Putnam patriot., 1912-04-05
CHAPTER XVIII.
Betty Leaves Belle Plain.


 ally to the judges glorification. and
 Betty heard all about the letter, the
 snuffing of the candles and the re-
 ward of five thousand dollars. It vast
 ly increased the child's sense of im-
 portanee and satisfaction when he
 discovered she had known nothing Of
 these matters until he told her Of
 them.
 Why, where would Judge Price
 get so much money. Hannibal?" she
 asked. greatly astonished.
 He won't have to get 1t, Miss Bet ty: MT. Mahaffy says he don't reckon no one will ever tell who wrote the letter-he lows the man who done that will keep pretty mum-he just
 dassent tell!" the boy explained. No. suppose not" and Betty
 saw that perhaps. after all. the judge
 had not assumed any very great nnan-
 cial responsibility.
 He can't be . coward, though. Han nibal." she added. for she under stood that the risk of personal vio- lence which he ran was genuine. She had formed her own unsympathetic estimate of him that day at Boggs'
 racs-track: Mahaffy in his blackest hour could have added nothing to 1t. Twice since then she had met him in Raleigh. which had only served to fix
 that first impression. Miss Betty, he's just like my Uncle Bob was--he ain't afraid of nothingi He totes them pistols of his-loaded If you notice good you can see
 where they bulge out his coat!' Han- nibars eyes, very round and big. | looked up into hers.
 "Is he as poor as he seems, Han-
 nibal?" inquired Betty. He never has no money. Miss Bet | ty, but 1 don't reckon he's what 8 l body would call pore" It might have bafl1ed far more mature intelligence than Hannibal's
 to comprehend those peculiar process l es by which the judge sustained him. self and his intimate fellowship with | adversity-that 1t was his magnifi- I cence of mind which made the l squalor of his daily life seem merely passing phase-but the boy had | managed to point delicate distinc- ! tion. and Betty grasped something of | tho hope and faith which never quite
 died out in Slocum Prices indomita-
 ble breast.
 But you always have enough to
 eat. dear- she questioned anxiously.
 Hannibal promptly reassured her on
 this point You wouldn't let me think anything that was not true. Han
 nibal-you are quite sure you have
 never been hungry"
 Never, Miss Betty: honest!" Betty gave a sigh of relief. She
 had been representing herself for her
 neglect of tho child: she had meant
 to do SO much for him and had done
 nothing! Now 1t was too late for her
 personally to interest herself in his
 behalf. yet before she left for the east
 she would provide for him. If she
 had felt 1t was possible to trust the
 judge she would have made him her
 agent. but even in his best aspect he
 seemed a dubious dependence. Tom,
 Tor quite different reasons. was equal
 ly out of the question. She thought
 of Mir. Mahaffy.
 What kind of . man is MT. Ma
 haffy, Hannibal?"
 l Hes an awful nice man, Miss Bet ty, only he never lets on; body's got to find it out for his own self | he ain't like the judge"
 Does he-drink, too. Hannibal?'
 questioned Betty.
 1 "Oh, yes; when he can get the l flicker, he does" It was evident that 1 Hannibal was cheerfuIly tolerant oi | this weakness on the part of the agstere Mahaffy. By this time Betty ! was ready to weep over the child
 with his knowledge of shabby vice | and his fresh young faith in those old 1 tatterdemalions.
 1 But. no matter what they do, they
 are very, very kind to your" she con l tinued tremulously.
 Yes, 'am-why, Miss Betty l they're lovely men"
 And do you ever hear the things spoken of you learned about at Mrs Ferris Sunday-school?" When the judge is drunk he talks heap about 'em. It's beautiful tc hear him then; you'd love 1t. Miss Betty" and Hannibal smiled up sweet ly into her face.
 Does he have you go to Sunday school in Raleigh"
 The boy shook his head. T aint got no clothes that's fitter to wear, nor no pennies to give, but the judge, he lows that as soon as he
 can make a raise got to go, and he'a learning mo my letters-but we ain'' book. Miss Betty. reckon It'd stump you some to guess how he'a fixed it for me to learny" Hes drawn the letters for you. ia
 that the way?" In spite of herself Betty was experiencing Q certain re vulsion of feeling where the judge and Mahaffy were concerned. They were have been worse.
 No, ma'am; he done soaked the
 label of one of MT. Pegloe's whisky bottles and pasted it on the wall just as high as my chin, sos 1 can see il
 good, and he's learning me that-a wayl Maybe you've seen the kind oi bottle I mean-Pegloes Mississippi Pilot: Pure Corn Whisky" But Han
 nlbal's bright little face fell. He was
 quick to see that the educational sys
 tem devised by the judge did not i'm press Betty at all favorably. She drew him into her arms.
 You shall have my books-the
 books I learned to read out of when was a little girl, Hannibal."