The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-07-17
Copyrights 1914 By Bobbs-Merrill %.
CHAPTER XXX.

tience, for he had used the knocker
more than once without result. Now
he strobe to the end of the porch
and raised his voice in a stentorian
below that brought Uncle Jefferson
shutting around the path from the
kitchens with all the whites of his
eyes showing.
"You dog-gone lazy rascal" thun-
dered the major. what do you mean,
sab, by keeping gentleman cooling
his heels on the doorstep like a tax
collector? Where's your master?"
go de Lawd, Major, All aim seen
Mars John sence dis mawnin'. staht
out aftah breakfas' en- he nevah
showed up ergin ct all. Yo' reck'n
whit de mattah, subj" he added anx.
iously. "'Peahs LAX sumpin' preyin'
on he mind. Dom seem er bit hesef
lately" .rl
"H-m-m!" The major looked thought
full. isn't he well?" i,e.s,
"No, sub. Aim ct no morn er hum
min-buhd desc las few days. Jes'
hangs eroun' lonesome LAX. Dom
laugh no mo-, dom sing, no mo-. Aim
play de PLAINLY sence de day aftah de
ball. Me en- Daph moghtly pestered
bout him" .s, ... ..s.,a..
"Pshaw!" said the major. Touch
of spring fever, rackon. Aunt Daph
feeds him too we'll. Give him less
fried chicken and more ash-cake and
buttermilk. Make him some juleps."
The old negro shook his head.
"Moghty neah use up all dat mint.
bald All foun'." he said, "but ain do
no good. Majah, Abs sho' feahed
sumpia' gwineter happen"
Nonsense" the major shifted.
What fool ideas got under your wool
now? Been seeing Mad Anthony
again, I'll bet dollar" ...
Uncle Jefferson swallowed once or
twice with seeming difficulty and
turned the gravel with his toe. Oats
So" he said gloomily. "Ah done see
de old man de ~yuddah day bout ct
Ant'y, he know! He see trouble er.
comm en- trouble er-gwine. Dat same
night de hoss-shoe drop often de
stable do, en- dis ve'y mawnin' er
buhd done fly inter de house. Das
er mighty bad hoodoo, er mighty bad
hoodoo!"
"Shucks!" said the major. you're
as loony as old Anthony, with your
Internal signs. If your Mars Johns
been out all day reckon he'll turn
up before long. I'll wait for him q
while" He started in, but paused on
the threshold. did you say-ah--
that mint was all gone. Unc' Jeffer
son"
Uncle Jefferson's lips relaxed in 9
wide grin. "Ah reck'n dahs er few
stray sprigs lef, sub. Step in en- mel
yo'sef ct home. Eff Mars John see
yo, he be mought1y hoped up. Al
gwineter mix yo' dat julep In two
shakes!"
He disappeared around the corner
Of the porch and the major strobe into
the hall, threw his gray SLOUGH ha
1t was quiet and peaceful, that an
cient hall. He fell to thinking of thu
many times, Of old, when he had sa
there. The house was the same again
now. It had walked from a thirty
years slumber to a renewed prime
Only he had lived on meanwhile ant
now was old. He sighed.
How gay the place had been thu
night of the ball, with the lights ant
roses and music! He remembered
what the doctor had said about Val
liant and Shirley-it had lain eve
since in his mind, painful specuIa
ton. The recollection reused anothe
thought from which he shrank. HI
stirred uneasily. What on earth KEEP
that old darby so long over that julep
A slight noise made him TURN hi
head. But nothing moved. Only
creak of the woodwork, he thought
and settled back again in his chair.
1t was, in fact, a stealthy footfal
he had heard. 1t came from tn
library, where a shabby fgur
crouched, listening, In the corner bt
hind the tapeetried serena ma
evilly clad, with SCARED cheek.
It had been with no good purpos
that Greet King had logged the majo
these last few days. He Rugged a he
hatred grown to white heat In 81
years. of prison labor within blea
walls at the clicking fshoe-machine, @
with the chain-gang on blazing Q
frosty turnpikes. He had skunk b.
hind him that afternoon, creeping u
the drive under cover Of the bushes
and while the other talked with Uncl
Jefferson. had skirted the house an
entered, from the farther side, throug
an open French window. Now as h
peered from behind the screen.
poker, snatched- from the fireplac,
was in his hand. His furtive gaze fe
upon morocco-covered case ON
commode by his side. He lifted II
lid and his eyes narrowed as he sa'
that 1t held pistol. He set dow
the poker noiselessly and took th