The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1912-06-07
CHAPTER xvI-(continued).

=
There you go. Price" began Ma
haffy.
Solomon. this Is no time for me TO
hang back. ! shall offer a reward or
five thousand dollars for this informa-
ton" The judges tone was resolute.
Yes, sir, shall make the figure com
mensurate with the poignant grief 1
feel He was my friend and client"
The next morning it was discovered
that some time during the night the
Judge had tackled his anonymous COM
munication on the court house door;
just below 1t was another sheet OF pa
per covered with bold script:
ITO Whom 1t May Concern:
Judge Slocum Price assumes that
the above was intended for him since
he found it under his office door on
the morning of the twenty-tifth inst.
Judge Price begs leave to state 1t
as his unqualified conviction that the
writer is a coward and cur, and
offers reward of five thousand dol
lars for any information that will lead
to his identification"
Tom Ware was seated alone over
his breakfast. He had left his bed
as the pale morning light crept across
the great fields that were alike his
pride and his despair-what was the
use of trying to sleep when sleep was
an impossibility! He was about to
quit the table when big Steve en-
tered the room to say there was
white fellow at the door.
Fetch him along In here" said
Ware.
The white fellow delivered pen
ciled note from Murrell. When he
was gone. the planter ordered his
horse.
AS Ware rode away from Belle
Plain he cursed Murrell under his
breath. His own inclination toward
evil was never robust; he could have
connived over long period of years
to despoil Betty of her property, but
murder and abduction was quite an
other thing
Three miles from Belle Plain he en-
tered bride path that led toward
the river A growth of small timber
was standing along the waters edge.
but as he drew nearer, those better
ments which the resident of that
lonely spot had seen fit to make for
his own convenience, came under his
scrutiny; these consisted of a log
cabin and several lesser sheds.
Landing, he advanced toward the
cabin. AS he did so he saw two WON
en- at work heckltng flax under an
open shed. They were the wife and
daughter of George Hicks. his over
Iseers brother.
Morning, Mrs. Hicks" he said. adj
dressing himself to the mother, a
hulking rutfian OF a woman. Any
body with the captain?"
Colonel Fentress Is"
''Humphl" muttered Ware. He
moved to the door of the cabin and
entered the room where Murren and
Fentress were seated facing each
other across the breakfast table.
We'll, what the devil do you want
OF me, anyhow" demanded the
planter.
"How's your sister, Tom?' inquired
Murrell.
II reckon she's the way you'd ex-
pect her to be-" Ware dropped his
voice to a whisper.
"Jchn. you'll ruin yourself with
your damned crazy infatuation!" 1t
was Fentress who spoke.
No. l won't, colonel, but I'm not
going to discuss that. All | want is
for Tom to go to Memphis and stay
there for couple of days. When he
comes back Belle Plain and its mig
gers will be as good as his. | am go
ing to take the girl away from there
tonight. How soon can you get away
from here, Tom?" he asked abruptly.
by God, | can't go too soon!" cried
the planter, staggering to his feet He
gave Fentress a hopeless beaten look
You're my witness that first and last
I've no part In thisi"
The colonel shrugged his shoulders.
Murren reached out a hand and rest
ed 1T on Wares arm.