The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1914-06-25
CHAPTER XXX.
The EVENING Of an old Score.

NAAARC0 III LILO 81 cat UOOI Vi D0mOIy
court. The sound had a tang of impa
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?"
70 de Lawd, Major. All ain seen
Mars John sence dis mawnin' Staht
out aftah breakfas' en- he nevah
showed up ergin ct all. Yo' reck'n
whut de mattah, subj" he added anx-
iously. 'Peahs lax sumpin' preyin'
on he mind Don seem er bit hese'f
lately"
"H-m-m!" The major looked thought
fnl. isn't he well?"
mo, sub. Ain ct no morn er hum
min-buhd desc las few days. Jes'
hangs eroun' lonesome lax. Dom
laugh no mo-, don sing no mo-. Aim
play de PLAINLY sence de day aftah de
ball. Me en- Daph moghtIy pestered
bout him"
"Pshaw!" said the major. Touch
OF spring fever, l 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
sumpi1' gwineter happen"
'NonsenseI" 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
hoodooI"
"Shucksi" said the major. You're
as loony as old Anthony, with your
internal signs. Il your Mars Johns
been out all day reckon he'll turn
up before long. I'll wait for him a
while" He started in, but paused on
the threshold. Did you say-ah-
that mint was all gone, Unc' Jeffer-
SOM"
Uncle Jefferson's lips relaxed in a
wide grin. 'Ah reck'n dah's er few
stray sprigs lef', sub Step in en- mex
yo'sef ct home. Eff Mars John see
yo', he be mought1y hoped up. All |
gwineter mix yo' dat julep in two
shakesI"
He disappeared around the corner
Of the porch and the major strobe into
the hall, threw his gray SLOUGH hat
on the table. and sat down.
1t was quiet and peaceful that an
cient hall He fell to thinking of the
many times, of old, when he had sat
here. The house was the same again,
now. 1t had walked from a thirty
years slumber to a renewed prime.
Only he had lived on meanwhile and
low was old. He sighed.
How gay the place had been the
light of the ball, with the lights and
oses and music! He remembered
What the doctor had said about Val
ant and Shirley-it had lain ever
ince in his mind, painful specula-
ion. The recollection reused another
bought from which he shrank. He ,
TIRED uneasily. What on earth kept !
hat old darby so long over that julep?
A slight noise made him turn his 6
cad. But nothing moved. Only a !
reak of the woodwork, he thought,
nd settled back again in his chair. !
1t was, in fact, stealthy football ,
g had heard. 1t came from the 4
brary, where shabby figure Q
rouched, listening, in the corner be- q
ind the tapeetried serena man f
Willy clad, with SCARED cheek. r
1t had been with no good purpose v
lat Greet King had logged the major |;
lese last few days. He Rugged hot r
aired grown to white heat in six 4
ears of prison labor within bleak
alls at the clicking shoe-machine, or Il
18th the chaingang on blazing or O
osty turnpikes. He had skunk be- Ii
md him that afternoon, creeping up Il
lie drive under cover of the bushes, 81
Id while the other talked with Uncle d
had skirted the house and a.
ltered from the farther side, through VI
/ open French window. Now as he d,
sered from behind the screen. a n,
'ker, snatched from the fireplace, q
as In his hand. His furtive gaze fell in
ION a morocco-covered case on a
by his side, He lifted it's m
and his eyes narrowed as he saw a
at 1t held pistol He set down 81
e poker noiselessiy and took the hi
'apon. He tilted it-it was rusteo. OF
[ there were loads in the chambers. tn
, crouched lower, with whispered
rse: the major was coming into the he
rary, but not alone-the old niger ba
8 with him! sli
Uncle Jefferson bore tray with fe,