I wfl
16
8YN0PSI3.
The nrcnc nl thn oprnlnu of the Btory l
fnld In tho ilhrnry of on old worn-nut
toiitlicrn plantation, known as tlm H'Jf"
tiny. Tim iiluce Is to bo Hold, nnd "
history nnil that of tho owners. I"
QiilntnnK in tin mibjrct of dliieusiilori W
Jonathan CrcnMmw, a IuhIiii-h man.
tniMKcr known hk IIIikIhi. anil noli
Yn.icy, a fiirmrr, when tlnntilhnl Wnytio
lluzanl. a rnvnlerlmiH child of Hit old
outhcrn family, iiiiuwn hi npni-nriincn
Ynncy tell how hti mloptnl tho hoy N't
timolol Kerrls buyH llm llnrotiv, hut the
yiilntnrdit deny any knowlcilKo of the
hoy. Ynncy to keep lluiitilbnl. I'nplaln
Mtirrcll. n friend of tin Qulntnnls, up
peiirn nnd hsUs iiiptlnn nhout thu Hnr
ony. Trouble nt Scratch Mill, when Hun
nllinl In klilnnped by Onvo Hloiiut. Cnp
Inln Murrell'a intent. Ynney overtuken
Mount. kvk him 11 thrnnhliiK nnd ei'iirns
tho boy. Yfliiry HtiixmiH t'cfora Hiiulri'
llulaitiii. nnd In dlHc'lnirKi'd with coitls for
tho nlnlntirr. Hetty ftlnltuy, a friend of
the 1'VrrlneM, him on encounter with Cnp
tnln Murrell, who forces hln iittcntlonx on
tier, nnd In rrmuied by tlrilre t'arrliiKton.
Hetty etn out for her Tonnensuo homo.
t.'nrrliiKtori tukea the mime Miiki". Ynncy
nnd lliinnlhnl dlMippcnr, with Murrell on
their trull. Mnnnlbitl iirrUin nt ihn homo
, of JudKR Hlocuin l'rlcn. The JuiIku recoK
nlita In Iih tinv. ttm irrunilMon of nil old
tlmu friend. Murrell hi riven nt JuiIki-'m ,
iioiiio. UnvendlBh family on raft reiicuo
Ytiney. who In appurviuly dead. Price
lireukn Jull. Hetty and (Jurrlnxton nrrlve
at Hello Plain. Iliinriltml'ii rllle iIIncIohcm
ome Hliirlllnit thliiKH to tho Jmlm Mini
nlbal nod Hetty meet aa1n. Murroll or
rived In Helli; I'lnlti. Ih pluyltitf for IiIk
ttuken. Ynncy nwnken from Ioiik drenm
leH bleep on board the raft. Jmltfr Trice
innlU'H ntnrtlliiK ilhcuviTlrn In looking up
laud titles, ("hurley Norton, a yoiinn
Planter, who iihmIkId the JuiIk''. In myH
liuloiisly lutnnulted. Norton ItifnriiiH Cur
rliiKton that Hetty Iiiih promised to nmrry
hlin. Norton In inynlirioiwly nhot. More
IlKht on Murrcll'a plot. He plain tiprl
Iiik of neKroen. JuiIko Price, with I Intuit
tiiil, vInIIh Hetty, and nho keep the hoy
an a companion. In a Htroll lluty taken
with lliirinltml they meet llenn Mlckn,
rlmiRliter of tho overnecr. who wiirnM
Hetty of datiKur mid eounieN her to
leave Hello Plain nt once. Hetty, terrl
lied, nctn on Henn' advice, and on their
way their eurrliiKe It ntoppiM by Hlossou.
the tavern keeper, nnd a confederate, and
Hetty and lliinnlhnl urn made prlnonurn.
CHAPTER XIX (Continued).
Ah they mumbled forward through
(ho thick obscurity ho continued IiIh
porfionnt ruvclntlotifl, tho proBcnt en
torprlno hnvltiR roused whatever thoro
was of Bctitlmcnt Hliimherlng In his
houI. At InBt thoy came out on a
wldo bayou; n white mint hungnbovu
It, nnd on the low Hhore leaf nnd
branch were dripping with tho night
down. Keeping closo to tho wtiter'fl
edge HloKKon led tho way to a point
where ti skirt was drawn up on tho
bank. k
"Step In, ma'am," bo said, when he
bad launched It.
"I will go no fnrthor!" nald Hetty
In desperation. Sho felt an over
nianterlng Tear, tho full horror ot the
unknown lay hold of her, and Rho gave
h plorclng cry for help. HloaRon swung
about on his heel and seized her For
u moment shd struggled to escape,
but tho man's big hand pinioned her.
"No more of that!" bo warned, then
he recovered himself and laughed.
"You could yell till you was blnck in
the face, ma'am, and tbero'd bo no
one to hear you."
"Where aro you taking mo?" and
Hetty's voice faltered between tho
sudden sobs that choked hor.
"Just across to Ocorge Hlcks's."
"For what purpose?"
"You'll know In plenty of time."
And Slosson leerod at hor through the
darkness.
"Hannibal Is to go with me?" asked
Hetty tremulously.
"8ure!" agreed Slosson affably.
"Your nigger, too quite a party."
Uetty stepped Into the skirt. She
felt her hopes quicken she waB think
ing of Hess; whatovcr the girl's mo
tives, she bad wished her to escape.
Bhe would wish It now more than
ever since the very thing she had
striven to prevent had happened.
SloiBon seated himself nnd took up
the oars, Dunker followed with Man
nlbal and ( thoy pushed off. No word
was spoken until tbey disembarked on
the opposite shore, whon Slosson ad
dressed Hunker.
"I reckon I can manage that young
rlp-staver; you go back urter Sberrod
and the nigger," ho said.
' He conducted his captives up the
bank and they entered a clearing.
Looking across this Uetty saw whoro
a cabin window framed a single
square or light. They advanced to
ward this and presently the dark out
line of tho cabinet ttueir became dis
tinguishable. A moment later Slos
son paused, a door yielded to his
hand, and Uetty and tho boy were
thrust Into the room whoro Murrell
bad held his conference with Fentress
and Ware. The two women were now
Us only occupants, and the mother,
gross and shapolcsB, turned an ex
pressionless faco on the intruders;
but the daughter shrank Into the
shadow, her burning glance fixed on
Uetty.
"Here's yo guests, old lady!" said
Mr, 'Slosson. Mrs. Hicks rose from
the three-legged stool on which she
was sitting.
"Hand me the candle, lless," she
ordered.
At one side of the room was a steep
Dlght ot stairs whloh gave access to
Hn ln n..A.l.n.J m ....
w vnKiucuu. wrs. ttiCKB, Dy R
gesture, signified that Uetty and Han
nibal wore to ascend those stairs ;
thoy did bo and found themselves on
a uurruw landing Inclosed by a nar.
tWou ot rough planks; this partition
By
Coeroi!
"Here's Yo' Guests,
was pierced by a low door. Mrs.
Hicks, who had followed cIoro at
their heels, handed the caudle to Uet
ty. "In yonder!" sho said briefly, nod
ding toward the door.
"Walt!" cried Hetty In n whisper.
"No," Raid tho woman with an nl
most ninBCtillne nurlineRS or tone. "I
got nothing to say." Bhe pushed them
Into tho attic, and, closing tho door,
fastened it with u stout wooden bar.
Hr-yond that door, which seemed to
havo closed on every hope, Hetty held
the tallow dip aloft, nnd by Its uncer
tain and lllckerlng llgnt surveyed her
prlhon. Tho hrleteBt glance Hutllced.
The room contained two shako-down
beds and n stool; thcro was a window
In tho gable, but a piece of heavy
plank was spiked berore it.
"Miss Hetty, don't you bo scared,"
whispered Hannibal. "When the judge
hoars wo'ro gone, him and Mr. Ma
huffy will try to llnd us. They'll go
right off to Hello 1'lntn the ludgo Is
always wanting to do that, only Mr.
Mnhaffy never lets htm but now he
won't bo able to stop him."
"Oh, Hannibal, Hannibal, what can
he do there what can nny ono do
there?" And a dead pallor over
spread tho girl's face. To speak or
tho blind groping of hor friends but
served to fix tho horror ot their situ
ation in her mind.
"I don't know, Miss Hetty, but the
judge Is always thinking of things to
do; seoms like they was mostly things
no one elso would ever think of."
Uetty hnd placed the candlo on the
stool and seated herself on ono of the
beds. There was tho murmur of
voices in the room below; she won
dered If her fate was under considera
tion and whnt that fate was to bo.
Hannibal, who hnd been exnmlning
tho window, returned to hor side-
"Miss Hetty, If wo could just get
out of this lott wo could steal their
skiff and row down to tho river; l
reckon tbey got just the one boat;
the only wny they could get to us
would bo to swim out, and if thoy
done that wo could pound 'em over
tho hrad with tho oars tho least lit
tle Mttng sinks you when you're in
the water." Uut this murderous fancy
or his failed to Interest Uetty.
Presently they heard Sherrod nnd
Hunker coino up from the Bhoro with
I! cor go. Hlosfon joined them and
there was a brief discussion, then an
Interval of silence, and tho sound ot
voices again as tho three white men
moved back across tho Hold in the
direction of tho bayou. There suc
ceeded a period of utter stillness,
both in tho cnbln and In the clear
ing, a somber bush that plunged Het
ty yet deeper In despair. Wild
thoughts assailed her. thoughts against
which sho struggled with all the
strength of her will.
In that hour of stress Hannibal was
sustained by his faith in the Judge.
Ho saw his patron's powerful and
plcturesquo Intelligence npplled to
solving the roystory of their dlsap
psaranco from Hello Plain; It was In
- ' sH
fin jw' nmk i rra' S4.,i
vw .Hi
I 'W(S W ' ' '! k las 1
THE
PRODIGAL
JUDGE
VUGH AN KESTER.
UtSTiATtOffS BVD.MELVU
, rePoifs Mt0i,ii CoMMnr
Old Woman I"
conceivable that this could prove
otherwise than disastrous to Mr. Slos
son, and ho endeavored to share tho
conlldonce ho was feeling with Uetty,
but there wns something so forced
and ttnnnttiral In tho girl's voice nnd
manner when she discussed his con
jectures that ho quickly fell Into an
awed silence. At last, nnd It must
have been some tlmo after midnight,
troubled slumbers claimed him. No
moment or forgetrttlness came to Uet
ty. Sho was waiting for what sho
did not know! Tho candlo burnt low
er and lowor and finally went out and
sho waB left In darkness, but again
she was conscious of sounds from tho
room below. At first It was only n
word or a sentence, then tho guardod
speech became a steady monotone
that ran deep into tho night. Kveu
tunlly this ceased and Hotty fancied
sho beard sobs.
CHAPTER XX.
Murrell 8hows His Hand.
At length points of light began to
show through chinks In the togs. Han
nibal roused and sat up, rubbing hla
oyes with the backs ot his bands.
"Wasn't you able to sleep nono?" he
Inquired. Uotty shook her head, tio
looked at her with un expression or
troubled concert!. "How soon do you
teckon the Judge will know?" he
asked.
"Very soon now, dear." Hannibal
was greatly consoled by this opinion.
"Miss Uetty, he will lovo to tlnd
us "
"Hark! What was that?" ror Hetty
hnd caught tho distant splash of oars
Hannibal round a chink In tho logs
through which by dint or much squint.
Ing ho secured a partial vlow or the
bayou.
"Thoy'ro retching up a keel boat to
tho shoro, Miss Hetty It's a whoop
er!" he announced Hetty's heart
Rank; sho never doubted the purpose
lor which that bout was brought Into
the bayou, or that It nearly concerned
herself.
Half an hour later Mrs. Hicks ap
peared with their breakfast. It was
In vain that Hetty attempted to en
gngo her In conversation. Kithor sho
cherished some personal reeling of
dlsllko for her prlhoner, or else the
situation In which sho herself was
placed bad little to recommend It,
even to her dull mind, and her dis
satisfaction was expressed In her at
titude toward the girl.
Hotty passed tho long hours of
morning in dreary speculation con
cerning what was happening nt Hello
Plain. In the end Rhe realized that
the day could go by and her absenco
occasion no alarm. Steve might rea
sonably suppose (leorgo had driven
her Into Raleigh or to the Howens'
and that sho bad kept tho carriage
Finally all her hopo centered on Judge
Price. Ho would expect Hannibal dur
ing tho morning; porhnps whon the
boy did not arrive ho would be tempt
ed to go out to Hello Plain to dis
cover tho reason of bis non-appear-
unco. She wondered what theories
would offer themselves to his In
genious mind, for she 'sensed some
thing of that indomitnble energy
which In tho face of rebuffs and
laughter carried him Into the thick of
every sensation.
At noon Mrs. Hicks, as sullen as in
tho morning, brought them their din
ner. She had scarcely quitted the loft
when a shrill whistle pierced tho si
lence that hung abovo the cloarlng.
It was twlco repeated, and tho two
women were heard o go from tho
cnbln. Perhapa half an hour elnpsed,
then a step became audible on tho
packed enrth of tho dooryard. Some
one entered tho room below nnd be
gan to ascend the narrow stairs, and
Hetty's lingers closed convulsively
about Hannibal's. This wns neither
Mrs. Hicks nor hor daughter, nor
Slosson with his clumsy shutllo. Thcro
wns a brief pause when tho landing
wan reached, but It was only momen
tary; n band lirted the bar, tho door
was thrown open, and Its spaco
framed the llguro of a man. It was
John Murrell.
Standing there he regarded Hotty In
silence, but a deep-seated tiro glowed
In his sunken eyes. Tho senso of pos
session was raging through him, his
temples throbbed, a fever stirred his
blood. Love, such as It was, he un
doubtedly relt for her, nnd oven his
giant project, with nil Its monstrous
ramifications, wns lost sight of for tho
moment. Sho wns the Inspiration ror
It all, the goal and reward for which
ho struggled.
"Hetty!" tho Blnglo word fell softly
from his lips. Ho stepped Into the
100m, closing the' door as he did so.
The girl's eyes were dilating with a
mute horror, for by somo swift, In
tuitive process of tho mind, which
asked nothing of tho logic of events,
but deult only with conclusions, Mur
rell stood revealed as Norton's mur
derer. Perhaps -no read her thoughts,
but ho had lived in hlB degenerate
ambitions until the common judg
ments or the understanding or them
no longer existed ror him. That Uet
ty had loved Norton seemed Inconse
quential even; it was a moniory to
bo swept awuy by the force ot his
greater passion. So he watched her
smilingly, but back of the smllo was
the menace of unleashed impulse.
"Can't you find some word of wel
come for mo, Hotty?" ho asked at
length, still sottly, still with some
thing of entreaty In his tone.
"Then It was you not Tom who
hnd me brought here!" She could
havo thanked God hnd It been Tom,
whoso bnte wns not to be feared as
sho feared this man's love.
"Tom no!" and Murrell laughed.
"You didn't think I'd give you up? 1
am standing with a halter about my
neck, and nit for your Bake who'd
risk us much for lovo of you?" He
seemed to expand with savage pride
that this was so, and took a step to
ward her.
"Don't come near me!"tcrled Hetty.
Her eycB blazed, and sho looked at
him with loathing.
"You'll learn to be kinder," he ex
ulted. "You wouldn't seo me at Uulle
Plain; what wns left for me but to
have you brought here?"
Wbllo Murrell was speaking the sig
nal that had told of bis own presence
on the opposite shoro of the bayou
waB heard again. This served to ar
rest his attention. A look or uncer
tainty passed over bis face, then be
made an impatient gesture as If bo
dismissed some thought that had
forced itself upon him, and turned
to Uetty.
"You don't ask what my purpose Is
where you aro concerned; you havo
no curiosity on that score'.'" She en
deavored to meet his glance with a
glance no resolute, then her eyes
Bought the boy's upturned race. "1
nm going to send you down river, Uet-
ty. Later I shall Join you in New Or
leans, and when I leave the country
you shall go with mo "
"Never!" gasped Uetty.
"As my wlfo, or however you choose
to call It. I'll teach you what a man's
lovo Is like," he boasted, und extend
ed his hand. Hetty shrank from him,
nnd his band roll at his side. He
looked at her steadily out or his deep
sunk eyes, In which blazed the Urea of
his passion, and as he looked, her
face paled and Hushed by turns. "You
may learn to bo kind to roe, Hetty,'
ho said. "You may find It will be
worth your while." Uetty made no
answer; she only gathered Hannibal
closer to her side. "Why not accept
what I have to offer, Uetty?" Again
be went nearer her, and again she
shrank from him, but the madness of
his mood was In tho ascendant. He
seized her and drew her to him. Sho
struggled to freo herself, but his ha
gers tightened about her.
(TO DB CONTINUED.)
Cubans Fond of Raisins,
The life of Cuba is largely sustained
ty raisins, Us people consuming the
fruit moro generally than any other
of Ui Spanish-American colonies.
DR. PRICES
Cream
BAKING POWDER
IS ABSOLUTELY HEALTHFUL
Its active principle solely
grape acid and baking
soda. It makes the food
more delicious and whole
some. The low priced, low grade
powders put alum or lime
phosphates in the food.
Ask Your Doctor About That
SOLACE IN HIS MISFORTUNE
Entombed Miner Had at Least One
Pleasant Thought After Two
Days of Suffering.
Miners are among the most hemic
beside them, and they are schooled to
bellevo that at any tlmo they may
como faco to face with death. Tho re
sult of this Is that tbey are humorous
In their boldness.
In ono of tho mines of Pennsylvania
thcro wna a cavc-ln which Imprisoned
r minor named Jack Thornton. Tho
accident happened on Friday after
noon, nnd the fellow laborers of the
entombed man sot to work at once to
dig him out. It was not until Sunday
morning, however, that they reached
his prison chamber, and by this tlmo
they wero wondering whether ho had
boon suffocated or Btarvcd to death.
Ono of them stuck his head through
tho aperture made by tho picks of
'lie rescuerB and called out:
"Jack, are you all right?"
"All right," came the reply, and then
after a pause: "What day la this?"
"Sunday!" exclaimed the friend.
"Gee!" exclaimed Jack, "I'm glad of
that. That was ono Saturday night
when those saloonkeepers didn't get
my wages." ropular Magazine.
They Are Overworked Now,
Four-year-old Dick had made an Im
portant discovery that his hair would
pull out if enough force was exerted,
and was absorbed In proving the fas
cinating find on his forelock. His sis
ter aged Bovcn noted the proceed
ings with round-eyed horror.
"Dlcklo! Dickie! sho cried, "you
mustn't do that!"
"Why?" demanded Dickie, with the
cynicism of childhood.
"Because the Dlble says that all
your hairs are numbered and If you
pull any out you'll make a lot of extra
bookkeeping for tho angels."
Simple Explanation.
To Illustrate a point that he was
making that his was tho raco with a
future and not a race with a past
Hooker T. Washington told this little
story the other day.
He waB standing by his door one
morning when old Aunt Cnroline went
by.
"Good morning, Aunt Caroline," he
said. "Where are you going this morn
ing?" "Lawzee, Mlsta Wash'ton," she
replied. "I'se done been whar I'se
gwlne." Kansas City Star.
No Social Tact.
At a club dance an enthusiastic
member approached a rather dull
member and Bald to him:
"Say, for heaven's sake go over and
talk to Miss Fryto. Sho Is sitting all
by herself."
"But but what shall I say to her?"
"Tell her how pretty she 1b."
"But she ain't pretty."
"Well, then, tell her how ugly the
othe" girls are. Ain't you got no so
cial tact?"
' True to His Trust.
"Father," asked the beautiful girl,
"did you bring home that material
for my new sklrt7"
"Yes."
"Where Is it?"
"Let me see? Walt now. Don't be
Impatient! I didn't forget It. I'm
sure I'vo got It In one of my pockets,
somewhere."
All women are more or less cred
ulous, and some have faith In their
husbands.
Nothing so completely knocks a con
trary man as to have you agree with
him.
"He bit the hand that fed him" said Teddy of Big Bill
And didn't tell us if the bite had made the biter ill!
Now had Toasties been the subject of Bill's voracious bite
He'd have come back for .another with a keener appetite.
Written by WILLIAM T. BINCn,
SU7 SUM St., Bridgeport, Coaa.
On. of ta. SB Jtnclra for which th. rorttm Oa,
BattU OrMk, Mloh., pld IJOOOOO la May.
Finance.
Stella How do you suppose they
will finance a third party?
Bella Don't know; I can't make
father pay for ono.
Its Advantages.
"I think th-i pillory ought to be re
vived as punishment for this frenzied
financing."
"Why so?" ,
"Because It provided a fitting penal,
ty In stocks and bonds."
Important to Mothers
Examino carefully every bottle of
CASTOHIA, a safe and sure remedy for
Infants and children, and Bee that it
Ttnara ttio
Signature of U&L77Sl2fz
In Ubo For Over 30 Years.
Children Cry for J71ctclicr,s Castoria
The Moon's Offspring.
Looking out of tho window one eve
ning, llttlo Mario saw tho bright, full
moon In tho eastern sky, and, appar
cntly, only a few Inches from It, the
beautiful Jupiter, shining almost as
brightly as tho moon Itself. Marie
gazed intently at the spectaclo for a
moment, and then, turning to hor
mother, exclaimed:
"Oh, mother, look! The moon has
laid an egg!"
Making Cheese In Olden Days.
Cheese was "made by tho old-time
farmers In the summer on the co-operative
plan by which four cattle own
ers owning say 14 milch cows received
all the milk night and morning, ac
cording to tho daily yield of their
little herd. Thus given two families
having five cows each, ono with three
and one with ono, supposing that the
average yield per cow was the same,
in two weeks two owners would make
live cheeses each; one would press
three, and ono only one cheese, but
this one would be as good and as large
aa any of the rest "Nobility of the
Trades Tho Farmer," Charles Wins
low Hall, In National. Magazine.
She Was a Duster.
Mrs. Sutton advertised for a woman
to do general housework, and In an
Bwer a colored girl called, announcing
that sho had come for the position. 1
"Are you a good cook?" asked Mrs.
Sutton.
"No, indeed, I don't cook," was the
reply.
"Are you a good laundress?"
"I wouldn't do washln' and lronln't
It's too bora on the hands."
"Can you sweep?" asked Mrs. Sut
ton. "No," was the positive answer. 'Tnt
not strong enough."
"Well," said' the lady of tho house,
quite exnsperated, "may I as., what
you can do?"
"I dusts," came the placid reply.
Everybody's.
A Question or Names.
In some of the country districts oil
Ireland it Ms not an uncommon thing
to see carta with the owners' names
chalked on to save the expense ot
painting. Practical Jokers delight In
rubbing out these signs to -annoy the
owners.
A constabulary sergeant one day ac
costed a countryman whose name had
been thus wiped out unknown to
him.
"Is this your cart, my good man?"
"Ot course It 1st" was the reply.
"Do you see anything the matter wld
it?"
"I observe," said the pompous po
liceman, "that your name Is o'bllther
ated." "Then ye're wrong." quoth the coun
tryman, who had never come across
the long word before, "for me name's
O'FlHherty, and I don't care who
knows It." Youth's Companion.
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