight
nerves snap, and, giving way to sud-
den blind fury struck at the judge.
"We are too old for rough and tum
ble," said the Judge, who had dis,
played astonishing agility in avoiding
the blow. Furthermore we were
once gentlemen. At present l am
what l ain, while you are hound and
a blackguard! Well settle this as
becomes our breeding" He poured
himself second glass of liquor from
Fentress' decanter. 81 wonder if it
is possible to insult you," and he
tossed glass and contents in Fen
tress' face. The colonels thin feat