u
SYNOPSIS.
The seen* at the optnlac at tb« itorr to
kid In the library of an oM wormout
•outhern plantation, known aa the Bar
»ny. The place la to be eotd. and lta
blatory and that of the owners, the
Quln tarda, la the eubjact of dlaouaalon by
Jonathan Crenahaw, a bualnaaa man, a
i tranter known aa Bladen. and Bob
Tanoy, a farmer, when Hannibal Wayna
Haaard. a myaterloua child of tha old
•outham family, makes hla apjpearanoe.
Taney talla how ha adoptad tha boy. Na
thanlal Ferrla buya tha Barony, but tha
Qulnt&rda deny any knowledge of the
boy. Yancy to keep Hannibal. Captain
tCurreil. a friend of the Qulatards, ap
paara and aaka questions about tha Bar
ony Trouble at Beratch Hill, when Han
nibal la kidnaped by Dave Blount, Cap
tain Murrell'a agent. Taney overtake*
Blount, glvea htm a thraahlng and eacuraa
the boy. Taney appaara before Squire
Balaam, and la dlacnarged with coats for
the plaintiff. Batty Malroy. a Wand of
the Ferrlaea, haa an enoountar with Cap
tain Murrell, who forcea Ma attentlona on
her. and U reecued by Bruce Carrlngton.
Betty aata out for, har Tennaaaee home.
Carnngton takaa the Same ataae. Taney
and Hannibal dlaappear. with Murrell on
their trail. Hannibal arrlraa at tha home
of Judge Bloc urn Price. Tha Judge racog
nlaea in the boy, the grandaon of an old
Ume friend. Murrell arrlvee at Judge a
home. Cavendish family on raft reecue
Tan&; who la apparently dead. Prloe
breaKa Jail. Batty and Carrlngton airtve
at Belle Plain. Hannibal'; rifle dtecloeee
some aUrtllnf thlßfi to thi Judf*.
nlbal and Betty meat again. Murretl ar
rive in Balla Plato. la playing for big
sr aspfs;
make* startling dlacovarlaa In looking up
land titlea. Charley Norton. * young
plantar, who aaalata tha JuiW. Is W''
terlously aaaaulted. Norton Informs Car
rlngton that Betty haa promised to niarrr
him. Norton la mysteriously ahot. Mora
light on Murrell'a plota. Ha plana uprle
■ng of negroaa.
(CHAPTER XVll—(Continued.)
"J have oarer BO regarded it. Solo
toon," said the Judge mildly. "1 bare
read a different meaning in the beef
and flour and potatoes ihe'a tent here.
I expect it the truth could be known
to ua she it wondering in the midst
of her grief why I haven't called, but
•he'll appreciate the considerate del
icacy of a gentleman. 1 wlah It were
poaeible to get cut flower* In tbie
cussed wllderneas!"
Tbe Judge had been occupied with
a simple but Ingenious toilet. He
had trimmed the frayed skirts of bis
coat; then, by turning bis cuffs in
side out and upside down a fresh sur
face made its first public appearance.
Next his shoes bad engaged his at
tention. They might have well dis
couraged a less resolute and resource
ful character, but with the contents
of his ink-well be artfully colored his
white yarn socks where they showed
through the rifts In the leather. This
the judge did gaily, now bumming a
snatch of song, now listening civilly
to Mahaffy, now replying with undis
turbed cheerfulness. Last or ajl be
clapped bis dingy beaver on his head,
giving It an Indescribably Jaunty
slant, and stepped to the door.
"Well, wish me luck, Solomon, I'm
off—come, Hannibal!" he said.
At heart he cherished small hope or
seeing Hetty, advantageous as he felt
an Interview might prove. However,
on reaching Belle Plain, be and Han
nibal were shown Into the cool parlor
by little Steve. It was more years
than the judge cared to remember
since he had put his foot Inside such
a house, but with true grandeur of
soul he rose to the occasion; a
sublimated dignity shone from every
battered feature, while he fixed little
Steve with so fierce a glance that tbe
grin froae on bis lips.
"You are to say that Judge Slocum
Price presents bis compliments and
condolences to Miss Malroy—have
you got that straight, you pinch of
aoot?" he concluded affably. Little
Steve, Impressed alike by tbe judge's
air of oondescenslon and bis easy
flow of words, signified that he bad.
"You may also say that Judge Price's
ward, young Master Haaard, presents
his compliments and condolences—"
What more the Judge might have said
was interrupted by tne entrance of
Betty, herself.
"My dear young lady—" the Judge
bowed, then he advanced toward her
with the solemnity or carriage and
countenance he deemed suitable to
the occasion, and - her extended hand
was engulfed between his two plump
palma. He rolled his eyes heaven
ward. "It's the Lord's to deal with us
as hla own inscrutable wisdom dic
tates," he murmured with pious resig
nation. "We are all poorer, ma'am,
that be has died —Just as we were
richer while he lived!" The rich
cadence of the Judge's speech fell
sonorously on the silence, and that
look of horror which had never quite
left Betty's eyes since they saw
Charley Norton fall, roee out of their
clear depths again. The Judge, In
stantly stricken with a sense of the
inadequacy of hla words, doubled oa
hla spiritual tracka. "in a round
about way, ma'am, we're bound to be
lieve In the omnlpreeence of Provi
dence—we must think It —though a
body might be disposed to hold that
west Tennessee had got out of the
line of divine supervision recently.
Let me lead you to a chair, ma'am!"
Hannibal had slipped to Betty's
side and placed hla hand la hers. The
Judge regarded the pair with great
benevolence of expression.
.;L A" i Ac. . it
PRODIGAL
JUDGE
K&y V\U&ham Kestej^
*4 /uvsryuwrs Br JkMuvru
"He would come, and I hadn't the
heart to forbid It If I can be of any
service to you, ma'am either In the
capacity of a friend—or professional
ly—l trust you will not heeltate to
command me—" The Judge backed
toward the door.
"Did you walk out. Judge Price?"
aaked Betty kindly.
"Nothing more than a healthful ex
ercise—but we will not detain you,
ma'am; tbe pleasure of seeing you Is
. something we had not reckoned on!"
The Judge's speech was thlok and
unctuous with good feeling. He wished
that Mahaffy might have been there
to note the reserve and dignity of
his deportment.
"But you must let me order lunch
> eon for you," said Betty. At least
this questionable old man was good
to Hannibal.
"I couldn't think of it, ma'am —"
"You'll have a glass of wine, then."
urged Betty hospitably. For the mo
ment she had lost alght of what was
clearly the Judge'g besetting sin.
Tbe Judge paused abruptly. He en
dured a moment of agonising irreso
lution.
"On the advice of my physician l
dare not touch wine—gout, ma'am,
and liver —but thla restriction doea
not apply to corn whisky—ln modera
tion, and aa a tonic —either before
- meals. Immediately after meals or at
any time between meals—always
keeping in mind the Idea of Its tonic
properties—" The Judge seemed to
>- mellow and ripen. This was much
e better than having the dogs sicked on
f you! Hla manner toward Betty be
came almost fatherly. Poor young
a thing, so lonely and desolate In the
t midst of all this splendor—be surrep
t tltlously wiped away a tear, and when
1- little Steve praeented himself and
s waa told to bripg whisky, audibly
■ smacked his lips—a whole lot better,
surely!
a "I am sorry you think you must
a hurry away. Judge Price," said Hetty,
s She still retained tbe small brown
i- hand Hannibal had thrust Into hers.
"■ "The eastern mall gets in today,
i. ma'am, and 1 have reason to think
my share of it will be especially
i- heavy, for it brings the bulk or my
>- professional correspondence." In ten
B years the Judge bad received just
s one communication by mall—a bill
1 which had followed blm through four
B states and seven counties. "I ex
it pect my secretary—" boldly fixing
r Solomon Mahaffy's status, "Is already
dlpplcg Into It; an excellent asslst
e ant, ma'am, but literary rather than
I, legal."
r Little Steve reappeared bearing a
silver tray on whlcn was a decanter
i and glass.
"Since you Insist, ma'am," tbe judge
i poured himself a drink, "my best re
t spects—" he bowed profoundly.
■, "If you are quite willing, Judge, 1
. think 1 will keep Hannibal. Miss
r
"Blnc# You Insist, Ma'am—My M Reepeete."
Bowen, who baa been here —since—
bar voice broke suddenly.
"I understand, ma'am," said the
Judge soothingly. He gave ber a
glance of great concern and turned
to Hannibal. "Dear lad, you'll be very
quiet and obedient, and do exactly
aa Mlsa Malroy says? Wben shall 1
come for him, ma'am?"
"I'll send him to you wben he ts
ready to go home. I am thinking of
visiting my friends in North Caro
lina, and I ahould like to have him,)
spend as mucb time as possible with
me before I start for the east."
It had occurred to Betty that she
had done Httle or nothing for the
child; probably tbla would be ber last
opportunity.
The atate of the Judge's feelings
waa such that with elaborate ab
sence of mind be poured himself a
aecond drink of whisky; and that
there should be no doubt the act waa
one of Inadvertence, aald again. "My
beat respects, ma'am," and bowed aa
before. Putting down the glass, be
backed toward the door.
"I trust you will not hesitate to
call upon me If I can be of any uae
to you, ma'am—a message will bring
me here without a momenta delay."
He was rather dlaappolnted that no
allusion had been made to bis recent
activities. He reasoned correctly tbat
Betty was aa yet in Ignorance of the
somewhat' dangeroua eminence be
had achieved aa th« champion of law
and order. However, be reflected
with satisfaction that Hannibal, In re
maining, would admirably serve hla
ends.
Betty lnalated that be should be
driven home, and after faintly proteat
lng, the Judge gracefully yielded the
point, and a few moments later rolled
away from Belle Plain behind a pair
of sleek-coated baya, with a negro In
livery on the box. He was conscious
of a great sense of exaltation. He
felt tbat he should paralyse Mahaffy.
He even temporarily forgot the blow
hla hopes had sustained when Betty
spoke of returning to North Carolina.
This was life —broad acres and nig
genu—principally to trot after you
toting liquor—and such liquor!—be
lolled back luxuriantly with half
closed eyea.
"Twenty years In the wood if an
hour!" he muttered. "I'd like to have
Just such a taste In my moutb when
I come to die and probably she has
barrels of It!" hi sighed deeply, and
searched bis soul for words with
which adequately to describe that
whisky to Mahaffy.
But why not do more than paralyze
Solomon —that would be pleasant but
not especially profitable. The Judge
came back quickly to the vexed prob
lem of his future. He desired to
make some striking display of Mlms
Malroy's courtesy. He knew that bis
credit was experiencing the pangs of
an early mortality; he was not sensl-
tire, yet for some days he had been
sensible of the fact that what he
called the commercial class was view
ing him with open disfavor; but be
must hang on In Raleigh a little long
erl—for him It had become the abode
of hope. The Judge considered the
matter. At least he could let people
see something of that decent respect
with which Miss Malroy treated him.
They were entering R*lelgh now,
and he ordered the coachman to pull
phis horses down to a walk. He bad
decided to make use of tbe Belle
Plain turnout In creating an atmos
phere of confidence and trust—espe
cially trust. To this end he spent
the best part of an hour Interviewing
his creditors. It amounted almost to
a mass-meeting of the adult male pop
ulation. for he had no favorites.
When he Invaded virgin territory he
believed In starting the largest pos
sible number of accounts without de
lay. The advantage of his system, aa
he explained Its workings to Mahaffy,
was that It bred a noble spirit of emu
lation.
He let it be known In a general way
that things were looking up with him;
Juat In what quarter he did not
specify, but there he waa, seated in
the Helle Plain carriage, and the in
ference was unavoidable that Mlas
Malroy was to recognise his activities
in a substantial manner.
Mahaffy, loafing away the after
noon In the county clerk's office,
heard of the Judge's return. He beard
that Charley Norton had left a will;
that Thicket Point went to Miss Mal
roy; that the Norton cousins In mid
dle Tennessee were going to put up
a fight; that Judge Price had been
retained aa counsel by Miss Malroy;
that he waa authorised to begin an
independent search for Charley Nor
ton's murderer, and waa to apare no
sxpense; that Judge Price was going
to pay his debts. Mahaffy grinned at
thia and hurried home. He could be
lieve all but tbe last; that was the
crowning touch of unreality.
The Judge explained the situation.
"I wouldn't withhold hope from any
man, Solomon; It's the cheapest thing
In the world and the one thing we
are most miserly about extending to
our fellows. These people all feel
better —and what did It cost me? —
lust a little decent consideration; Just
the knowledge of what the unavoid
able associations of Ideas in their
own minds would do for them!"
What had seemed the corpse of cred
it breathed again, and the Judge and
Mahaffy immediately embarked upon
a characteristic celebration. Early
candle-light found them making a be
ginning; midnight came—the gray
and purple of dawn—and they were
i-tlll at It, back of closed doors and
shuttered windows.
CHAPTER XVIII,
Betty Leaves Belle Plain.
Hannibal bad devoted himself lo>
ally to the Judge's glorification, and
Hetty heard all about the letter, the
snuffing of the candles atid the re
ward of five thousand dollars. It vast
ly Increased the child's sense of Im
portance and satisfaction when he
dlkcovered she had known nothing of
these matters until he told ber of
them.
"Why, where would Judge Price
get so much money, Hannibal?" sbo
asked, greatly astonished.
"He won't have to get It. Miss Bet
ty; Mr. Mahaffy says he don't reckon
no one will ever tell who wrote the
letter —he 'lows the man who done
that will keep pretty mum—he Just
drssent tell!" the boy explained.
"No, I suppose not —" and Hetty
saw that perhaps, after all, the Judge
had not assumed any very great finan
cial responsibility.
"He can't be a coward, though, Han
nibal!" she added, for she under
stood that tbe risk of personal vio
lence which he ran was genuine. She
had formed her own unsympathetic
estimate of blm that day at Hoggs'
race-track; Mahaffy In his blackest
hour could have added nothing to It.
Twice since then she had met blm In
Raleigh, which bad only served to fix
that first Impression.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Bank of England Employes.
There are about 1,060 persons 01
the staff of the Bank of England, of
whom 840 are at the head office in
London and the remainder In the
branches throughout tbe country.
Five hundred porters and mechanics
are also employed. The bank prints
Its own notes and Indian rupee notes,
together with all postal orders and
old-age pension orders; this work if
done at the bead office.
Royalty Sacred In Austria.
A woman in Vienna has been sen*
to prison for three months for speak
ing disrespectfully of Maria Theresa,
who baa been dead for 131 years. In
Austrian law royalty is protected from
criticism, written or spoken, for 2M
years after death.
NORTH STATE LEADS
THE COTTON YISLD ACREAGE t)F
THE COUNTRY A 8 SHOWN
BY REPORT.
REPORT IN PART IS GjVEN
A Crop of 261500,000 Balea of Cotton
Would Have Been Harveated This
Year Had the North Carolina Record
Been General.
Charlotte. —A mathematical sharp
of this state has Just run across
United States Bulletin No. 114 show
ing amount of cotton actually produc
ed in the country last year. He makes
some calculations to show how North
Carolina leads in the matter of yield
per acre, and does some Juggling with
these figures aa follows:
Total number of acres of cotton
harvested in United States, 36,046,-
000.
Total number of bales cotton ac
tually grown (that Is, what Is known
as "glnner's crop" as distinguished
from "commercial crop") expressed
In COO pound * bales 16,109,349.
This figures out for the whole United
Stateß 45 bales per acre (a little less
than a half a bale.).
The state of North Carolina har
vested 1,624,000 acres and ginned 1,-
166,407 bales, which figures out .71
bales per acre (nearly three-quarters
of a bale). If the whole United States
had produced .71 bales per acre we
would have made twenty-five and a
half million bales or about fifty per
cent more than was actually made.
Looking at It In another way If an
average yield of .71 bale per acre
could have been made, .the country
could have produced Its 16,109,349
bales on about 22,700,000 acres In
stead of 36,045,000 acres.
North Carolina knowß how to
grow cotton, which Is to say thai
notwithstanding some climatic han
dicap Incident to the very northern
most limit of cotton territory she
knows how to cultivate and ferti
lise.
Road Building In Lee County.
Money from the sale of the SIOO,-
000 good roads bonds has been re
ceived by the road supervisor of Lee
county preparations are being made
for the beginning of the work. The
engineer, elected at a previous meet
ing. declined on account of other
work but It is expected at a called
meeting In the near future. Two work
forces will be put on at once to Im
prove the present roads until per
manent work can be done. The nec
essary machinery and equipment will
man-»nt work can be done.
A Red Letter Day For Stanley.
Wilson. Thursday. July 25th. will
prove a red letter day in the history
of Stanley—the occasion being the an
nual picnic given In honor of the sur
vlvtng heroes of the Southern Confed
racy. Two special trains will go out
from Charlotte to the festive scene;
two brass bands and a company ol
military will be there to put spice In
the outings, and there Is no doubt
In the world but what the old battle
scarred heroes will have new springs
put under them on this glorious day
North Carolina New Enterprises.
Raleigh. The Citizens Holding
Company, of Wllllamston, N. C., has
been capitalized at $25,000 to do a
general real estate business. Th«
present stockholders are B. F. God
win, W. Q. Manning and J. G. God
ard. The Hlgglns Naval Store Com
pany, of Wilmington, has been grant i
ed a charter with a capitalization ol j
SIOO,OOO, of which $20,000 has been
subscribed to by F. L. Hlgglns, W
L. Cantwell and K. C. Hlggins.
Appropriation For Hookworm.
Statesvllle. Dr. John A. Farrell,
of Raleigh, the hookworm specialist,
was In statesvllle for the purpose ol
getting the county commissioners to
make an appropriation to Inaugur
ate a hookworm campaign In Iredell.
The matter will be taken up at n
meeting of the commissioners to be
held In the near future and It is be
lleved the appropriation will be
granted.
Salisbury Wants Press Association
Salisbury. The North Carolina
Presr Association will be asked to
hold its next meeting in Salisbury.
James H. Warburton And Stable Linn
will go to Morehead City to extend 1
and press the Invitation. A number 1
of local organizations have offered '
to assist in entertaining the news- 1
paper men should they decide to
hold their meeting here. Numerous '
entertainments will be arranged,
side trips will be made to Granite 1
Quarry and Whitney and the news- 1
T>aper men will be warmly welcomed. 1
Surprise for Durham Politics. j
Durham. The surprise of the ,
political situation came when R. N. i
Lee made his announcement for the I
oounty treasurer's nomination on the 1
Democratic ticket. Mr. Lee has not "
been heard of for the place, and bis 1
announcement was a complete sur- j
prise to all who have been in close ,
touch with the political situation, j
Siemon Bowling is the present treas- ,
urer, and up to this date this office ,
is the only county executire office ,
that has more than one candidate.?
INIRAIOTONAL
SUIWSOIOOL
LESSON
(By B. O. SELLERS, Director of Eve
ning Department, The Moody Bible
Institute of Chicago.)
LESSON FOR JULY 28
THE WHEAT AND THE TAREB.
LESSON TEXT-Matthew 18:24-M; SS-43.
GOLDEN TEXT—"Gather up flrat the
tare*, and bind them In bundles to burn
them; but gather the wheat Into my
barn." Matt. 13:20.
The thirteenth chapter of Mat
thew's gospel la the great kingdom
chapter of the Bible. Saven parables
In thla chapter give us each of aeven
aspects or applications of the prlncl
plea of the kingdom. In this lesson
we are taught the mixed character of
the kingdom and also of the ultimate
separation ot two classes of which it
is composed. "A man," v. 24, goes
out to sow good seed In his field. This
man we are told in v. 37, is the Son
of Man, and elsewhere that the field
is the world, the hearts of men. Then
followed the propagating stage, that
period over which man has no con
trol. During this period while men
ate and slept awaiting the time for
cultivation and of harvest, the enemy
of men's souls came and sowed tares,
the common darnel which so closely
reffatubles wheat In its earliest stages.
After this propagating period lfad
passed the man and his servants went
out one day to find in their field evi
dence that another had also sown
seed. The test of every life is the
fruit produced. During these earlier
stages the tares had looked so nearly
like the wheat as not to be readily
distinguished, but now that the har
vest time approaches the difference Is
all too evident. It Is significant from
this parable that no blame Is laid
upon the servants that they should
have allowed the two to grow up dur
ing this first stage. Surprise, anger
and disappointment stirred the hearts
of the servants when they discovered
the mixed character of the approach
ing harvest. The piaster, however,
clears them of all blame, for, said he,
"Our enemy hath donr this." Not an
enemy, as the King James version has
It. Satan is übiquitous, but the Son
of Qod is greater than he, Bee I. Peter
Parables He Taught.
If the servants had sought to tip
root the tares they would in all likely
hood have done more damage than
good, though this does not Imply any
conflict with Jesus' words as found In
Matthew 6:29, 30. The seed had the
same environment and in God's good
tlmo the^separation should take place,
bo "let Koth grow together" until both
be fully developed'. Then he will say
to the reapers, gather first the tares
and burn them, but gather the wheat
Into my barn. Notice the tares did
not evolve Into wheat. LJke begets
like. Gather Into bundles Is the
command. If we sin together, we must
expect to suffer together. The wheat
i was ripe for full salvation, blessing
and a further usefulness, while the
I tares were ripe only for destruction.
After teaching these parables, of
which this Is but one, Jesus sent the
multitude away and more fully and
completely taught his disciples the
Inner meaning of this parable. The
field Is the world, and If we ask we
shall have the heathen for our Inherit
ance and the uttermost part of the
world as a possession (Ps. 2:8). The
good seed are the sons of the king
dom, but the tares are the sons (chil
dren) of the evil one. Hoth the sons
of the good and the sons of the bad
grow from, and develop out of seed,
the sons of the kingdom from the
good seed.
We must remember the three les
sons we have been studying. The
first concerned the nature of the seed
and the soil; the second deals with
the mystery of the growth and devel
opment of the kingdom, whereas this
lesson has to do with the mixed.
World th» Field.
As the Psalmist puts It (1:6), "The
ungodly shall not stand in the Judg
ment, e.g., has no standing, nt>r sin
ners (a"bide) in the congregation of
the righteous." It is not our place
to gather the tares into bundles. God
will Bend forth reapers (v. 30) and his
reapers are the angels (v. 39). The
fact Is we are here warned against
useless or profitless activity. Ours is
to BOW the right seed and then stand
back and let God work. We are not
even responsible for any process of
separation, for God will take care of
his own, and in his own time will
send forth his reapers who will do
what we would make sorry work
of attempting to do. How often
we see men zealously attempting the
separation process during the propa
gating and developing period, only to
uproot the wheat with the darnel.
Evil, we are clearly shown, will not
gradually disappear from the world,
but on the contrary it will grow, de
velop and bear along beside the wheat
until "the harvest" After the harvest
it will be kll too clear which is good
and which is bad. The language of
Jesus is graphic—"cast and fling" ex
press indignation and contempt; "fur
nace of flre" denotes the fierceness of
the torment of punishment, and the
"gnashing of teeth" and the "walling"
is a terrible picture of anguish and
despair. As against this, he tells us
that the righteous shall shine forth
free from all cloud or shadow.
, ' ' JA.. ' :