Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-06
. CHAPTER XXX.
eoIomon's Last MIGHT.

that Solomon Lahaf1y accompanied
Yancy and Cavendtsh to Belle Plain;
he would have preferred to remain in
Raleigh In attendance upon Judge
Price. Intimately acquainted with the
Judges mental processes, he could fol-
Ilow all the devious workings of that
.magnincent mind; he could fathom
tho simply Aellish 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 50 curiously blended in Slocum
Prices character, he had horrid vi.
sions of that great soul. freed from
(, the trammek Of restraint, coniiding
his melancholy history to Mr.. Pegloe
/ in tho hope Of bolsterins his fallen
, credit at the City Tavern.
= Always where the Judge was con-
icerned he fuctuated between extremes
OF doubt and confidence. He felt that
under tho urgent spur OF occasion his
friend could rise to any emergency.
while . sustained activity made de-
mands' which he could not satisfy;
then his efforts were discounted by
his insane desire to realize at once on
Ibis opportunities; In his haste he was
ilfor ever plucking unripe fruit; and
though he might keep one eye on the
main chance the other was fixed just
as resoluteIy on the nearest tavern.
With the great stake which fate
had Observation-Disclosures into their los
H. no~rn0tlv IN no.
Iieve that the Judge would stay quiet
~ In his Office and complete the task
he had set, himself; that with this on
his haIds the promise Of 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, lie embraced
inst the ono vital consideration,
which was to maintain the Judge in a
state Of sobriety until after his meet
ing with Fe1tress.
The purple of twilight Twas 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 draxged but Without results, and
that ~ yst rotating FAD been heard
from Carrington 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 littls Cavendishes, 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 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 1t. The murmur OF
idle purposeaess talk drifted out to
him: he was irritated and offended by
It. There was something garish In
this indiscrimtnate 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
Judge principally with the judge
who was to make a foolish target OF
himself In, the morning. He was go
ing to givo the man who had wrecked
his life a chance to take 1t as we'll.
Nahaffy's cold logic dealt cynically
with the preposterous situation his
friend had created.
In the midst of his angry medita-
lions he heard q clock strike in the
hall and counted the strokes. 1t was
nine o'clock. Surely Yancy and Cav
endish had been gone their hour! He
quilted his seat and strolled restless
ily about the house. He felt deeply
indignant with everybody and every
thing. Human intelligence seemed
but pitiable advance on brute in
istinct. A whole day had passed and
what had been accomplished? Car
;rington, the Judge. Yancy. Cavendish
tho four men who might have
worked together to some purpose
had widely separated themselves; and
here was the duel, the very climax OF
absurdity. He resumed his dark cor
ner and waited another hour. Still
mo Carrington, and Yancy and Caven-
dish had not come up from the raft.
.Fbois!" thought Mahaffy bitterly.
'.All OF them fools!"
At last he decided to go back to
tho Judge; and moment later was
shurrying down the lane in the direc-
ton 81 the highroad. but, faded as he
was ~ the effort he had already put
1pe that day. the walk to Raleigh
made tremendous demands on him.
and It was midnight when he entered
the little town..
It cannot be said that he was alto
Esther surprised when he found their
cottage dark and apparently desert
"a. He had half expected this. En-
kerinE, and not stopping to secure q
candle, be CROPPED his way upstairs to
tho room on the second moor which
he and, the Judge shared.
"Price!' he called. but this gained
him no response. and he cursed soft
" under his breath. ~. :. q. >.
He hastily descended to the kitch-
On. lighted candle. and stepped into
xhe al5oining room. On the table was
= nest c!.e ns papers. and topping the
nile vas the presidents letter. Be
Ing burdensd by no false scruples,
- ta.1aisF = nlsat as0rd som.