The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-07-22


edge of civilization to his own
ends, and that what he had christ |
ened the Clan had become an
elaborate organization, disciplined
and flexible to his ruthless will.
Look here, what do you think l
have been working for-to steal q
few niggers! That furnishes us
with money, but you can push the
trade too hard and too far. The
planters are uneasy. The Clans
got to deal a counter blow or go
out of business. Between here and
the gulf" he made q wide sweep
ing gesture with his arm. Il am
spotting the country with my men;
there are two thousand active work
ers on the rolls Of the Clan, and as
many more like you, Tom-and
Fentress-on whose friendship I
can rely"
Sure as God, John Murrell, you
are overreaching yourself. Your
white men are all right, they've
got to stick by you; If they don't
they know it's only q question Of
time until they get a knife driven
into thex ribs-but niggers-there
isn't any real fight in a Niger, if
there was they wouldn't be here"
yet you couldn't have made the
whites in Hayti believe that" said
Murrell, with a sinister smile.
Ware, feeling the entire useless
ness of argument, uttered string
of imprecations, and then fell
silent.
We'll. how about the girl, Tom ?"
asked Murrell at length. Listen
to me, Tom. I'll take her away,
and Belle Plain is yours-land,
stock and niggers!" said Murrell.
Ware shifted and twisted in his
seat.
do you want the land and the
niggers? I reckon you'll have to
take them whether you want them
or not, for I'm going to have the
girl"
CHAPTER XIV.
! The Judge Sees q Ghost.
Charley Norton's good offices did
not end when he had furnished
Judge Price with a house, for Betty
required Of him that he should sup
ply that gentleman with legal bust
ness as we'll.
Thus it happened that Judge
Price, before he had been three days
in Raleigh, received a civil note
from Mr.. Norton asking him to
search the title to a certain timber
tract held by one Joseph Quad
The judge, powerfully excited, told
Mahaffy he was being understood
and appreciated.
The immediate result of Norton:
communication had been to send tn,
judge up the street to the cour
house. He would show his Glen
that he could be punctual ant
painstaking.
Entering the court house, HI
found himself in narrow hall H.
was already known to this officia
whose nam was Saul, and he nov
greeted him.
"A little matter of business bring.
, me here. sir" began the Judge, will
a swelling chest and mellow &C
cents. Il am in some haste to lool
up title for my client, Mr.. Nor
| ton"
: Mr.. Saul scrambled up out of tn,
depths Of his chair and exertet
himself in the judges behalf.
This is what you want, sir. Bet
ter take the ledger to the window
J. the light in here amt much" H,
drew forward a chair as he spoke
and the judge, seating himself, be
!, gan to polish his spectacles will
5 great elaboration.
: You've set on the beach, sir :?
suggested Mr.. Saul.
l I'm one of the eastern counties
but my inclination has never beef
toward the judiciary" He wa
4 turning the leaves of the ledger a
he spoke. Suddenly the movemen
3 of his hand was arrested.
S Found it," asked Mr.. Saul. Blu
3 the judge gave him no answer; h.
was staring down at the open page
t of the book. Found the entry?" re
d peated Mr.. Saul.
"Eh-what's that? No" he an
( peared to hesitate. who is thi
man Quintard?"
e He's the owner of a hundred
thousand-acre tract in this an,
r abutting counties" said Mr.. Saul
: who has charge of the land ?"
Colonel Fentfess; he was oil,
General Wares law partner. w
e heard it was the general who go
r this man Quintard to make the in
vestment, but that was before m,
). time"
t The judge lapsed into silence.
u A step sounded in the marrow
: hall. An instant later the door wa
pushed open, and grateful for an
n interruption that would serve t
t take Mr.. Sauls attention from him
self, the judge abruptly turned hi
y back on the clerk and began to ex
n anime the record before him. In
y sensibly, however, the cold, leve
t. tones of the voice that was address
ing itself to Mr.. Saul quickened tn
beat of his pulse, the throb of hi
heart, and struck back through tn
o years to a day from which he reck
n oned time. He turned slowly, as
It in dread.
IL What he saw was man vergin
e on so, lean and dark, with thir
l. shaver cheeks of a blush cas-
ID r<~