Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-04-18

and piled them in Chamberlain's
hands. then took off his rusty. old
fashioned hat and filled 1t with the
rest of the fruit. Chamberlain care
fully slowed his treasures into the
wide pockets of his tweed suit
Now. sir" Squire Cady said heart
lily. well go into my office and attend
to business. I'm not equal to Cincin-
natus. whom they found plowing his
field. but can take care of my gar
den Come in. sir. come in
Chamberlain followed the tall spare
old figure into the house. The squire
disappeared with his pears, leaving
his visitor in the narrow hall; but he
returned in a moment and led the way
into his office. 1t was a large. rag
carpeted room, filled with all those
worsted knicknacks which women
make, and Uttered comfortably with
books and papers.
Squire Cady put on fiowered dress
ing-gown, drew pair of spectacles
out of pocket, bandana handker-
chief from another, and requested
Chamberlain to sit down and make
himself at home. The two men sat
racing each other near a tall secre-
tary whose pigeonholes were stuffed
with papers in all stages of the yell
lowing process. Squire Cady's face
was yellowing, like his papers, and 1t
was wrinkled and careworn; but his
eyes were bright and humorous. and
his voice pleasant. Chamberlain
thought he liked him.
Come to get a marriage license?"
the squire inquired. Chamberlain i'm
mediately decided that he didn't like
him, but he foolishly blushed.
No. it's another sort of matter" he
said stifiy
Not marriage license. All right.
my boy" agreed Squire Cady.
"'Tisn't the fashion to marry young
nowadays. know. though twas the
fashion in my day. Not a wedding!
What them"
Then Chamberlain set to work to
tell his story. Placed, as 1t were. face
to face with the law, he realized that
he was but poorly equipped for car
rying on actual proceedings. even
though they might be against Belial
himself; but he made a good front
and persuaded Squire Cady that there
was something to be done. The squire
was visibly affected at the mention OF
the old red house. and fell into n
| revery, looking off toward the fields
and tapping his spectacles on the desk.
Hercules Thayer and l read Latin
together when we were boys" he said,
turning to Chamberlain with a remi-
niscent smile on his old face. And he
licked me for liking Hannibal better
than Scipio." He laughed heartily.
The faces of the old sometimes be-
come like pictured parchments. and
seem to be lighted from within by a
faint, steady CLEAN, almost more beau
tiful than the fire of youth. As Cham
berlain looked, he decided once more.
and finally, that he liked Squire Cady.
But l got even with Hercules on
Horace" the squire went on. chuckling
at his memories. However" he
sighed, as he turned toward his desk
again, this Isn't getting out that war
rant for you. We don't want any
maIefactors loose about Charlesport:
but you'll have to be sure you know
what you're doing. Do you know the
man-can you identify him?"
81 think | should know him; but In
any case Miss Redmond at the old red
house can identify him."
I'VE don't want to arrest anybody
till we're sure we know what we're
about-that's poor law" said Squire
Cady. in a pedagogical and sQuire-ish
tone. as II Chamberlain were a mere
boy. But the Englishman didn't mind
that.
II think / can satisfy you that we've
got the right man." he answered IF
find him and bring him to the old red
house this afternoon. SO that Miss Red
mond can identify him. will you have
a sheriff ready to serve the warrant!'
"Yes, ] can do that.
Very well. then. and thank you,
sir" said Chamberlain, moving to-
ward the door. And I'm keen on
hearing how you got even with Mr..
| Thayer on the Horace"
The light behind the squire's parch-
ment face cleaned moment.
Come back. my boy. when you've
done your duty by the law. Every
citizen should be protector as well
as a keeper of the law. So come
again; the latchstring is always out"
1t was mid-morning before the de-
tails connected with the sheriff were
completed By this time Chamber
lain's heavy but sound temperament
had lifted itself to its task. gaining
momentum as the hours went by. His
next step was to search out the
F'renchman. The meager information
obtained the day before was to the ef-
feet that the marooned yachtowner
had taken refuge in one of the shacks
near the granite docks in the upper
part OF the village. He had persuaded
the caretaker of the sailors reading
| raa,, IN land him nnnev with which