The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-11-27
THE
BY FREDERICK TREVOR HILL
BY FREDERICK TREVOR HILL

IF l had known o longer" I re-
turned impulSive!y. Il would dare +,
say that anything | could do woulj
gladly do for your mere asking. Blu,
this
paused, fearing that l had ALREADY
sail too much. and said it badly. II
was she vino broke the long silence
which followed. and when she smoke
her voice had regained it's usual calm.
ness.
II had no right to urge you against
your Judgment" she began, nor to
speak as l did
You have every right which l can
give" l interrupted warmly. land l am
more than sorry
please forget what l asked" she re-
sponded quietly.
The note of distress in her voice
could not be disregarded, but l chose
my W method of retreat.
Il do not wan to forget any part of
this day" l protested.
She rose and stood behind me, silent
ly gazing out at the peaceful landscape,
but l was .loath to give eve a sugges-
ton OF returning to the house and re-
NAMED seated at her feet.
1T has been glorious. hasn't it p" she
exclaimed at last. Don't you fairly
love those colors" She spread out
her arms to the distant hillsides as she
spoke. and there hasn't been a cloud
in the sky"
"Only one" I answered, without
looking skyvard.
And that has gone now" she assert
ed cheerfully. Look at the friendly
little moon watching us. Not that
way, stupid. That's unlucky. Over
your other shoulder.."
With her hands covering my eyes it
took some little guidance to turn me in
the safe direction.
confess that l had some thought of
driving to Melton via Pollicet in the
morning. but on reconSidering the mat
ter decided to take the shortest road
to the county seat and return by the
roundabout way later in the day, yari.
GUS considerations urged this change
Of plan, but my chief concern was to
rid myself of all connection with the
Emory case before l again saw the
Fraynes.
h little town Of Melton was in a
hustle of excitement and expectancy
as drew up at the hotel. People from
all parts OF the county had been arriv-
ing all the morning, and the very lin
TIED accommodations for visitors were
taxed to their utmost capacity. The
regular session Of the court, ALWAYS
more or less OF an occasion and mar
ket meeting for the surrounding coun-
try, had not only attracted the usual
local gathering. but had also drawn re-
porters from the city newspapers and
the small mob of city idlers which fol
lows in their wake at the reckoning of
sensation. l found that l was already
Il person Of some Importance to the ex-
pectant throngs assembled in the hotel
lobby. More than once as l elbowed
my way to the Office desk l heard NV
self alluded to as the foreman" and
in som instances the was not
t1attering.
What? Not that Ratchet faced bean
pole in the city clothes::" WHISPERED
a voice behind me.
Yes hush.' cautioned another
speaker.
I'm! Glad he's not sitting on nv
case, aren't you: Too clean cut. soft
E~anded-and hard hearted-eh:'
"1ou can't tell. l like 'cm with blue
jeans and whiskers myself most of tho
term, but occasionally You find one of
ms kind who's soft as a poached egg"
ran the gauntlet of my critics at last
reaching the office desk. inquired
for Judge Dudley. He had gone to his
chambers in the courthouse. | was in
formed, and a few minutes later 7 nra.
my card at his door.
The Hon. Cephas Dudley was a
Judge who sustained the dignity of his
court in his W person. Indeed, il
was said that his protruding lower lin
could hold court all by itself. Certain
~ a less distinguished looking man
have dared to appear in
the garb which his honor habitually
affected. His rusty old %broadcloth
coat, low cut waistcoat and black shoe
string tie with absurdly long ends
would have excited ridicule in another
But no one ever thought OF
laughing at the Hon. Justice Dudley.
The majestic personality OF the man
forbade the thought Of such a liberty.
His face was parched and so wrinkled
the mere thought Of his shaving
made II shudder, and yet his chin
md lips were always most scrupulous.
~ clean. His hair, brushed straight
back from his forehead and covering
his coat collar, was perfectly white,
and a white fringe Of whiskcrs bris-
tied upward from his neck, but his
eyes, hawklikc in their brightness.
that he was still mentally
alert and vigorous, and his bearing
was that Of a young man. In a word.