Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-03-25

oYer the land when he n hls two
companions reached Belle Plain. They
learned that Tom Ware had returned
from Memphis, that the bayou nae
been dragged but without results, and
that as yet nothing had been heard
from Darlington or the dogs he had
gone for.
Presently Cavendish and Yancy set
off across the fields. They were go
ing on to the raft, to Polly and the
six little ~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 a 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 p~urposeless talk drifted out to
him; he was irrttated and offended by,
1t. There WAS something garish in
this indiscriminate hospitality in the
very home of tragedy. AS the mo-
ments slipped by his n of dis
pleasure increased, with mankind in
general, with himself, and with the
INDEPENDENTLY with the judge
who was 10 make a foolish target of
himself in the morning. He was 60
Ing to give the man who had wrecked
his life a chance TO take it as well.
Mahaffy's cold logic dealt c~ynfcaIly
with the preposterous situation his
friend had created.
In the midst of his angry medita-
tions he heard a 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
ly about the house. He felt deeply
indignant with everybody and every
thing. Human intelligence seemed
but a pitiable advance on brute in
gtinct. 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
ahsurdity. He resumed his dark cor
ner and waited another hour. Still
NO Darlington, and Yancy and Cayen-
dish had not come up from the raft.
"Fools!" thought Mahaffy bitterly.
"All of them fools!"
AT last he decided to go back to
the Judge; and a moment later was
hurrying down the lane in the direc-
ton of the highroad, but, jaded as he
was by the effort he had already put
Tor that day, the walk to Raleigh
made tremendous demands on him,
and 1t was midnight when he entered
the little town.
It, cannot be said that he was alto
gether surprised when he found their
cottage dark and apparently desert
ed. He had half expected th!s. En-
tering, and not stopping to secure a
candle, he CROPPED his way upstairs to
the room on the second floor which
he and the judge shared.
"Price!" he called, but this gained
him no response, and he cursed soft
ly under his breath.
He hastily descended to the ktch-
en-, lighted a candle, and stepped into
the adjoining room. On the table was
a neat pile of papers, and topping tbs
pile was the presidents letter. Be
ing burdened by no false scrupIes,
and thinking it might afford some
clue to the judges whereabouts, Ma
haffy took 1t up and read it. Having
mastered Its contents he instantly
glanced In the direction of the City
Tavern, but it was wrapped in dark
ness.
Price is drunk somewhere" was
his definite conclusion. But ha'll be
at Boggs' the first thing in the morn
ing-most likely so far gone he can
hardly stand!"
The letter, with It's striking news,
made little or no impression on him
just then; 1t merely furnished the
clue he had sought. The Judge was
off somewhere marketing his pros
poets.
After a time Mahaffy went up
stairs, and, without removing his
clothes, threw himself on the bed. He
was worn down to the point of eLr
haustion, yet he could not sleep,
though the deep silence warned him
that day was not far off. What If
but he would not let the thought
shape itself in his mind. He had wit
messed the judges skill with the pis-
toll, and he had even a certain irra-
tional faith in that gentleman's des-
tiny. He prayed God that Fcntress
might die quickly and decentiy with
the judges bullet through his brain.
Over and over in savage supplication
he muttered his prayer that Fentress
might die.
Mahaffy watched for the coming OF
the dawn, but before the darkness
lifted he had risen from the bed and
gone downstairs, where he made him
self a cup of wretched coffee. Then
he blew out his candle and watched
the gray light spread. He was i'm
patient now to be of, and fully an
hour before the sun, set out for
Boggs', a tall, gaunt figure in the
shadowy uncertainty Of that October
morning. He was the first to reach
the place of meeting, but he had
scarcely entered the meadow when
Fentress rode up, attended by Tom
Ware. They dismounted, and the