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32X

THE .J

THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS

/}/^-

//gTr- "'^

This Kdition ii intended for circulation only in India
and the Jiritish Colonies.

a@acmillan'0 Colontal Uibtat]?

T H K

JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS

q^y BY

G^ B. BURGIN

AUXHOU OF " TUXTEll'S LITTLE MAID," ETC., ETC.

"... nequc severus esse (potest") in judicaudo, ([ui alios in so
scveros esse judices non vult."— CtCERO, De Imp. Pomp.

No. aeo.

MACMILLAN AND CO.

AND NEW YOirC
1896
The right 0/ translation and reproduction isjeserved

CHAl'l

1 1

III

VII

VI J]

XI]

XII

XI\

XVI

XVII

CONTENTS.

-♦<>♦-

CHAPTF.R

rA<;i;

Piiologue: Departure

• . •

TwEsrv Years After

• • f

iti

TI.

The JurxiE suspects

...

... 37

III.

"WILKS"

•••

• «•

IV.

Mrs. Vankleek

• • •

... 79

LO(;-ROLLING

•••

• • t

VI.

Tollevents's Ball ...

...

... 108

VII.

Miss Wilks's Lovers

• • •

• • »

125

VIII.

The KiNu

...

... 144

IX.

The MEFTiH(i ...

• • •

• tt

ICl

In the Bush

• • •

... 17G

XI.

The Last Poem

• • •

• 1 1

192

XII.

The End of " Skeeter

Joe "

... 209

XIII.

Sadie joins her Father

»• 1

228

XIV.

Miss Wilks wanders

• • •

... 240

XV.

"Nemesis"

• • •

• at

271

XVI.

A Duel ix the Dark

• 1

... 300

XVII.

The Return of Ulysses

tfl

31G

XVII r.

David and Jonathan

t • •

331

T H E

JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

PROLOGUE.

DEPARTURE.

It was very dark. At ** The Judge's " not
a light could be seen, even from the upper
windows, although the old oak clock in the
hall gave forth only nine wheezily asth-
matic notes, and, with a sudden internal
grumbling at having broken the stillness,
once more settled down to its reposeful
*' Forever — never. Never — forever." As the
last stroke died away, a door opened sud-
denly on the floor above; there was the
soft pad-pad-pad of stockinged feet down
the staircase, and some one cautiously
crept into the hall.

For a moment, this intruder on the
clock's privacy fumbled with the bar across

TF WDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

the door, laid it softly aside, lit a lantern
(which he muffled under his cloak), and
pulled on a pair of soft doeskin mocassins.
"Better not wear riding-boots,'* he mut-
tered somewhat grimly. *' If it should
come to a fight, and Yankleek goes under,
I don't want to be traced. Ikey Marston
and Old Man Evans are as keen as sleuth-
hounds when they once get hold of a trail.
Mocassin tracks will soon fill up when the
storm breaks; boot-heels stand out for
months."

** The Judge " — for so Ducaine was gene-
rally known in the little Canadian village
of Four Corners, this year of Grace, one
thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine —
slipped through the open door and slunk
towards the stables, feeling his way along
the house- wall, and stumbling over various
unforeseen obstacles in the path — obstacles
which seemed to have moved from familiar
places in order to strike against his shins at
every turn. When he reached the western
corner of the house, Ducaine held up the
lantern for a moment and looked hastily
round.

Reassured by the silence, although he

J) E PAR TURK

could not see more t^an six feet through
the surrounding darkness, Ducaine opened
the stable door and put the light upon the
ground. A low whinny from the nearest
compartment broke on his ear; the stolid
beasts in the neighbouring stalls raised
their heads for a moment, then continued
dreamily to munch the sweet-smelling hay
hanging from their racks.

As Ducaine entered the stall, a delicate
nibble of caressing teeth met his hair and
ear, and a soft muzzle rubbed against one
cheek. He loosened the halter knot, led out
his beautiful black mare, and saddled her
hastily. '* I'd better swim the Creek," he
said, shutting the stable door. "If anything
should happen, water doesn't leave traces."

Ducaine mounted, and turned the mare's
head in the direction of the Creek.
"Tchick! Gently, my beauty!" he cried
when they came to the margin. The mare
appeared to understand, for she slipped
into the water as noiselessly as an otter.

The waters of the Creek, recently rein-
forced by heavy spring rains, were un-
pleasantly cold. A stray log struck the
Judge on the right thigh and nearly

THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR CORNERS.

unhorsed him. He set his teeth together
with an oath of pain, and reeled from the
force of the blow. ** I'd forgotten the
floods," he said, as the mare felt her feet
and walked quiveringly up the opposite
bank. " Another log or two would have
made a vacancy in the County Judgeship."
He bent down to whisper a word in the
mare's ear. As he did so, her mighty
quarters gathered beneath her, and she flew
through the darkness at frightful speed, the
reckless rider crouching low in the saddle to
avoid dashing out his brains against a tree.
Once, the overhanging branch of a pine
tore the coat along Ducaine's back, with a
rasping wrench which sent a shiver down
his spine. A little ominous murmur high
up the tall tree-trunks told of the gathering
storm; there was a frightened patter and
rustle of woodland things seeking shelter
amid the thick undergrowth. The fierce
fusillade of rain-drops, falling on the
branches at irregular intervals, ceased for
a while ; only to descend with louder
iteration as the wind, in forceful glee,
threshed swaying boughs and trunks
together. It was with an affrighted snort

DEPAttTURE,

^ether
n the
1 the
ir feet
posite
have
;hip."
n the
lighty
e flew
i, the
die to
b tree.
1 piue
nth. a
down
high
lering
r and
belter
fierce
the
id for
ouder
glee,
runks
snort

that the mare cleared the narrow Bush-
path a little helow Four Corners and drew
up with heaving flanks ; her glossy coat
sweating and discoloured by the muddy
waters of the Creek.

Ducaine tied the animal to a tree, shook
the raindrops from his hat, and strode
cautiously towards the village wharf — a
long, low, wooden structure on piles which
ran across the Ottawa river for a couple
of furlongs. He turned off sharply towards
the right, where it began to debouch upon
the river, and came to a gate let into a
rough stone wall.

After some trouble, Ducaine forced open
the gate and stole towards a two-storied
stone house which faced the river. The
storm had now ceased, and a watery moon
shone faintly out from the sullen sky, only
to be overwhelmed from time to time by
dark masses of cloud. Safely concealed
among the bushes, Ducaine waited patiently
for its reappearance. Suddenly a light
shone in one of the upper windows; the
door opened below ; there was a confused
murmur of voices, and a man walked down
the rough path to the main gate.

TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COB NEB 8.

a {

: 1

When the man had gone, Ducaine crept
into the verandah, climbed up a post at
the corner, and made his way towards
the window containing the light. " 'Tisn't
a very dignified position," he muttered,
**for a Judge to be found in. However, I
must learn the truth before I see Van-
kleek."

Although he drew himself along the
verandah with the sinuous ease of a snake,
a rotten shingle gave way beneath his
foot and fell into the verandah below.
Some one heard it, and opened the window
with a frightened *' What's that ? ''

*^ Oh, it's nothing. I reckon, Miss
Wilks," said a feminine voice, ** a little
fresh air won't hurt neither of us."

The person addressed as Miss Wilks
came to the window, carrying something in
her arms. The watcher, a couple of feet
below, lay perfectly still. **I wonder,"
she began. " I won —

A thin, wailing cry broke upon the hstener's
ear, the cry of an infant facing the light —
that protesting cry which is the first un-
conscious effort of every human being on
its entrance into the world, " Hush-h, my

lie.

R8.

DEPARTURE.

5 crept
)ost at
owards
'Tisn't
ttered,
ever, I
s Van-

g the
snake,
ill his
helow.
window

Miss
, little

Wilks
\m^ iu
of feet
•nder,"

bener's
ight—
st u li-
ng on
•h, my

pretty one ! Hush, my pretty one ! " said
Miss Wilks's rough voice, its curious
Cockney accent modified by a slight nasal
twang picked up in Canaaa. " My ! nurse,
ain't she a daisy! ''

The Judge started as the shadow of a
small bundle crossed the blind. "It is
a girl after all, confound it,'' he said.
*' Vankleek was right. Now for a thumping
lie. They've got Miss Wilks in to help the
nurse. Ugh ! how beastly wet and cold I am."

He retraced his steps, and crept cautiously
up to an apparently deserted hut on the
outskirts of the village. In answer to his
knock, however, the rickety door was flung
open, and a young fellow of about twenty,
whose flushed face showed that he had
been drinking heavily, appeared on the
threshold.

" Come in," he said rpietly. " You
seem wet. Judge."

Ducaine seized the bottle of whisky which
stood on the pine table, and poured himself
out a stiff half-tumbler.

" So would you be, Vankleek, if you'd
had my ride. I'm only thirty, but it nearly
turned my hair white."

8 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR CORNERS,

The other motioned him to sit down.
"Have a cigar?" he asked languidly,
although his fingers twitched. " Wonder
whether you have found out anything ? If
I'm right, and it's a girl, I can go back to
Sadie and laugh about the whole affair.
She'll have to give in." The obstinate
brows contracted ominously. " I say she'll
have to give in."

The Judge slowly lit the proffered cigar.
** It's none of my business, Vankleek, to
interfere now. I only do it because I loved
the girl myself, though you won her. If I
bore any malice towards either of you, I'd lie
about the thing and make trouble. Yes, sir."

The other seized the bottle and drank
heavily.

" Yes, yes, that's all right, Ducaine.
There never would have been any trouble
between Sadie and myself if it hadn't been
for this infernal baby. We began it in
joke. However, if it's a girl, it's all right,
and the laugh's on my side."

''If it is a sen, you won't humble your-
self and make it up ? "

"No, sir," shouted Vankleek, his hand-
some face flushing. '' The Vankleeks aren't

((

; oath,
■ still.

nighi
Di

RS.

DEPARTUltE.

down,
^uidly,
/"onder

g? If
ack to

affair.

stinate

^ she'll

cigar.

lek, to

loved

If I

I'd lie

3, Sir.
drank

icaine.
rouble
3 been
it in
right,

your-

hand-
aren't

built that way. One of us has to knock
under, but it's not going to be me. If Sadie
has a son, I'll clear out for the States this
very night."

"I suppose," said the Judge, quietly,
** you'd shoot me if I told you what an
infernal fool you are. To be sure, Sadie
has rather an aggravating knack of wanting
her own way. You Vankleeks, too, seem
to think yourselves the uncrowned kings of
Canada. Take my advice, put on your hat,
and go home. It will be good enough if
your son "

Vankleek sprang to his feet with an
oath, his handsome face flushing darker
still.

** That's enough, Ducaine ; I'm off to-
night."

Ducaine looked at him commiseratingly.
** I've said about as much as you'll take,"
he remarked. ** However, it's no affair of
mine. You'll look a mighty fool when you
do come back, tail between legs, if the
affair gets wind."

** When I do come back," said the other,
significantly, *' people round here won't
laugh." He drew a ring from his finger.

10 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

" You're about the only mau who has stuck
to me. Suppose we exchange rings. If I
find out some day that you have played me
false, I'll send you yours back again. Then
look out for yourself."

Ducaine laughed, drew a plain, thick
gold ring from his finger, and handed it to
Vankleek. '' Sadie's ring," he exclaimed,
looking at the one which Vankleek had
drawn from his own finger.

** Yes," said Vankleek, picking up a valise
from the corner; ** Sadie's ring. Any more
whisky?"

Ducaine hesitated a moment, then slipped
the ring into his pocket. *' To our next
meeting," he cried, thrusting the neck of
the bottle between his lips.

Vankleek drained the bottle after him
and flung it into a corner.

" My horse is up in the village," he said,
striding resolutely through the night.

Ducaine watched the retreating figure
with a cynical smile. Hurried on by his
thirst for revenge against the woman who
had slighted him, the wily Judge suddenly
bethought him of a still more malignant
method of procedure than this carefully

DEPARTURE.

figure
)y his
1 who
Idenly
gnant
L'efully

fostered diflference between husband and
wife. If the quarrelsome Vankleek did go
to the States, he would probably be shot in
a week ; no one in such a rough-and-ready
country could, by any possibility, endure him
for a longer period than that. But when
the wife realized that she wa*^ deserted she
would seek comfort in her baby, trace
Vankleek's likeness in its eyes, carefully
cherish each little infant trait which re-
called that overbearing young fellow to her
heart, and, as time went on, deem this
runagate husband a saint from whom she
had become estranged by her own obstinate
pride. The girl would grow up the image
of her father and prove a perpetual source
of constraint between Mrs. Vankleek and
himself. No, this would never do ; the
child must be removed, and at once.

Thus hastily committed to a melo-
dramatic series of crimes, Ducaine — he was
essentially a man of action — returned to
the wharf, and cautiously re-entered the
garden. From his former post among the
bushes, he could see a light burning faintly
in the same window as before. For more
than an hour he remained, benumbed with

•HI

12 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

cold, cursing the necessity which impelled
him to such a course of conduct. At length
the Ught died away from the window ;
he stole cautiously forward, cliinbed the
verandah, and entered the room.

As Ducaine somewhat awkwardly came
down from the verandah, he carried a
bundle in one arm — a bundle at which the
mare sniffed jealously. It contained some-
thing alive — something which came between
her and her master. But when Ducaine
patted and caressed her, she set off at a
foot pace as if conscious of her frail burden.
Ducaine was struck by her magnanimity.
** I almost wonder she didn't want to
savage it," he said, riding slowly on. ** Poor
little devil, it's beginning to travel early."
The ^^poor little devil," having made its
vigorous protest at being introduced into
the world, peacefully went to sleep, its tiny
red fingers curling round the Judge's hand.

It was an hour later than usual the next
day when Ducaine opened his court. He
moved stiffly, and did not recover his
customary judicial imperturbability until
he had sentenced a horse-thief with the
utmost rigour of the law. It was only

when

exprei

eloqu

ten n

His

Ikey]

during

child

moth(
Hono
and d
Call t
court

scruti
the cc
**I
about
when
too di

Ikey.
mixed
Old
*'Nev
Ikey?

18.

DEPARTURE.

ipelled
length
ndow ;
id the

came
ied a
Dh the
some-
itween
iicaine
f at a
iirden.
imity.
nt to

Poor
larly/*
de its
i into
s tiny
hand.
3 next
He
^r his

until
ih the

only

when the prisonex had been removed, after
expressing with all the rough, untutored
eloquence of a child of nature a desire for
ten minutes' confidential intercourse with
His Honour, that the Judge learned from
Ikey Marston how Vankleek had disappeared
during the night and taken his new-born
child with him.

** Looks as if he'd quarrelled with the
mother for good and all," suggested His
Honour. ** Vankleek' s probably gone crazy,
and drowned the child as well as himself.
Call the next case, and don't interrupt the
court when it is in session."

**01d Man" Evans meantime carefully
scrutinized His Honour from the back of
the court.

^*I ruther thought he knew somethin'
about it himself," he said to Ikey Marston,
when that worthy rejoined him. ** He was
too dum quiet about it to please me."

**Thar might be a little fun," suggested
Ikey. ** S'posin' we was to find out he's
mixed up in it, what 'ud happen ? "

Old Man dubiously shook his head.
** Never was a phrenerologist, was ye,
Ikey?"

14 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COliNEIiS,

^i:

[It

** Never." Ikey was "visibly pained. ** I
may have lifted a boss or two—jest for fun
— but T never was as bad as all that."

Old Man waxed angry. ** Phrenerolergy
tells you people's characters from their
eyes. Now, look at the Judge's eye. Did
you ever see one like it ? "

** No." Ikey was full of admiration at
Old Man's scientific attainments. ** I never
did. What's it mean ? "

" It means " — Old Man's whisper became
very impressive — *^it means if you git in
his way he'll down you for sure ; that's
what his eye means."

"D'you think ?"

** I mean he's most likely got a bullet in
his thigh from Vankleek's pistol, an' I'm
jest agoin' to file the dockerments in this
yer case for future reference. He's had
that eye on me for some time. I reckon
we'll git out of its range for a bit ; it's
unlucky, that eye is, for you an' me."

**I don't want to leave jest now, Old
Man."

^* Why not?"

*'It's Miss Wilks. She's so real high-
toned since they give her the choice of

111*

DKPARTURE,

doin' time or bein' shipped out of England,
people think she must be somebody. Now
she won*t have nothin' to say to me.*'

*^ I've prederlickshuns in that quarter
myself," said Old Man, whose real age was
only thirty-five, ** though it does go agin
the grain to think she takes in washin' for
a livin'."

Their whispered confidences were put an
end to by His Honour adjourning the court
and striding past them with a darkly sus-
picious glance. It was with an unaccount-
able feeling of relief that Ducaine heard
later in the day of their projected ^*pro-
spectin' tour." They were the last persons
in the world he wanted about him just
then.

Cold and callous as he was, Ducaine
shrank from picturing to himself Mrs.
Vankleek's grief at the mysterious disap-
pearance of both husband and child, and
for many months carefully avoided the
stone house by the wharf. But, somehow,
as time went on, he could not help awaken-
ing at that dark moment of the night which
precedes dawn, and feeling conscious of a
certain thrill. Baby fingers of n uttle child

16 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR CORNERS.

■i

i
(jfi

^ili

clung round his own and held him back
from sleep. His own wife had died in giving
birth to a girl a few months ago, and the
hapless infant had been handed over to an
Irish wet-nurse in a distant village. People
noticed that the Judge frequently left Four
Corners for a week at a time, and surmised
that he had gone to visit his own child ;
but that look in his eye which exercised
so restraining an influence on Old Man and
Ikey Marston prevented them from asking
inconvenient questions.

After a year or two, every one gave up
inquiring into the mystery of Yankleek's
fate — every one, that is, with the exception
01 Old Man.

'^ I've got a sort of idea," he confidentially
declared to Ikey, as they sat smoking their
corncob pipes at sundown outside the little
cabin they shared in common, '' as thar's
somethin' hidin' behind that eye of the
Judge's — somethin' as wants gittin' at, — an*
I shouldn't be surprised if you an' me,
Ikey, was the humble instruments of Pro-
vidence predestinatered to git it."

*' Maybe," said the stolid Ikey — '^ maybe.
I ain't agoin' to w^orry ovei' it. Noc much.

DEPARTURE.

Vankleek '11 come back, some day, an'
bring the child with him. I'm jest agoin'
to lie low an' watch the Judge's little
game."

'' You don't feel sorter called on to git
behind that eye? "

** Not a feel ! When I got thar, I might
find a revolver waitin' for me. I ain't no
Doxologist, as you call it, but I know enuff
to keep low for a bit. Don't you ? "

Old Man snorted a disgusted dissent, but
prudently held his tongue. He was not yet
ready for action.

ill

18 TBE JUDGE OF TBE FOUR CORNERS.

CHAPTEK I.

Jl;

lllii

TWENTY YEARS AFTER.

The *' Invalid Season" at the ** Springs "
had scarcely begun ; consequently those
pioneers of fashion whose systems were
supposed to require the tonic yet chasten-
ing influences of the mineral springs, did
not consider themselves bound to that
simplicity of diet and restraint, in the
matter of cocktails, popularly supposed to
be necessary to give full effect to the
curative properties of the waters which
gushed out of the primitive Bush, half a
mile above the hotel, and flowed impatiently
down into rude wells excavated for their re-
ception. The waters themselves obstinately
refused to be taken in conjunction with
cocktails or any other inspiriting beverages ;
they knew their work, and declined to
be hampered by alcoholic hindrances.

TWENTY YEARS AFTER,

The pioneers of the season, having speedily
discovered this important fact, did not
trouble further in the matter of treatment,
but contented themselves with an occasional
stroll up to the source of the springs as a
mere matter of courtesy. They could
support an existence bereft of sulphur
water, but not one devoid of cocktails.
Without being aware of it, however, they
were steadily going through a curative
course of the waters ; for the landlord of
the hotel, indignant at the slight put upon
the springs, served up to his guests a
peculiarly delicious chicken-broth every
day, which was nothing more nor less than
hot water from one of the springs thickened
with oatmeal. In old days, a particular
spring had been well known to the Iroquois
medicine-men, as possessing this peculiar
property when the waters were heated.
After an unsuccessful hunt, the braves of
the tribe had been wont to solace their
stomachs and relieve the preosing pangs of
hunger without regard to ulterior conse-
quences. Dwellers in the hotel, however,
not having the benefit of local tradition,
wondered at their own sudden joyousness ;

20 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

11!'

innocently attributing it to the peaceful
nature of days spent on the borders of the
Bush, and the balsamic odours of cedar and
pine which skirted the rude roadway.

At eight o'clock one evening in early
summer, the Springs coach loomed up
against the white background of the hotel
buildings, as half-a-dozen spectators lounged
leisurely out from the bar, and proceeded
to expectorate with graceful fluency and
precision on the verandah floor.

On this particular evening, the guests
were not inclined to take active measures
of any sort. They lounged about the
verandah, threw themselves back in favourite
chairs, tilted up their heels on others, and
prepared to criticize the driver of the coach
when he should condescend to appear from
the bar, obsequiously attended by the land-
lord still pressing eleemosynary strong
waters upon his acceptance.

The leaders, fretful and eager to be oif,
threw up their heads impatiently at the
caressing touch of the driver's hand. As
Lajeunesse climbed slowly to his seat,
ignoring the concourse on the verandah
with the stoicism of a Huron, he turned to

TWENTY TEARS AFTER.

a young fellow, who had been admitted to
the proud privilege of drinking with him all
the way down.

*' Haven't seen such a night for years,"
he said, gathering the rug round him.
** It's always black when there's a lawyer
about. Lives down at Four Corners.
Judge Ducaine. No wonder I've only
one passenger left when there's a lawyer
inside."

The young fellow turned up his coat
collar.

" 'Tisn't a nice night," he said light-
heartedly. ** Hadn't we better stop over ? "
He cast a boyish glance in the direction of
the saloon, whence issued sounds of revelry,
mingled with snatches of song. It was
warm in there, the cuisine was good, and
Beauty kept the bar, impartially distri-
buting smiles in proportion to the status
of customers. "Why renounce this un-
expected accumulation of good things for
a cold seat on the coach, and a chance of
being ** held up " in the darkness ? He
somewhat apprehensively felt for the belt
containing his scanty stock of money,
laughed Avith youthful inconsequence, and

22 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

■i

III

repeated his question, ** Hadn't we better
stop over? "

** Young man," said the autocratic La-
jeunesse, impressively gathering up his
reins, '^ air you runnin' this concern
or me ? "

** Wiph I were," replied the young fellow,
with unqualified admiration. *' I haven't
the sand. You don't suppose I'm man
enough to drive like you ? "

" Prezakerley," said the immollified
Lajeunesse ; though a grim smile at the
corners of his mouth showed that he was
not insensible to this whole-hearted admira-
tion. "Prezakerley. That bein' the case,
p'r'aps you'll sit tight. I reckon you'll
have to sit extremely tight to-night ; I ain't
goin' to be publicly disgraced by drivin'
this yer coach into Four Corners with only
a lawyer in it. No, sir. Sit tight, for all
you're worth."

As he spoke, the ungainly vehicle went
swaying into the darkness, whilst certain
unjudicial utterances were heard to proceed
from the interior of the coach, when Judge
Ducaine's hoad thumped against the side.

*' Serve him right," said Lajeunesse,

TWENTY YEARS AFTER.

flicking his off-leader. *' That'll knock
some of the stuffin' out of him."

*' You don't seem to love him?" said
the young Englishman, astonished by the
unwonted fervour of Lajeunesse's speech.

'* Love ain't exactly the correct word,"
dryly rejoined Lajeunesse, his taciturnity
overcome by the exhilarating sound of the
Judge's protests from within the coach.
** He diddled me once over a hoss-trade.
You bet, my son, I haven't forgotten it."

The young Englishman apprehensively
sat tight as the leaders raced down an
incline and galloped up the opposite
slope.

** Sure you know the way ? " he asked.
" Seems to me we've just run over a
tree, or a cow, or something."

** My son," said Lajeunesse, *^ we'll run
over more'n a tree before I've done with
His Honour. I've got him landed in the
dock, so to speak, with me for judge and
jury, and he'll have to stay there till he's
let out. He's all them Vankleek deeds
with him. Says he's a mortgage on the
place. He's bringing down the deeds now
before takin' possession, the skunk,"

24 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

uiVl

■in

The passenger scented a story. " But
what does Vankleek say to it all?'' he
asked tentatively.

'* That's what people would like to know ;
only, you see, Vankleek ain't been heard of
for twenty years."

^' Oh," cried the passenger, forgetting
his desire to know more about Vankleek in
the immediate necessities of the moment,
** there goes my hat ! "

*' As you're afeared, sittin' up here, you'd
better git inside and hold the Judge's head
for him. If the coach was to go over — if
it was, I say, and such things have been
known — then you'd make sure of breakin*

every bone in your body ; whiles here "

He paused appreciatively, and again flicked
the off-leader, causing that long-suffering
animal to retaliate with a frightful plunge,
which threatened to upset the coach
altogether.

** While here ? " queried the young
Englishman, in the tone o^ one for whom
the bitterness of death has no terrors.

*' You'll break your neck right off, and
git it over," said Lajeunesse, cheerfully.
''No patchin' you up with ornamental

TWENTY YEABS AFTER,

wooden legs or any of that stuff. You'd
just break your neck straight off. Oh,
thar's a style in fallin' off a box-seat.
Real style when you know how to do it.
Steady, my lads ; steady there ! "

The young Englishman relapsed into
saddened silence. He would much rather
have been inside the coach with Ducaine
for a companion, but feared to encounter
Lajeunesse's ill-concealed derision. Besides,
he was an Englishman. In spite of this
consoling fact, all the coach accidents he
had ever heard of floated through his brain
as the horses hurried on, their rattling
harness making a somewhat superfluously
cheerful accompaniment to cheerless
thoughts.

^^ Is there — is there any need for all this
hurry?" he asked Lajeunesse, although
apprehensive of receiving another rebuff
from that irascible worthy.

*' Hurry ? You bet there's need to hurry,
my son," responded Lajeunesse. **The
waybill books you to be landed at Four
Corners in time for the night-boat, and
you'll be hustled down there if you come
to pieces while I'm doing it."

26 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

The Englishman scarcely appreciated
Lajeunesse*s delicate consideration.

*' Oh no," he said, with an elaborate
affectation of carelessness; ** I'm in no
hurry. If this is your way of travelling,
I'll get used to it, or — break my neck ! "

They were now galloping at breakneck
speed through a patch of Bush leading to
the L'Ange Guardienne dip. There was
barely room for the coach along the narrow,
rutty way, but Lajeunesse never for one
instant relaxed his reckless haste. He did
not get a chance of scaring an Englishman
every day. His companion's remark had
put him on his mettle, and he was resolved
to show what a Canadian driver could do.
The coach dashed on beneath the brushing
branches of overhanging pines, a faint
glow-w^orm light from the lamps making
two red patches on the ground, which kept
pace with its headlong speed. All was dark-
ness and silence save for the occasional cry
of some unclean night-bird. The young
Englishman at last realized that it mattered
little whether he dashed out his brains
against an overhanging tree, broke his neck
in falling, or smashed every limb when the

TWENTY TEARS AFTER.

".'ft.:

coach upset. Something unpleasant seemed
inevitahle. In the mean time, he enjoyed
the rush of the cool night- air on his fore-
head, the tingling of the wind against his
outstretched palms. There was no need
to hold on now. He hobbed up and down
like a cork, knowing that he was securely
fastened in by the driver's heavy wraps.

** Got a gun? " asked Lajeunesse, suddenly,
as they emerged from the Bush ; and his
leaders, a little spent by their fiery outburst,
slowed down on the level bit of road pre-
ceding the dip.

^*N— no. Why? I couldn't hit any-
thing from here."

** Oh, nothin', nothin' ! A little ahead's
the usual place for road-agents. They got
me here year afore last. You bet, the
Judge's loaded up to his eye-teeth. I don't
want to lose the pull of gallopin' up the
dip, so here goes. We must chance it."

The young Englishman clenched his
teeth as the groaning coach rattled into the
dip. Suddenly Lajeunesse's practised eye
detected a dark obstacle ahead of him in
the gloom. Before he could pull up, the
coach was into it. The next moment there

■'■•111.

28 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

was a crash. Lajeunesse, still holding tho
reins, went one way, tho apprehensive
passenger another. When the Englishman
recovered consciousness, the leaders had
kicked themselves free, and stood quietly
by the coach as it lay on one side in the
darkness. He made a motion to get up,
but could only faintly wonder what was
about to happen next. In the midst of his
own pain, he was not wholly grief-stricken
that the horn of Lajeunesse had been
lowered in the dust.

**If I was 3^ou, stranger," said a per-
suasive voice in his ear, *' I'd make up my
mind to stop here an' not take a hand in
this yer game."

The icy barrel of a pistol as it touched
the young fellow's neck sent a cold
chill through him. lie collapsed with a
groan.

'* You not bein' hurt, for I've felt all over
you," continued the gentle voice of the
unknown — ** might just as well know
nothin' about this yer business. You won't
know nothin'. Swear ! '*

Again the insinuating pistol barrel touched
the nape of his neck.

I^!!li'i|l

TWENTY YEA US AFTER,

*' I swear," said tlie youug mau, faintly.
'' I thought it wasn't an accident."

A low chuckle came through the
darkness.

"It's a sort of accident," the voice said
confidentially. " A sort of accident. I've
hin leadin' up to it for the last twenty years.
But as you've given your word never to
know nothin' about it, I reckon you can
sit up. Have a drink ? "

A nip of fiery whisky put new life into
the young mau.

** I give you my word," he said grate-
fully, ** I'll never know anything about
this anair, even if we come face to face
to-morrow. I'm a stranger here, and have
nothing to do with — with local incidents."

He sat up, ruefully rubbing his head as
the stranger tied him to a tree.

" Now," said the same insinuating voice,
'' you'll be all right and comfortable till
mornin'. If you'd like a chaw of baccy,
stranger, jest say so."

" Englishmen don't chaw,'* said the
young man, disgustedly.

'' Is that so ? It'll help you to think
over local incidents," said the voice in

30 TEE JUDGE OF TSE I'OUR CORNEBS.

tones of sympathetic commiseration. *'I
s'posed Englishmen was always chawin'
up everything and everybody. To think
of it now ; all that money in the country
an' not one chaw ! You all orter be shot
for such darned meanness."

The young fellow perceived the futility
of arguing against this primeval simplicity.
His hands were tied.

*' I don't chaw," he repeated; **and,
what's more, I don't want to."

^* Wal, wal," continued the same persua-
sive voice, **thar's worse things than a
chaw a night like this, when you've been
upset by a local incident. But if your
principles is agin it, I don't want to argify.
You jest keep quiet ; you'll be all right
when we've fixed up the Judge."

** All right ; I've sworn."

A horny hand felt for his through the
darkness, and shook it with friendly force.
*' It's a local incident, an' you, bein' an
Englishman an' a tenderfoot, don't know
nothin' about it. That's what it is — a local
incident." He seemed highly delighted
at the words, repeating them with a quiet
chuckle of chastened enjoyment.

TWEN'jrr YEARS AFTEB.

A moment later, Lajeunesse's cries, raised
in violent objurgation, broke upon the air.

'' We had to tie him up first," said the
voice, apologetically, *'he bein' sorter free
with his weppings an' quicker to come
round. Ain't it real nice to hear him cover
the ground in that high-toned way, hittin'
the mark plum-centre every time, so to
speak ! Young man, Lajeunesse don't offen
let himself loose like that, but when he
does, it's an opportunity an' a privilege."

When the moon began to rise through the
pitchy blackness of the night, the young
Englishman could dimly discern Lajeimesse
and another man tied against a couple of
trees on the other side of the road. Some
one was feeling in the upturned coach and
brought up a box. As it was hurriedly
opened, the Englishman heard an exclama-
tion of satisfaction and the creaking of
parchment. When he looked up again,
the road-agents had disappeared.

In spite of his uncomfortable position,
and a nasjy cut on the back of his head,
the young Englishman fell into a troubled
sleep from which he was awakened at day-
break by a chipmunk running over him. The

32 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR CORNERS.

Judge and Lajeuuesse still remained tied to
their respective trees. By dint of hitching
himself up sideways, the passenger con-
trived to get out a knife and cut his bonds.
Then he limped across the road in order to
free the others. The near wheeler lay dead
with a broken leg, caused by the trees which
had been rolled across the roadway. The
off-wheeler and leaders, tied to a cedar,
stamped occasionally for their morning
feed. One had received a slight cut, but
the others were without a scratch.

Lajeunesse sorrowfully regarded his dead
w^heeler.

'* If it hadn't been for your fool questions
last night," lie said to the young English-
man, **rd have seen what was goin' on.
Beckon you've lost your deeds. Judge."

*' Yes," said the latter, stiffly ; ** they were
evidently the object of this attack."

He gloomily hobbled up to a horse,
mounted it, and set off ?X a foot pace for
Four Corners. Lajeunesse, his foot in a
stirrup, hastily improvised out of a trace,
slowly prepared to follow the Judge.

The Englishman was about to start
after Lajeunesse when, in trying to get on

TWENTY YEARS AFTER.

the horse, lie felt his belt press against the
harness. Hastily dismounting, he opened
it and began to count a roll of notes and
gold. No, there was nothing missing ;
his money had not been touched. Evi-
dently the object of the *' local incident"
was not mere robbery. More bewildered
than ever, he stiffly remounted his steed,
which was anxiously trying to follow the
others, and set off at a trot. The motion
of the horse caused him acute pain. The
back of his head ached violently ; he w^as
sore all over from the effects of the fall.
At the top of the hill overlooking the little
village he pulled up for a moment, osten-
sibly to admire the scenery, but in reality
to ease his limbs, through which the blood
now began to course freely .

The young man inhaled the pure air wdth
increasing delight. '* I feel like Moses in
sight of the Promised Land," he said with
unconscious irreverence. *^ Better go down
and take possession. There ought to be
good farms in that lovely valley. Why,
I've had more adventures since I left our
little Hertfordshire home than in all the
rest of my life put togetlier. I'd like to

:U THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COllNERS.

breed horses as good as tliis. Geutl}' !
Whoa, lad ! Stop, I say ! "

But the impatient horse set off at a
gallop, and declined to stop until he reached
the open space in front of the Four Corners
Hotel, where a curious crowd had already
surrounded Lajeunesse and the Judge.

** Who's that?" asked the landlord as
the young Englishman rode into their
midst and feebly slid to the ground.

** That," echoed Lajeunesse, pausing in
the eloquent recital of his wrongs — ^' That's
the durned tenderfoot whose fool talk let
me in for all this everlastin' trouble."

But the ** tenderfoot " almost fainted, for
the rapid motion of the horse had increased
the pain in his head to a frightful extent.
He was not in a condition to explain
matters to an angry crowd of men, all talk-
ing at once and wildly anxious to kill some
one as a necessary preliminary to finding
out who had attacked the coaoh.

** Take him to the gaol," said Ducaine
sternly; '^his evidence may be wanted.
They'll make him comfortable there."

'* Guess I'll look after him. Judge," said
a meek, quiet voice, which sent a thrill

TWENTY YEARS AFTER.

tliroLigli the young Englishmau, as Old
Man Evans came through the crowd and
Hfted him up. ** 'Tain't the way to treat a
harmless young Britisher with his head
burst open. Here, Ikey, you take his head
an' I'll look after them long legs. Now
then, we'll jest tote him over to the shanty.
A square meal '11 do him most good."

Thus it was that Harry Davenport came
to the village of Four Corners and took
possession of it in a state of semi-uncon-
sciousness. When he opened his eyes again
it was to find himself in a pleasant shanty
by the riverside, whilst through the open
door came the soothing, rhythmical buzz of
a distant saw-mill cutting up spring lumber.

Old Man was busily bandaging a huge
cut afc the back of Davenport's head, whilst
Ikey of the ginger locks fried something on
a stove in a shed outside.

** Where am I ? " faintly asked Davenport.

** To hum," answered Old Man, with
modest pride. ** To hum," he repeated.
''You've bin asleep all day, so I let you
alone. Guess you're powerfully hungry.
AVhat '11 you take when I've finished this
yer bandage ? "

36 THE JUDGE OF THE FOVB CORNERS,

*^ Plungry ! Tm starving."

'' Ikey, bring in the tenderfoot a couple
of pounds of meat to begin with," said Old
Man, conscious that heroic remedies were
needed for such a case as this. *' You kin
do yer fancy cookin' arterwards."

*' But how did I get here?" persisted
the young man, raising himself on one
elbow.

Old Man regarded his guest with a bene-
volent yet searching optic. Apparently
Davenport's frank open face satisfied him,
for he reached down a huge tin plate from
the wall and carefully polished it with his
elbow.

** Jest a sort of local incident," he re-
marked blandly. *' Ikey, whar's the corn-
cake ? "

( 37 )

CHAPTER II.

THE JUDGE SUSPECTS.

Davenport sat up, soul in nostrils, eyes
starting out of his head with impatience,
as the appetizing smell of Ikey's cooking
was wafted into the hut. That talented
chef cast a gratified glance at his guest,
and gave the frying-pan a twist which
evoked so ravishing an odour that, weak
though he was, it pulled the young fellow
to his feet. Satisfied with this involuntary
tribute to his culinary powers, Ikey came
in, washed the tin plate in a pail of water,
and proceeded to warm it at the fire.

*'01d Man,*'he said reproachfully, ^'you've
no more manners 'n a hog. Baar meat's
wasted on you. When we has comp'ny,
you did orter put on a little more style.
You bein' a marryin' kind of man " — Old
Man started guiltily — '* oughtn't to go a

38 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

gormin* our Lest plate like that. Whar's
the green corn? '*

*' Thar ain't no green corn," feebly pro-
tested Old Man, whilst Davenport suffered
agonies of impatience.

*' Young man," said Ikey, sternly, '^ you
kin safely take it as a gin'ral rule as I fires
when Old Man fires ; but he's that powerful
set on marryin', is Old Man, he ain't respon-
serable half the time for what he's doin',
an' tother half" — the speaker transferred a
delicate mass of meat to Davenport's plate
— ** he's pawin' wild flowers an* stuff that
woman lures him on with. Did Miss Wilks
give you any green corn yesterday, Old
Man?"

Old Man turned a coppery hue, which in
any other countenance would have been a
blush.

*' I clean forgot it."

*' You see. Stranger" — IkeyhandedDaven-
port the savoury food — *'he's runnin' arter
what he calls ^ the gentler sex ' all the time,
whiles I'm fattenin' of him up for the sacrifice
an' holdin' of him in. He ain't respon-
serable — that's what's the matter with him
— he ain't respomerable."

THE JUDGE SUSPECTS,

01(1 Man held out another plate for his
share of the banquet, somewhat sheepishly
attempting to turn the conversation.

^^He's that dum foolish, Old Man is,"
continued Ikey, sitting down on a three-
legged stool, his portion of meat on a hunk
of corn-bread, there not being enough plates
to go round — "He's that dum foolish, is
Old Man, he won't let me cut his hair any
more. Must go down to the barber at
Hawkinsville an' come back stinkin' like a
rose-bush. Oh, you should jest have smelt
it 1 I had to sleep outside till it wore off."

Old Man's coppery substitute for a blush
again became visible.

"I wouldn't be givin' away the fam'ly
secrets all at once," he said gently. ** You
bein' a sort of mahogynist, Ikey, don't
understand the softenin' inflooences of
female sassiety. Your great talent's
cookin' ; that's what it is. Cookin' ! I'd
ruther eat a hind leg of mule transmogerified
by you than a dinner at the Judge's."

Ikey flushed with gratified pride. He
had not the slightest idea of what Old
Man meant by calling him a " mahogynist,"
but concluded it had something to do with

40 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNEBS.

liis general antipathy to ^vomen. Old Man,
in moments of embarrassment, was apt to
tbrow out words of this kind, so that he
might effect a cuttle-fish sort of retreat
under cover of their incomprehensibility.

Ikej^ visibly mollified, continued to eat.
*' Never you git to runnin' arter wimmen,"
he said in fatherly tones to Davenport, at
the same time replenishing his plate.
*' Wimmen is — wimmen ! Poor critturs,
they cant help it. Specially when Old
Man's had his hair cut. He didn't orter
do it, but when Old Man makes up his
mind, 3'ou'd think he was a kind of human
airthquake. Thar ain't no holdin' of him.
I'm not deny in'," he added, wdth judicial
impartiality, '' as I sorter encourage him to
trade posies for vegetables with her" — he
jerked his thumb in the direction of the
open doorway — *^ but he allers gits that
mixed up he forgits to bring 'em away with
him, 'sides compromisin' of himself till I
has to chip in an' draw her on to my trail.
She'll get one of us some day, sure as you're
born."

*^ She can't make up her mind," declared
Old Man, witli a grin, referring to the

THE JUDGE SUSPECTS.

unknown fair one. ** I've got more style in
me than Ikey, but he's handier for cleanin'
up an' (loin' chores gin'rally. You wouldn't
know him o' Sundays. Hair greased, claw-
liammer, boots you could see your face in.
He's a terrible man, is Ikey, when he's
dressed. Quite a diff'rent skin."

''Thar ain't no tellin' what colour yours
is any day," said Ikey, visibly roused by
this last remark. '''Sides, I done it all for
your good. 'Tain't no pleasure to me to
talk pretty to Miss Wilks."

Though Old Man continued to eat with
placid enjoyment, no one but his familiar
friend would have dared to gird at him
before a stranger. Davenport began to
feel better with every mouthful. His long
sleep had banished the effects of shock and
exposure. As he sat in the hut, looking
through the open doorway at the purpling
patches of shadow on the grass, it seemed to
him that he had fallen among fnends, iihat
it would be useless to continue his journey
to the Far West. Surely, by dint of hard
work, a decent living might be picked up
in this uncouth communit}^ The inhabi-
tants — most of them were sitting before

i'l THE JUDGE UF THE FOUR COUNERS.

their doors — did not seem to suffer from
over-exertion ; if they managed to exist,
why shouldn't ho ? Besides, his liosts were
indubitably friendly. Would that friendli-
ness continue when Old Man knew of his
resolve to become a citizen of Four Corners ?
There was the mystery of last night still
impending. It was impossible to believe
that the dulcet-toned, harmless individual
whose magnificent teeth were now masti-
cating more bear's meat, should have put
that exceedingly cold pistol barrel to his
ear the night before without having some
good motive for doing so. A glance at Old
Man's hip-pocket — Old Man's visible cos-
tume consisted of boots, pants tucked into
them, flannel shirt, and a hat which his
friends declared he slept in — showed the
slightly protruding butt of a revolver, which
was evidently not intended for merely
ornamental purposes. Ikey, too, carried
a similar w^eapon in a precisely identical
pocket.

'^ I has to be that careful of Old Man,"
he declared, noticing Davenport's glance,
** when he's foolin' round, that I dussent go
about 'ithout a wepping."

THE JUDGE SUSPECTS.

Davenport noticed the liumorous twinkle
in Old Man's eyes at this remark. It was
a transparent fiction between the two that
Old Man required protection, that his
childish impetuosity would eventually land
him into a gaol unless Ikey's restraining
hand were stretched forth to moderate his
unreasonableness. When Davenport re-
membered the scene the night before, and
the part Old Man had taken in it, there
seemed to be something wrong about this
theory. Could the horseman with the box
have been Ikey ? And if so, what had be-
come of it ? Then he remembered his oath,
and leaned back against the wall with a
sigh compounded of reflection and content.

*' Old Man wantin to treat you like one
of the fam'ly. Stranger," said Ikey, noticing
this action on Davenport's part, **we
reckoned not to discommerdate you with
fancy fixins. Consequently, thar ain't
nothin' else ; no puttin' on frills with pies
or suchlike foolishness."

But, quietly triumphant, Old Man reached
up to the shelf above his head, and jiro-
duced a pie — a solid, indisputable pie, with
a crust of metamorphic massiveness.

44 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

*' She give it me more'n a month ago ; I
forgot that too," he said gently. *' Maybe
it'll do if it's warmed."

Ikey caught up the pie and hurled it
through the open doorway.

'* It's a deep-laid plot of that woman to
git one of us out of the way," he said darkly.
*' If you wants pamperin' with pie, I'll make
somethin' human ; but you don't touch that.
I shouldx^'t wonder if thar was apples in it
too," he added, with a dim recollection of
the temptation of Eve.

Olc' Man resignedly reached down a tin
cup.

** I guess. Stranger, "he said, *^ you'd better
not look upon the wine cup when it's red,
or any other colour, till your head's left off
achin' a bit. Me an' Ikey bein' given over
to destruction, so to speak, it don't matter
what we drink. 'Sides, the whisky's nearly ^
all gone."

Davenport nodded. *' It's still buzzing
about a bit." He felt his head rather rue-
fully. *' Canada's a pretty hard country to |
strike."

Old Man nodded affirmatively, and reached
down from the same shelf which had con^

111-

THE JUDGE SUSPJSCTS.

tained the pie a gorgeous Indian calumet
with feather-ornamented stem and bowl
carved out of soapstone.

'' 'Twas give me by an' old Injun chief
whose ponies I got back for him," he ex-
plained.

'* How ? '* asked Davenport.

'* A mean white stole 'em, after smokiu'
the peace-pipe. He had to die then. The
world hadn't no use for him. 'Twas a fair
fight ; Kickin* Horse would tuck in a bit
of t'other chap's hair among the feathers
for a momentum," Old Man reminiscently
remarked, searching for the lock in question.
^' I guess it's rubbed off."

'' And you got aw^ay all right ? "

^* I've bin a good deal among Injuns n my
time," Old Man said thoughtfully; ** most
of 'em ^vants killin', whether meat for
missionaries or bad Injuns ; but they're
allers fair an' square arter smokin' the
peace-pipe. Now% Ikey, if you ain't no
moral scruples agin it, we'll smoke the
peace-pipe with "

'* Davenport, my name is — Harry Daven-
port."

Davenport noticed the delicacy witli vrhich

46 TUK JUDGE OF THE FOVR CORNEBS.

jiis hosts had refrained from asking any
questions about himself. Gentlemen who
came to Four Corners were not, as a rule,
in the habit of giving high-sounding names.
Indeed, some simple physical characteristic
or infirmity usually determined the imme-
diate selection of an appropriate nom clc
guerre, which was found to be far more
satisfactory for purposes of identification
than the multisyllabic patronymics of alien
climes.

'' Couldn't you make it ' Bill ' ? " Ikey
inquired. *' Thar was a one-eyed chap from
Hawkinsville, * Blazin' Bill,' but he's doin'
time now for blazin' away once too off en.
Jest for a little playfulness too."

'* Eode through the window of iviiller's
store," supplemented Old Man, by way of
explanation. " Winged Miller, and the
Judge give him six months to pursue his
ge-erlogical studies in. He won't be out
for another month."

** Geological studies ! '' echoed Davenport.
^' I don't understand."

*^ It's this yer way," continued Old Man,
carefully loading his peace-pipe, after slicing
off tobacco from a cake which dwelt in some

I '

THE JUDGE SUSPECTS.

mysterious recess about his person. *' When
a man's bin sorter goin' free, we takes away
his weppings an' hands him over a hammer
an' a heap of stones. The gaoler puts him
in stiipc^d britches so's he shan't spoil his
own, and makes him crack specimens till
the stones give out. If thar ain't no thin'
valooable in these yer specimens, he mends
roads with 'em to git an appetite."

'' Oh— h ! I see."

Old Man nodded, raked out an ember from
the fire, and lit the peace-pipe. Solemnly
drawing a long whiff, he handed it to Daven-
port, who did likewise, and hesitatingly
regarded Ikey.

** I smokes when Old Man smokes," said
Ikey, stretching out a huge fist. He also
took a whiff, and the pipe continued to
circulate from hand to hand until the
tobacco was exhausted.

"Davey'd be better'n Bill," suddenly
suggested Old Man, after sitting in silence
for some time. ** If Miller was to plug
Blazin' Bill when he comes out, he'd feel
sorter bound to finish off all the other Bills
in the place jest to keep his hand in."

Tliis argument seemed sufficiently sound

48 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUH OOBNEItS.

to settle the matter at once. Davenport
had not the slightest inclmation to be
butchered for the mere sake of the associa-
tion of names. Miller was probably a
man with fixed ideas, who shot first and
listened to explanations when they were
too late to affect the accuracy of an aim
which was alike his neighbours' terror and
delight.

*' It's only losenin' off the front part of
your name," urged Old Man, quick to see
the impression which he had made on
Davenport. " * Davey Davenport ' folk'll
cotton to. Shake, Davey ; Ikey, shake."

They all shook hands with grave cordiality,
only one quick glance from beneath Old
Man's shaggy brows assuring Davenport
that Ikey knew nothing of the inner history
of the previous night. "You have eaten
my bread and salt," the look seemed to
say; "you have smoked the peace-pipe with
me ; for good or ill, you are one of us." In
spite of his diplomacy, there was a trans-
parent honesty about Old Man which won
Davenport's heart.

The trio sat in silence for some time,
watching the spirals of smoke as they

THE JUDGE SUSPECTS.

wreathed themselves upward and disap-
peared. Davenport was the first to speak.

*'I've made up my mind to stay here
and farm," he said suddenly to Old Man.
^' I hope you'll both help me ? '*

Old Man brightened up visibly. ^' Thar's
Ikey now," he drawled, ''jest a spilin' to
show off his muscle. Was you reokonin'
to go in for uncleared land ? "

" Ye-es," Davenport hesitated.

" Do Ikey a world of good," rejoined Old
Man, meaningly. " He's been a-waxin' fat
an' kickin', accordin' to the Scriptures, for
weeks past. You wouldn't think, now,
he's got some Bush-land of his own; the
trouble is, he can't make up his mind
which end to begin at ; he's bin thinkin' it
over for the last two years. When Ikey
begins to think, it takes time."

"I'll buy it from him," said Davenport,
eagerly.

Ikey laid a restraining hand on his arm.
" 'Ithout me an' Old Man to look arter you,
you'd lose your skin in a week. I'll give it
you, or you kin go shares."

Old Man regarded Ikey with increased
respect.

J":

50 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

** Makes me think I'm a little sinless
crittur a-playin' marbles in the Garden of
Eden agin," he said approvingly. **If I
don't take keer of you babes, you'll give
yourselves away next. We'll go over to
La'yer Pike to-morrow an' look into
things."

Davenport was about to return thanks
to his new friends for their considerate
kindness, when a shadow darkened the
doorway. Old Man's face immediately
became a mask with two piercing eyes
which surveyed Ducaine angrily. He did
not attempt to get up to receive the Judge.
Neither did Ikey. ''I sit when Old Man
sits," seemed to flash through the latter's
mind. Davenport noticed that the two
friends understood one another by a kind of
telepathic communication.

The Judge nodded stiffly, as he leant
against the doorway. Ikey had returned
to the corncob of domestic life, but Old
Man still smoked the peace-pipe. The
J*udge knew that pipe. On previous oc-
casions, when it had been smoked with
some friend of Old Man's, the after-results
of their council together had not been

THE JUDGE SUSPECTS.

particularly pleasant for Ducaine. Know-
ing the kind of men with whom he had to
deal, the Judge did not beat about the
bush. His tone was as quietly indifferent
as if he were saying good evening to a
casual stranger.

^' Oh, Evans, how much will you take to
restore those deeds ? " he inquired.

Ikey sprang up, but Old Man restrained
him with a wave of the gaudily feathered
pipe-stem.

'' You're jest a little too late. Judge.
We've been doin' a deal with our young
friend here."

** Pshaw ! You know what I mean."

** You speak sorter legal English, Judge ;
'tain't so easy as you think. I don't know
but what if you was wishful for more land,
we might let you have that bit of Bush of
Ikey's arter all. We could git some more
lower down the Creek. Davey'll sell it
agin at a good price."

The Judge frowned angrily.

'*It's a valooable bit of Bush," 6b-
served Ikey, joining in the conversation
for the first time. *^A valooable bit of
land, now I come to think of it. Full of

52 THE Ji:i)OE OF THE FOUR CORSERS.

tamarack, an' cedar, au' skeeters, an' hoss
flies."

The Judge frowned again at this trans-
parent irrelevance.

'' I'll give you two thousand dollars for
it, with " —ho paused for a moment — " the
missiug Vankleek deeds thrown in."

Ikey again leaped to his feet. ''Look
here, JudgO; if you mean ''

Old Man smiled at Ikey, admiringly.
'' JJ)on't get riled, Ikey. The Judge's only
askin' you to cornpound a felony, that's all.
He wants them deeds back to make a
present of 'em to the widder Vankleek.
Next time you take to lioldin' up the mail,
Ikey, yon needn't skin an old friend like
the Judge."

Ikey was speechless with wrath, but the
Judge paid no attention to him.

"If 1 get those deeds back in a week,"
lie said with freezing severity, "I'll pay
two tliousand dollars for them aijd ask no
questions ; if I don't get them back in that
time, both of you had better beware,"

Old Man nodded iiuperturbably. " I'li
reason with Ikey, Judge, but you know the
"|)articklor sort oi mule he i^ ; 't ain't easy to

:''-' -r^,

' \. *^;

THE 'JUDGE SUSPECTS.

make him let go anythiii' ; I'll wrastle with
liim, Judge — wrastle with him powerfully.
You couldn't make it another thousand ?
Ikey's allers wantin' to sling on style an'
marry."

The Judge gazed at Old Man's leathery
countenance as if to pierce his very soul.
Tlie fire in Old Man's eyes had died away ;
his placid drawl was that of conscious inno-
cence ; he looked with wondering pity at
the Judge.

*' You're workin' too hard at them books
of yourn, Judge ; you want a rest."

The Judge shrugged his shoulders with a
disgusted air.

" Of course you saw the man wdio tied
you up ? " he asked, turning to Daven-
port.

Old Man also shrugged his shoulders.
'* I'm s'prised at you, Judge. S'prised !
You, a La'yer, an' puttin' us all in the
dock, so to speak, jest acause you lost
somebody's else's deeds. Y''oung man " —
turning to Davenport — ^' did you see any
one tyin' you up last night ? "

^' Certainly not," said Davenport, with an
enthusiasm which caused the Judge to

54 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNEnS.

recognize that Old Man had found an ally.
Their looks crossed. Auger gleamed from
the Judge's eyes, from Davenport's a quiet
assurance that he was not to be intimidated.
The Judge lost his temper.

^* I've a good mind to issue warrants for
the three of you," he cried.

Ikey sprang to his feet for the third time,
but Old Man checked him with a w^ave of
the hand.

** You not bein' born in tliese yer parts,
Judge," he said with elaborate politeness,
** nat'rally don't realize ev'ry man as is born
here likes to view his own scenery t'other
side of the way 'ithout the intervention of
any obstructin' or furrin substance atween
him an' it."

Ducai'^9 glared at him. " I don't follow
you."

*'Git," said Old Man, quietly ; '' that's my
meanin'inplain an' unornamental langwidge,
Judge. Git ! Next time I feel to need your
interestin' conversation I'll clean up and
come round. These yer humble surroundin's
— not but what Ikey's gifts orter be took
into account — ain't high-toned enough for
you, Judge. Till me an' Ikey can sling

THE JUDGE SUSPECTS.

on a little more style, we'll struggle along
'ithout the honour of your comp'ny."

^*I warn you, young man, to continue
your journey," said Ducaine, sternly, address-
ing Davenport, *^ or to disassociate yourself
from these lawless men. In a little while
you may not have the chance."

Davenport felt that a decisive moment
had come in which he must make a stand
if he wished to remain at Four Corners.
Besides, his head throbhed with pain. He
yearned to lie down and sleep, to dream
of the old English home with its blossoming
orchards, its sweet May flowers and green
beauty, its ordered richness and majestic
peace. But Old Man looked at him curi-
ously ; Ikey, too, regarded him with doubtful
eyes. A happy inspiration occurred to
Davenport.

" Thank you," he said quietly to the
Judge, who was lighting a cigar preparatory
to departure. *' I'm much obliged to you
for your warning ; but I should have placed
more belief in it had you bound up my head
and fed me like my friends here. * I fires
when Old Man fires.' "

Ducaine leisurely lit his cigar, indifferently

5(3 THE JUDOT: of the four COJiNEIiS.

throw down tho inatcli, aud went away with-
out a word. It cannot be denied that Ohl
Man was a little less impassive than usual.
Ho stretched out to Davenport a hand as
horny as the hide of an alligator. Ikey's
appreciation of the quotation led to a
supreme effort on his part to produce a
supper which should be worthy of his
renown . To his great disappointment, how-
ever, Davenport fell asleep before it was
ready, and Old Man had no appetite, which,
considering his recent performance with
knife and fork, was not altogether surprising.
But Ikey felt disgusted, and showed his
disgust pretty plainly.

** Wouldn't you be wore out if youM
pitched on your head ? " Old Man inquired.
'^Not but what," he added, *^it 'ud take
more'n that to make a hole in your skull.
You let me alone; I've got some hard
thinkin' to do about which end of the horn
we're comin' out."

\Yheu Davenport awoke at early dawn,
roused by the twittering of a bluebird in
a lilac bush by the doorway, Old Man still
sat by the fire, head in hands, with the look
of one mentally revolving momentous issues.

( 57 )

CHAPTER III.

*' WILKS."

DAVENroRT got up witli an amused conviction
that bis wanderings in search of fortune or
competence were about to terminate. Life
in an Eughsh vilhage bad not been par-
ticularly enlivening, for there was a stolidity
about people who worked on his father's
land which scorned all disturbance save by
local events. Kingdoms might rise and
fall, emperors be born or die, but provided
Leer and bacon and *' baccy " and wheaten
bread were forthcoming at stated times, the
English rustic remained sublimely indifferent
to the march of events in the outer world.
This bovine stolidity had appalled Daven-
port. He was tired of beer; the wine of
life seemed a far more tempting beverage.
For nearly a year he had wandered about
quafliing this nectar, always good-humouredly,

"^^^3

58 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOVB CORNERS.

and with the conviction that its liavou'
would never pall upon him. After all, money
was not everything ; true, it meant power,
but muscle meant power also, and he was
undoubtedly very muscular. Old Man and
Ikey did not appear to suiier from any
undue anxiety to become wealthy ; in fact,
there was a certain ordered leisure about
their existeiice which proved that, so long
as they had sufficient money for mere
material w^anj.s, they preferred to pass phi-
losophic lives rather than spend anxious
nights and laborious days in the accumula-
tion of wealth. Why Old Man should have
assisted in the '' holding up " of the Springs
coach was a mystery. Doubtless he would
give his reasons when the time came for
so doing. Meanwhile, however. Old Man
appeared to bo puzzled. His brows con-
tracted, he chew^ed the ragged ends of his
moustache ferociously, as if making an un-
successful effort to eradicate them.

Gradually becoming conscious of Daven-
port's scrutiny. Old Man relaxed the rigour
of his wrinkled brow.

'' I kin gin'rally tell when any one's
a-lookin' at me," he observed cheerfully.

" WILKS:'

'' It used to be handy when I was diggiii'.
I shoot jest as well under one arm as if
t'otlier feller stood in front of me."

''Wish you'd teach me how to do it,"
Davenport said, getting up and looking
longingly out at the sweet morning.

'"Tain't a matter of teachin'," declared
Old Man; "its predesternation. That's
what it is — predesternation ! If you're
predesternated to hit t'other chap, you'll do
it ; if t'other chap's predesternated to hit
you, he'll do it ; an' the Coroner's Jury
gin'rally brings it in accidental death."

Davenport looked round the cabin, but
failed to see any of the toilet appurtenances
of civilization.

"Can I have a wash?" he asked some-
what diffidently.

" Sartinly," said Old Man, with a magni-
ficent wave of the hand, implying that the
laws of hospitality forbade his noticing the
squeamishness involved in such a request.

"But I don't see any place," remarked
Davenport.

Old Man led him to the back door, flung
it open, and pointed in the direction of the
Ottawa shore.

60 TEE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR CORNERS.

'*Tliar's the river; that*s big enough,
ain't it ? " he asked, and went back to his
cabin.

*'But soap and — and towels?" urged
Davenport, following him to the door.

Old Man was genuinely amazed. *' Soap !
Towels ! Ain't the sun a-shinin' ? "

''Ye-es."

" That'll dry yer, won't it ? What more
do yer want ? You kin git plenty of sand
for soap."

'' Ah, I hadn't thought of that.''

Davenport nodded gaily to Old Man, but
that worthy, feeling that he had been un-
necessarily harsh to a stranger unacquainted
with the personal etiquette of the Ottawa
Valley, dived into a cupboard and produced
a piece of stuff, rough enough to have
scraped the hide off an elephant.

** You kin try this," he said, doubtfully.
^' Me an' Ikey don't like it, but you kin try
it. 'Tain't my fun'ral."

He resignedly reL:n'ned to the cabin as
Davenport caught up the towel, threw it
over his arm, and started towards tlic
wharf.

Dropping down underneath the wharf,

" WILKS:*

Davenport walked in the direction of a
sandy cove, with a soft shelving beach,
which melted into the hrown flood. Above
liim was a high bank, apparently leading
up into an orchard. To the left, the little
town, with its glittering tin-roofed Catholic
cliiirch, lost itself in dense masses of Bush.
On the opposite shore, the Laurentian
Mountains uprose to heaven in sombre
majesty, their numberless pine branches —

" With palms upturned to the air.
Breathing a myriad prayer."

Green willows lapped the river as it flowed
against the mountain side, or eddied round
multitudinous little islands in mid-stream.
At this early hour not a soul w^as to be
seen, and the young man committed his
clothes to the sympathizing care of a pair
of Canadian robins, which had built their
nest in a bush some three feet up the bank.
Though the sun beat down upon Daven-
port's head, the water was intensely cold ;
its chill embrace speedily dissipated the ill-
effects of his fall from the coach, and after
a ten minutes' swim, he emerged from the
Avater, feeling as if the misery of that event-
ful night must have happened ages ago.

62 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COENEJRS.

The friction produced by Old Man's ossified ^
towel nearly took the skin off his bones.
A much pie as ant er way of getting dry, he
reflected, would be to bury himself in the
warm sand for a few minutes. Then he
rubbed olf the sand with the towxl, let the
sun soak into him, and reluctantly donned
his clothes. The morning was so fresh and
sweet, the birds sang so blithely, that he
felt a strong disinclination to return to a
cabin still redolent of Ikey's cookery. Why
should he not find out what was at the top
of the overhanging bank ?

Catching hold of a bush, Davenport
gradually pulled himself up to the top of
the bank ; to the great dismay of the robins,
who fluttered about him with little distress-
ful cries, until reassured as to tlie amicablc-
ness of his intentions. Once on the top,
Davenport drew a long breath, and flung
himself down on the lush green grass
beneath a brilliantly flowering shrub, into
which little yellow- winged birds, laden with
wool and horsehair, flitted every few minutes.
Then he began to count the time the birds
took to bring each hair, and so fell asleep.

"When Davenport's consciousness again

" WILKS:*

floated up from the dim underworld of
dreams, he raised himself somewhat stiffly
on one elbow as the hot sun pierced
through the spreading leaves with an
ardour which freed spicy odours from the
adjoining plants and shrubs. Looking be-
hind him, and away from the river, he
could see that another bank dropped some
four feet ; he w^as on the top of a little
plateau devoted to the growth of .^i uit trees
of various kinds. Below him, a pleasant
garden sloped away towards a house built
of stone, and surrounded by the inevitable
verandah. Great spreading fuchsias in
green tubs stood on either side of the door ;
their red and purple blossoms offering
seductive allurements to numberless little
green humming-birds, emerald flashes of
flame, whose quickly winnowing wings sup-
ported them as they hovered in mid air, their
beaks thrust deep down into the hearts of the
flowers. A fat cur basked on the verandah
with that offensive air of proprietorship
w^hich only self-satisfied mongrels can
assume. It seemed to Davenport that so
beautiful a garden should not lack inhabi-
tants, but he was scarcely prepared for the

64 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNEliS.

interesting fact that two of them sat im-
mediately beneath him, leaning negligently
back against the bank. They were both
feminine, to judge from their voices, which
afforded the pleasure of contrast; for one
was sweet, full, and clear, evidently that of
a young w^oman, v^hilst the other had the
shrill, rasping, raucous emphasis of middle
age with, here and there, an occasional
lapse into almost masculine decision.
Davenport was about to withdraw unnoticed,
when his name, exquisitely and richly pro-
nounced, brought the blood to his cheek
with sudden pleasure. He lay still, scarcely
daring to breathe. If he attempted to
move they would be sure to hear him, take
him for a snake or some absurdity of that
sort, and scream for assistance. Perhaps
the owner of the harsh voice might possess
a revolver and empty it at him for practice,
with all the unreasoning promptness so
characteristic of the inhabitants of this
earthly paradise. The district seemed to
be one in which the revolver was lord of
all, a diminutive autocrat against whose
fretful little bark there was no possibility
of appeal. For his own part, Davenport

" WILKS.*"

much preferred to use the fist as a weapon :
the after effects were not so serious. But
just as he was about to crawl away, his
name was again musically pronounced by
the younger voice of the two.

^* Davenport! Davenport! He must be
a couniryman of yours, Wilks. Wasn't
he wdth the Judge when the coach up-
set ? "

The person addressed as " Wilks " uttered
a sound between snort and bark.

" I'd judge him if I got the chance," she
said. ** He'd look well in his own gaol
a-wearin' striped trousers and breakin'
stones."

'^ Hush-h ! Never mind the Judge.
What about the young Englishman ? Will
he stay here ? An Englishman would make
things lively, for the simple reason that all
Englishmen are so serious."

Davenport felt that it was time to answer
the query himself and end this involuntary
eavesdropping.

*'I beg your pardon," he began politely,
putting his head over the bank. *^ I "

But he had not reckoned on the appalling
promptitude displayed by '* Wilks" under

GG THE JUDGE OF THE FOUlt CORNERS.

any circumstances. Before he realized
what was happening, she reached out a
huge hand, brown, large, rugged as a man's,
grasped him by the neck of his flannel shirt,
and flung him forward with a force which
threatened o hr ak every bone in hid body.
When Davv report recovered his breath, he
found himsell ;jpny iing on the grass at the
feet of a very beautiful girl.

*' It's one of those loafing Four Corner
fellers," said Miss Wilks, looking unutter-
able things and barely permitting her victim
to breathe. ^' I'll learn him to come spyin'
round here." After which emphatic decla-
ration of her intentions, she began to
complete Davenport's education in this
respect with an assiduity which threatened
very speedily to end his career altogether.

But the girl laid a restraining hand on
the arm of this brawny virago.

" Don't you see, Wilks, that this isn't
one of your admirers after all ? It is the
stranger. You are always so hasty."

With a reluctant growl, Miss Wilks
released her victim.

*' What did he come here for, then. Miss
Sadie ? Mayn't I chuck him in the

" WJLKSr

liver ? " she inquired ferociously. *' Mayn't
I C'uck him in the river ? "

i'avenport sat up on the grass, indigna-
tion- giving way to amuseir jut.

'I should be delighted," he said, "only
I ^chucked' myself in a little while ago.
I must apologize for going to sleep up there.
Some one mentioned my name, and I — I
came down to see about it," he added
lamely.

The recollection of this involunta.v '
descent caused a slight blush to colour ^n^.
-^heek of the girl. Her eyes danced vith
sympathetic mirth.

** I am so sorry," she said. " Mr. Daven-
port, you must excuse our — our hastiness.
Wilks has so many admirers that she is
sometimes obliged to resort to strong
measures to discourage them. It was
fortunate for you that she hadn't a chopper
with her."

Miss Wilks blushed at this allusion to an
incident which had happened many years
ago, soon after her arrival in Canada, as
cook to Four Corners gaol. The long and
rough voyage from England had only in-
creased her original timidity and lack of

08 TJIK JUDQK OF TTIK FOUR COUNFRS.

charm. Hence she was glad to accept the
situation procured for her at Four Corners,
although filled with a lurking horror of
prisons and prison life. When a country-
man of hers died suddenly, on a somewhat
rough scaffold in the gaol-yard, she began
to wish that she had never left her native
land; for, hearing that Miss Wilks was a
countrywoman of his, and that it was she
who prepared the delicate meals which
softened his captivity, the murderer had
requested the pleasure of her company at
his obsequies. Miss Wilks, not daring to
refuse this delicate mark of appreciation,
but trembling with terror, stood beside the
freshly dug grave in a corner of the gaol-
yard, holding a dog -eared prayer-book
(borrowed for the occasion) in one hand, and
a black-bordered handkerchief in the other,
thus adequately evincing her respect for
** the deceased," as she ever afterwards
called her defunct countryman.

Up to the time of that memorable experi-
ence, Miss Wilks, slab-footed, angular, #itli
watery grey eyes, sloping shoulders, and
scanty wisps of hay-coloured hair, had never
Known an element of romance in the sixteen

" WILKS:'

tlie
fiers,

fr of
itry-

legan
(ativo

years duriug which she had afflicted the
officials of her native workhouse. She had
been picked up by a philanthropic society
and shipped to Canada, in the hope that
there would be a place for her in that gene-
rous, ample-bosomed country. On her
reachi^ig Four CorDors, however, the general
opinion was that Canada had no room for so
*' witless a crittur." Miss Wilks sat on her
box at the end of the wharf. *^ Oh, if you
please, take me to gaol," was all she
answered in reply to the questioning crowd.
But when it was found that she had
arrived at Four Corners in a semi-public
capacity, as it were, i,e. factotum and
'Miired girl," to cook for the gaol-staff and
prisoners, general commiseration was felt
for the gaoler and his charges. *' It's sorter
playin' it low down on the pris'ners. Why,
the sight of that scrawny, tallow-faced,
ungainly female oughter take away what
httle appetite they've got left," said Abe
Millar, as he watched Miss Wilks disappear
within the frowning gates.

Miss Wilks 's apparent insensibility at the
funeral of her erring countryman (in reality
she had been almost beside herself with

.M»5Sb

70 THE JUDQK OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

fright) tended still less to win for her the
liking of Four Corners folk. She was not
sociable; she kept herself to herself; and,
crowning sin of all, dressed too plainly for
a local taste which liad absorbed its elemen-
tary ideas of colour from the prismatic hues
of Indian bead-work. During her brief
holidays Miss Wilks always strolled away
into the Bush rather than mingle with the
giddy crowd, although it was popularly
rumoured that no mosquito would touch her,
no horse-fly cast a passing glance in her
direction. She had no friends, no aims, no
ambitions, no desires, save to do her work
and to be left alone. Folk from the back
settlements had a lurking idea that she was
an English lady of high degree, who had
been banished to Canada by the English
Government on account of her *' homely"
appearance.

Miss Wilks generally kept her temper.
She lost it once, however, when a denizen
of the Bush had proposed to her to share his
frame-house and generally desirable, if some-
w^hat primitive, lot. After a brief cyclonic
interval of impassioned reproaches from the
lady, he found himself fleeing for dear life,

all

■

" WJLKSr

hotly pursued by Miss Wilks with a chopper.
Wlien called upon for an explanation of this
J3erserker fury, Miss Wilks had no explana-
tion to offer. A blush of virgin modesty
suffused her thin, sallow cheeks, and she
continued chopping suet with the weapon
which had so affrighted her simple wooer.
The general opinion was that Zeke Fergus-
son had been too precipitate, and that Miss
Wilks had upheld the honour of her adopted
country in a highly becoming, if some-
what eccentric, manner. For the brief
space of a week there was a revulsion of
public opinion in her favour ; and it was
during that sunny interval of popular esteem
that the Four Corners News alluded to her
as the '* fair denizen of a sunless clime, who
now dwelt in unobtrusive perennial useful-
ness within our walls." Miss Wilks, indif-
ferent to this delicate compliment, refused
to subscribe to the paper; and public
opinion once more veered round, leaving
her as before, '' remote, unfriended, melan-
choly, slow."

To the astonishment of everybody, a
few years' residence in Canada entirely
altered Miss Wilks's mental and physical

72 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOrU COB NEBS.

r: :•

cLaracteristics. Perhaps it was that, wheu
Mrs. Vankleek kindly took her away from
the gaol, her delight at escaping so frigid
an atmosphere lent a new impulse to her
development. She was no longer the shy,
sallow, quiet, shrinking slip of a girl.
Her ^' slab-sidedness " rapidly disappeared
under the regenerating influences of good
food, and a generous climate. It was ^een
that she was full of latent possibilities, of
a dog-like devotion to her friends. Hence
it was that she had become Mrs. Vankleek's
right hand since Colonel Vankleek's dis-
appearance. She was devoted also to
Sadie Vankleek, Mrs. Vankleek's only
daughter, and considered it a duty to
repulse all admirers who wished to tempt
away sucli a guardian angel as herself from
the stone house by the river.

When Davenporii looked up at Sadie
Vankleek, it seemed to him that he had
never seen a lovelier girl. She was ex-
quisitely shaped — tall, with hne, lustrous
dark hair and deep blue eye^;, the long
lashes of which curled upwards, as if
reluctant to conceal so much beauty from

the wo

a ligh

doublj

of fin<

girl's

of hei

pallor

dimpb

into n

the 01

[dity,

CO mm

greatl

liuessj

awak

after

^Yas

learn

infinf

of p

finell

upp(

out\1

swe<

a tal

loni

bro^

[from

frigid

iier

girl.

jared

good

'Sen
|es, of

eiice
eek's

dis-
to

only

fcy to

;empt

from

Sadie
! had
! ex-
(irous
long
LS if
from

)

" WILKS:-'

the world. There was an innocent radiance,
a light-hearted gaiety in her glance, made
douhly piquant by the restraining influence
of finely arched and sombre brows. The
girl's oval face, the purity and regularity
of her features, combined with the creamy
pallor of a complexion which occasionally
dimpled to rose-red, charmed the beholder
into a belief that her personal beauty was
the outward expression of a certain spiritu-
ality, developed and fostered by intimate
communion with one who had suffered
greatly. And amid all this radiant love-
liness lurked the suggestion of newly
awakened womanhood, of a virginal quest
after the inner meaning of life itself. It
was the face of r Diana who had never
learned oo flee — a lace with sufr^Tfestions of

'OC5'

infinite tenderness in its lovely innocence,
of power and proper pride of place, with
finely moulded chin and short, curved
upper lip, the while the nether one curled
outward at the corners with the dainty
sweetness of fresldy opened petals. For
a tall girl she was singularly graceful, with
long, sensitive fingers, and shapely hands
browned by tlie sun.

74 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

As ho lay on the ground, Davenport
instinctively realized that it was an exas-
perating thing to appear at so great a
disadvantage before this beautiful girl.
Had she been plain he would not have felt
the situation so acutely. If he lived to
be a hundred years old, he could never
undo the infelicitous effect of those few
fateful seconds in which he had been made
so ridiculous by the brawny Amazon who
accompanied Miss Vankleek.

^' Have I your permission to get up?"
he asked at last, feeling that he had been
on the ground for an eternity instead of
a few seconds. '' This adventure will be
a warning to me never to go eavesdropping
again. First I tumble from a coach, thou
I am pulled off a bank, and now I am
a prisoner."

Miss Wilks reluctantly relinquished her
prey. As slie did so, Davenport suddenly
became conscious that the wound in his
head had broken out afresh. There must
liavo been a sharp stone lurking beneath
the carpet of tlowers, where he had laiu
awaiting Miss Wilks's pleasure. Sadie
VankUn^v also saw tlie wound, and was

full of

Daven]

paying

He als(

veracit

have h

manne

Canadj

Sad]

protes

urp<

AVilks,
of wai
letting
have 1
Da
stanc
to fai
panie
(low]
ness
shar
the
flowl
out
haul
wa^

WILKS:'

port

txas-

it a

girl.

felt

Id to

lever

few

Lade

who

up?"
been
ad of
ill be
pping
, thou
I aiji

1 her
denly
a his

must
laeath
[ laiu
Sadie
was

full of musically expressed pity, although
Davenport vainly protested against her
paying so much attention to such a trifle.
He also added, with more enthusiasm than
veracity, that it was a pleasure to him to
liave his head broken in the unpremeditated
manner which seemed so natural to most
Canadians.

Sadie Vankleek at once cut i^hort his
protestations with a wave of her hand.

'' Take my arm, Mr. Davenport. Now,
Wilks, run on to the house, and get a basin
of water and sponge. We can't think of
letting you go, Mr. Davenport, until we
liave stopped the bleeding."

Davenport felt that under the circum-
htancos it would be almost inexcusable not
to faint. Mute and bewildered, he accom-
panied his fair guide to the house and sank
down on the verandah, with a dim conscious-
ness that his head must have struck very
sharply on the stones in the grass. Presently
the verandah-posts swam giddily round and
flow into the river. Just as he pulled them
out again, they slipped from his extended
liands, and all was blank. Once more he
was enfolded m Miss Wilks's brawny arms.

76 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNEIiS.

carried to a bedroom, and undressed by her
with characteristic energy. It was not until
she had applied smarting balsam to the
wound that Davenport revived sufficiently
to realize what had happened. He v/anted
to get up and return to Old Man; but
Miss Wilks eagerly undertook to inform that
individual of his whereabouts, and grimly
motioned him to sleep.

When Davenport awoke, he fancied that
he was back in Old Man's cabin; for that
worthy sat by the bedside, with chin on
hands, and the same inscrutable air of
having known all the mysteries of tho
universe since the beginning of time.

** How long have I been here ? " he asked
somewhat feebly.

^' Jest about a week," answered Old Man,
in matter-of-fact tones, but with a kindly
glance — ^* Jest about a week. I told Ikcy
that cookery of his 'ud upset any one as
warn't used to it."

'^It wasn't the cookery upset me," said
Davenport, weakly, trying to smile. ^' It
must have been either the coach, or that
disgui-ed grenadier they call Miss Wilks."

Old Man nodded emphatically. '' Ah,

she's t'
approvi
with h<
You gc
for a
to try ^
what .
but M
he's cc
to do i
way.
raised
lield
fashio:
said 3
you ti
of bl
Now
to lei
mint
or f(
lone
D
tioiJ
aud

inn

WILKS:'

her

that

[m oil

f th

e I

asked i

[ Man,
kindly
[ Ikey
>ne jih 1

' said

■ that
ks."

she's thorough, Miss Wilks is," he said
approvingly — *' Thorough. No half-measures
with her, when she takes hold of things.
You go to sleep agin, an' Ikey'll come on
for a spell. He's bin wimderful anxious
to try some of his soups on you — thinks it's
^yhat he calls a heaven-born oppertunity ;
but Miss Wilks threatened to brain him, so
he's contented himself with tellin' her how
to do it. They're both great cooks in their
way. You jest taste this, sonny." He
raised Davenport to a sitting posture, and
lield some broth to his lips in an old-
fashioned silver spoon. '^ Doc Higginson
said you was to have it by degrees, afore
you tried anything solid. You've lost a lot
of blood one way'n another. That's it.
Now go to sleep agin. You wouldn't like
to learn to chaw now you've nothin' on your
mind, I s'pose ? Y^ou might begin with thre 3
or four plags a day, jest to prevent feeli i
lonely in a furrin land, so io speak."

Davenport forcibly disclaimed any it n-
tion of adopting so disgusting a pr; uce,
and fell asleep again.

''Wal, wal, to be sure," said Old j^Ean,
iinperturbably. " P'r'aps 'twould be a little

78 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COliNERS.

sudden to begin . You'll learn a heap of
things you don't know nothin' about now
afore me an' Ikey's done eddicatiu'
you."

And with this significant vaticination, lie
once more resumed his favourite attitude
until relieved by Ikey.

T*B.T'«,nm??

5ap of
|t now
Lcatiu'

( 70 )

on, he

titiule

CHAPTER IV.

MRS. VANKLEEK.

Miss Wilks, professedly distrustful of
Old Man's and Ikey's capacity to nurse
Davenport properly, kept a sharp eye on
the somewhat erratic though well-inten-
tioned proceedings of these worthie ; ; and
finally, being dissatisfied, took matters mto
her own hands, with a stern determination
characteristic of one whose well-known
prowess with choppers had a tendency to
discourage carping criticism. There was
also a delicacy about the situation, owing
to the amorous relations supposed to exist
between herself. Old Man, and Ikey. The
inhabitants of Four Corners were greatly
interested in this slowly developing love-
story — a story which had been unfolding
with epical slowness for the last twenty
years. The betting was even that Ikey

80 THE JUDQE OF THE FOUR COIiNEJiS.

would siioot Old Man, Old Man carve Tkey
to pieces wiMi a bowie knife, or Miss
Wilks, in a fit of desperation at being
unable to come to an impartial decision,
decapitate them both with her chopper —
that weapon of offence which, in the minds
of her neighbours, bore as potent a reputa-
tion as the far-famed Excalibur of Arthurian
legend. But Miss Wilks had a conscience,
and that conscience smote her when she
thought of the way in which she had added
to Davenport's sufferings by her unpreme-
ditated assault. Her atonement took the
somewhat material shape of jellies, orna-
mentally emblematic of their commou
fatherland, and of luscious fruits and deh-
cate ^akes calculated to appeal to all the
higher instincts of a man's stomach — the
only god to whom the majority of men, iu
Miss Wilks 's opinion, were capable of offer-
ing continued worship. She was filled with
poignant remorse that hers should have
been the hand to deal Davenport so much
pain ; although, it is true, this remorse
usually manifested itself in a desire to make
things as unpleasant as possible for Ike}
and Old Man, at wliom she tleered ami

flouted

to writ

produc

as if he

Miss ^

indiffei

oratori

Ikey's

caused

loyalt}

lieve t

passio]

^vith c

Pro

had b

head ;

a glo^

who ]

inaus]

acqua

take .

wliicl

tion (

his n(

sight
takei.

?>S'.

MBS. VANKLEEK.

Ikey
Miss
being
vision,
)per-"
Iminds
[eputa-
uriaii
lence,
>n slio
added
pre me -
k the
oma-
mmou
i deli-
l11 tJio
I — the
en, iu
' offei"-
l with
have
mucli
morse
make
Ike}-
[ and

fioiited in a way which caused the former
to writhe with anguish, although her gibes
produced about as much effect on Old Man
as if ho liad been a brick wall. Whereupon
Miss Wilks, affecting to regard Old Man's
indifference as wholly feigned, indulged in
oratorial remarks of a nature which filled
Ikey's cup of anguish to the brim, but never
caused him to swerve for a moment from
loyalty to his friend, who appeared to be-
lieve that Miss Wilks cloaked a consuming
passion for tliem both which filled her days
v;ith care, her sleepless nights with woe.

Providence, fortunately for Davenport,
had blessed him with a remarkably thick
head ; and he was soon able to write home
a glowing account of the strange people
who had received him among them in so
inauspicious a fashion, but who, on closer
accjuaintance, proved to be equally ready to
take him to their hearts. The only thing
wliich puzzled him was the paltry estima-
tion of human life which prevailed among
his new friends.

^' What's the good of shooting a man on
sight and then finding out you are mis-
taken ?" he asked Old Man one afternoon

82 rilE JUDQE OF Tllli FOUlt CORNEltS.

when that Machiavellian gentlomau looked
iu to inquire how ho was getting on.

*^ Saves argifyinV' <^i'yly replied Old Man ; . .
'^ an' anythin' as saves argifyin's a blessin'." fl
He looked at the pretty furniture, the thick ^
carpet beneath his feet, the dainty pictures
on the walls. *^ Ain't it about time for
Miss Sadie to have her room agin ? "

**What? Havel ?"

*' Yes. But I reckon you didn't know it."
Davenport asked for his hat. '^ Hadn't
the Hlig'htest idea of it. I won't trespass
on her hospitality any longer."

Old Man nodded. ^* Ikey an' me 'lowed
you was sorter losin' time, you bein' wishful ■
to get in crops this year. We've fixed on
a section of land down thar by the Crick,
with a hit of Ikey's Bush runnin' across the
bottom. The deeds is all ready to sign ou
Monda}^, an' we'll have the neighbours iu >
for log-rollin' 's soon as you're well enough.
They'll knock up a house for yer."

Davenport was overwhelmed by this deli-
cately disinterested kindness.

*'If so be as you're short of cash," *
continued Old Man, his face as expression-
less as a balk of timber, '*me an' Ikey

11 plan

the cof

tied yc

ueighb

crawl (

the sit

cuougl

the B

11 ei gill

mill."

Bef

thank

tlio w

to avc

"IV

parloi

^rctfi

Man,

with

liieni

port.

the

cute

layi

thrn

■

» ■*'!

tko.|

■Man;

Ksin'."

1 thick

■ctiires

lio for

3 wit."

iadu't

•espass

'lowed

wishful '

xed on

Crick,

)ss the

igu on

'iirs in >

lOllgll.

MBS. VANKLKEK.

is deli^

cash,"
3ssion-
' Ikey

'11 plank down the rest. The chap as upset
the coach " — ho hroke into a chuckle — '* an'
tied you up, didn't reckon on gittin' a new
iioiglibour out of that business. We'll jest
crawl down to the Crick to-morrow, to see
the site. It's iiiore'n a hundred acres ; thar's
enough timber ready felled an' seasoned in
the Bush to build the house, once the
neighbours rolls down the logs to the saw-
mill."

Before Davenport could express his
tlianks. Old Man stepped lightly through
the window, and disappeared just in time
to avoid Miss Wilks.

'' Mrs. Vankleek wants to see you in the
l)ajiour," said that pugnacious Amazon, re-
,L;i'otfully surveying the flying figure of Old
Man, as if anxious to break a parting lance
with him. *' Miss Sadie's there, too."

The latter part of Miss Wilks' s announce-
ment was not wholly unpleasing to Daven-
port. In all the novels he had ever read,
the picturesque heroine invariably Misisted
on binding up the wounds of the perse-
cuted hero ; but in this case, instead of
laying cool hands upon his burning brow
through the night-watches, the picturesque

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84 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNERS.

heroine had simply confined her attentions
to sending him cool, cand very occasional,
messages of inquiry. Davenport had long
since admitted to himself that Sadie Van-
kleek fulfilled all the necessary qualifications
for a heroine. Whether she would regard
him as a hero was an altogether different
thing ; it seemed to him that under no
circumstances could she possibly do so
when she recalled the ludicrous figure ho
had cut in the masculine hands of Miss
Wilks, who preceded him down the passage,
and glared back with what she meant to
be an encouraging glance.

*'I've got him," she announced, flinging
the door wide open, and almost dragging
Davenport into the room, as if he w^erc
some rare animal which she had picked up
in the Bush. Having thus introduced
Davenport to Mrs. Yankleek, she thrust
her arms akimbo, and prepared to take part
in any discussion as to what ought to be
done with her captive.

'' That will do, Wilks. You can leave the
room," said the elder lady's peremptory
voice; and Wilks, with an indignant toss
of the head, departed.

MliS. VANKLEEK.

Whilst this short conversation was going
ou between Wilks and her mistress, Daven-
port noticed with pleased surprise that there
was not the slightest resemblance between
Sadie and her mother. In the present state
of his feelings he would have resented any
apparent likeness between the two. He
wished to think that there was nothing in
earth, or sky, or sea that betrayed a personal
affinity with Miss Vankleek ; she was com-
plete in herself — so rare and beautiful a
being that he wished to place her on a
pedestal of his own, where all comparison
should be impossible. He was conscious
of shaking hands with her before the elder
lady crossed the room. Then, having intro-
duced him to her mother, Sadie departed
and left them alone together. It was some
consolation to Davenport to think that, in
passing by his chair, Sadie had insisted on
placing a peculiarly soft cushion beneath
his wounded head.

After a few polite expressions of regret
at the mischances which had befallen him,
Mrs. Vankleek almost insensibly turned
the conversation into another channel. It
struck Davenport that she was particularly

80 Tim JUDGE OF THE FOUJi COIINEJIS.

eager to learn every detail of the accident
to the Springs coach ; she even smiled
slightly with humorous appreciation as
he described the woebegone expression on
the Judge's countenance in the early dawu.

**It is not often that a judge himself is
judged. You are quite sure that the deeds
were all taken away?" she asked presently.
^' There can be no mistake about that ? "

** I don't think there could be any mis-
take. It is impossible not to k?iow the
crackling of parchment. The robber, who-
ever he was, took one or two deeds out of
the box, as if to identify them. Then ho
went off with the wdiole lot."

'*And what was he like?" Mrs. Vaii-
kleek eagerly inquired.

Davenport declared his inability, owing
to the darkness of the night, to describe
the road-agent.

*'I had a vague impression that he was
tall ; but I was so confused that I couldn't
be certain about anything. Now^ I must
thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Vankleek,
and return to my friends."

Mrs. Vankleek smiled. She was still an
extremely handsome woman, and the smile

MRS. VANKLKKK.

\v<as not without its charm. Davenport
explained that lie had ah'cady imposed
sufficiently upon her good-nature. Mrs.
Vankleek contended that she was still his
debtor, and that he must consider himself
at liberty to stay as long as he liked. If
he elected to live in the village, she trusted
that he would not neglect the opportunity
of meeting her half-way in a desire to
make things pleasant for liim. She also
liinted that the society of Old Man and
Ikey, though doubtless sufficiently agree-
able iu itself, could scarcely take the place
of all that he had left behind him in
England. In return for this frankness
Davenport hastened to explain that he
was the son of an English gentleman-farmer,
whose family was better than his farm,
and who made it a rule, when his children
attained their majority, to give them five
hundred pounds apiece, and poUtely kick
tliem into the world to fare for themselves.
He talked freely of his prospects, and how
he intended to settle down and adapt his
English experiences in horse and cattle
breeding to the requirements of this almost
virgin Canadian soil.

88 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Davenport went back to his room with
the conviction that Mrs. Vankleek, despite
a certain iraperiousness of manner and the
shortest upper lip he had ever seen, was
kindness itself. He understood her anxiety
to know what had become of the deeds to
the property, and also detected her care-
fully hidden satisfaction when he mentioned
the misadventures which had befallen Judge
Ducaine. Unless the Judge, who had wooed
Mrs. Yankleek so obstinately and long,
could produce the deeds, his threats of
foreclosing an alleged mortgage on the
property were futile. And, from what he
had already seen of Ducaine, Davenport felt
convinced that, as long as passion, pride,
or prejudice were concerned, he would
stick at nothing. Obviously, therefore,
Mrs. Vankleek had obtained a temporary
respite. Hence her eagerness to know
who had taken the deeds. Davenport did
not feel himself at liberty to hint at the
nature of his suspicions with regard to
Old Man's share in the transaction. That
worthy would probably take his own time
to explain matters. Until then one might
as well question the Sphinx.

MBS. VANKLEEK.

was

Three days after this interview Daven-
;^ort returned to Old Man's hut, escorted
thither in triumph by his two friends, and
bearing under one arm a cake as big as
a tombstone, the peace-offering of Miss
Wilks. The cake also contained a true-
lover's knot composed of sugar-icing, the
object of which was to render Ikey frantic
with jealousy, and cause Old Man to lose
his reason from despair. Unfortunately
for the success of Miss Wilks' s design,
Ikey simply thought the sugar-icing a
Masonic emblem meant for guest and hosts
alike, and devoured most of it himself with
great gusto, although not without expe-
riencing certain disastrous after-effects,
owing to Miss Wilks having mixed the
sugar-icing with plaster of Paris to stiffen
it. As for Old Man, he paid no attention
to Ikey's groans, but silently handed him
the whisky-bottle, and cut a huge chunk off
the cake from the flakiest part of its yellow
heart, to the secret delight of Miss Wilks,
who, by some fortuitous chance, happened
to be passing at the moment. As Old Man
sat on his stool by the door, eating her
cake, ^^ pro bono publico,'^ to quote his own

00 THK JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

expressive i^hrase, it seemed to Miss Wilks
that the situation almost amounted to a
proposal. If she could have seen the grin
on Old Man's face when he shut up hia
clasp-knife, she would not have felt quite
so certain. From motives of his own, Old
Man had temporized with his friend the
enemy, knowing that Ikey was far too
engrossed with internal disturbances to
make any objection. He would rather
have cut off one hand than willingly give
pain to his faithful follower and friend.

( ^l )

CHAPTEK Y.

LOG-nOLLING.

When the people of Four Corners threw
off their habitual listlessness they did so
with a determination which indicated great
capacity for latent work. Every team for
five miles round came in with a joyous party
of hands for the log-rolling. Buggies with
spidery shafts, carts with huge blocks of
wheels made from solid wood, nondescript
vehicles drawn by oxen and mules yoked
together in picturesque incongruity, buck-
boards which jolted their occupants up and
down with every movement of the fiery
little ponies — all these hurried towards
Ikey's Bush or encamped in picturesque
confusion around the site of the new house,
for which the foundations had already been
laid. Old Man declared with emphasis
that no trouble was to be spared. In

92 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COIiNEliS.

pursuance of this spirited policy, he weut
round dropping appropriate liints.

" Now, boys, let this yer Britisher see
what you kin do when you're roused.
They do say men are pretty spry over in
the old country, but I reckon none of 'em
knows how to tackle Bush, an' open it up,
like we do. Here's Old Tolle vents, with
his five pretty gals, over thar; an'," he
whispered confidentially, ** Tolle vents has
got his eye on the workers to-day. I
sha'n't be s'prised, mind you, if Lo was to
say to himself,* You'll do for Lucinda Jane.' "

Whereupon the athletic youth to whom
Old Man addressed himself would buckle
to with redoubled ardour, and perform pro-
digies of work under the stimulating glances
of the Tollevents family.

" Tollevents," more familiarly known as
*' The Deacon," had a wearisome habit of
beginning every remark with "At all
events," which had gradually softened
down into the above contraction. He con-
sidered himself a member of the Church
militant, carried a big revolver, and was
equally ready to fight a man first and con-
vert him afterwards. Tollevents 's iron-grey

LOO'ItOLLINO,

liair floated loosely over brawny shoulders ;
his eyes were as piercing as a hawk's. In
addition to the customary costume of Four
Corners, he wore a long-tailed black coat
as an outward indication of spiritual privi-
leges denied to customary mortals. The.
effect of thir , in conjunction with pants
tucked into his boots, slouch hat, and oc-
casional exclamations scarcely of a diaconal
character, was rather startling. In unison
with these peculiarities of costume, Tolle-
vcnts regarded heaven as a place where he
would ultimately be received with the respect
due to a deacon who had for so many years
consented to abide in such a village as
Four Corners. After living at Four
Corners, he had been heard to observe, the
prospect of entering another world had no
terrors for him ; it could not be worse, and
it might be better.

When every one had reached the Bush,
ToUevents raised a gaunt hand in the
direction of the hurrying crowd, and mo-
tioned it to stay. With one hand on his
revolver, the other raised to heaven, he
breathed a militant prayer, concluding
with —

U4 THE JUDGK OF WE FOUR CORNERS,

'' Lord, bless those yore peacefu] peti-
tious of Thy servants (Jake Stebbius, if
you dou't stop griunin', I'll let drive at
yer), an' graut wo may taste of the fruits
of the yoarth uow boiu' opened up, so as
iu duo time wo may enjoy the Indian
corn, an' the punkin, an' the garden truck
of Thy promised land. Amen. — 'Lish Hig-
gins, you're pinin' for a lammin' afore the
day's over ; you'll git it, if you don't leave
my gals alone. Now then, boys, we'll
begin." He paused in confusion, for mas-
tery of detail was not his strong point.

'*You was sayin'," suggested Old Man,
who had already arranged everything long
before Tollevents took matters in hand —
''You was sayin' the teams had better git
the logs down to the saw-mill at once, afore
we fires that patch. Now we'll haul out
the stumps, an' tidy things up a bit."

Tollevents nodded affirmatively, and Old
Man, having persuaded the Deacon that
his was the master-mind which arranged
everything, marched off to endue some one
else with a similar belief.

'•Thar'll be a frolic in Tollevents's barn
when we winds up this yer picnic," he said

LOG-ROLLING,

1J5

to tlio younger meu. '^I shouklu't bo
s'prised, now, if Lelota and Melinda hurries
the old man off to bed, so's to git him nicely
out of the way. You kin reckon on a good
time gin'rally, boys, if you puts in a fair
day's work. We've been knockin' Davey
Davenport about since he got here ; it's
time we did somethin' to help him. You
could put your fist through the hole in his
liead."

Thus moving from group to group, Old
Man, faithfully duplicated by Ikey in
another part of the lot, stimulated and
encouraged every one with lavish promises
of that gift for which his soul most craved.
There was a genial benignity about Old
Man which would have softened the heart
of a crocodile, as he approached a party
of women and girls who were industriously
bringing provisions for the workers. But,
to Old Man's dismay, he suddenly recog-
nized a tall female form towering above
the rest ; in one hand it held a chopper.

Old Man turned to flee, but was too
late, for Miss Wilks had already seen him,
and, with a coquettish motion of the
chopper, waved him to come nearer. He

on THE JUDGE OF ^.t.E FOUR CORNERS,

j.,f-

cast a furtive glance round to see if Ikey
was anywhere near, but that faithful hench-
man had already started with the teams.

Old Man breathed a sigh of relief. Ho
did not wish to hurt the feelings of his
frinnd by a Ute-a-Ute with Miss Wilks. But
Miss Wilks liad her own notions of what
was due to her, and was also in possession
of the field.

*' Some folk,'' slie remarked, with wither-
ing scorn, "haven't the gumption to pass
the time of day."

*' Some folk," basely returned Old Man,
** when they sees other folk, gits so mixed
up they don't know what time of day it
is. You couldn^t oblige me with the time.
Miss Wilks ? "

Miss W'lks softened visibly, although
perfectly well aware that she did not
possess a watch, a fact of which Old Man
V, as equally cognizant. She affected to bo
r.biivious of this remark, and inquired after
Ikey with tender solicitude.

" He ain't well," Old Man replied, allow-
ing a shade of concern to steal over his
features. ''No, he ain't well. He was
eatin' the white stuff on that cake of yourn.

LOG-ROLLING,

a^n' it upset him in the night-waiohes. I
liad to git up an' rub him with opodeldoc,
his langwidge was that awful. 'Sides, he
seems to have suthin' on his mind."

Miss Wilks started guiltily. " You don't
mean to say that nat'ral-born innocent eat
the letterin' ? "

" In course he did."

.Miss Wilks remembered the plaster of
Paris and held her peace, feeling that she
had slain the only man v/ho ever loved
her.

** He said them solid chunks of whitenin'
'ud have to be dug out of him when he
died," continued Old Man ; ^* an' I was to
send 'em back to you with his best respex,
he'd no more use for 'em ; they'd done for
him. He's better this mornin', though."

" If ever there was a looney," said Miss
Wilks, reverting to the accent of her
native workhouse, **it's that Ikey. With-
out you to nurse him, he's bound to git
into mischief."

Old Man saw his opportunity. '^ Ah, if
you only knew what a sosherble kind of
crittur he is, an' how lonely he sometimes
gits, Miss Wilks ! I couldn't tell you what

98 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNERS.

''OF'

that man's said about you in the night-
watches."

This was strictly and literally true, for
Ikey had so far forgotten himself, whilst
suffering from the efi'ects of the Parisian
plaster, as to use language which would
have made a mule blush. He attributed
his misfortunes to an attempt on Miss
Wilks's part to cut short his career from
motives of professional jealousy. How else
could it be that Old Man had also partaken
of the cake and yet escaped without a
single pang ?

*' Ikey's nat'rally unfort'nate," continued
Old Man. '' He had the chalk ; I got the
cake."

^'And the pie?" queried Miss Wilks,
conscience-smitten. *' Did the pie sit easy
on him? "

"He wasn't a bit the worse for all he
swallowed of it," diplomatically stated Old
Man, quite forgetting to mention that Ikey
had hurled the pie through the open door.
'' Who's that with the long hair a-talkin' to
Miss Sadie ? "

"That? Oh, a poetry feller from the
Swamp. ' Skeeter Joe,' they call him.

LOG-ROLLING.

He's always pesterin' Miss Sadie with his
poetry. I'll poetry him some day," added
Miss Wilks, suggestively fingering her
chopper, as if the road to Parnassus could
only be reached after she had reduced
every local Milton to mincemeat. **But
if T stand talking to you all day, there'll
be nothing for anybody to eat."

She gave the huge cauldron a stir, and
Old Man hastily made his escape, lest the
fieshpots should prove too strong a tempta-
tion. Crossing the lot, he entered the Bush
just in time to see Ikey heading a proces-
sion of teams to the saw-mill. As the lead-
ing team consisted of an ox and a mule, it
took some time to get the first log down
to the Creek, whence it was floated to the
mill pond, run up in a trice, placed upon a
kind of carriage, and drawn towards the
saws. A few seconds later, that which had
once been a log fell into evenly-cut-up
planks ; these, in their turn, were seized
upon by a hundred willing hands and
hurried off to the carpenters, who nailed
them against the uprights of Davenport's
rapidly rising house.

When Davenport tried to help, he was

100 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

good-naturedly pushed aside by a brawny
son of Anak. He would have quite enough
to do later on, as soon as the house was
ready for him, the giant declared. Mean-
time he had better sit by the mill dam and
keep out of the way of incoming logs.

Davenport left the good-natured crowd,
and sat down by the mill dam. There he
remained somewhat listlessly watching the
water slowly trickle through the cracks in
the huge logs. The scent of the freshly
sawn lumber was grateful to his nostrils,
the whirring bands of machinery made
pleasant music. He felt drowsily conscious,
as he sal there with the balsamic odours
of cedar and pine ascending to expectant
nostrils, that a house was rising up for him,
through the laboiir of others, with all the
magic celerity of Aladdin's palace. He
already saw himself lord of fat oxen and
fiery steeds, surrounded by smiling fields
and fertile meadows, the rolling river at his
feet, and on the opposite shore the giant
Laurentian Mountains, whose eternal sum-
mits welcomed alike the white mail and
the red. It was good to live, to be con-
scious of returning health, to walk erect in

LOO-ROLLING.

101

and

tlie sunlight, feel the dewy air of night, see
solemn stars, inscrutable and serene, draw-
ing him upward to nobler ends and aims
than the mere struggle for daily bread. Let
it be his to know the love of men and
women alike, the touch of baby hands, the

rapture of full days, the The droning

hum of the huge revolving bands lapped
his senses in drowsy forgetfulness. Half
unconsciously he slid behind a fragrant
pile of sawdust and slept, a smile upon his
lips, whilst the tears of the mutilated pines
diffused themselves in health-giving fra-
grance around him. "We die, brother,
that you may live, and thus fulfil our task."

But whilst Davenport slept, real forms
gradually drew nearer, escaping from the
heat of the day into this cloistral gloom,
through which little motes of sawdust
floated and fell. Bending down, the poet of
the Swamp, familiarly known as " Skeeter
Joe," on account of his indiflPerence to those
irritating insects, scooped away the sawdust
for Sadie Vankleek.

*^ Here we kin — I mean can — sit and talk,
Miss Sadie," he said bashfully.

Sadie sat down, casting a look at the

102 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

youthful poet tlirougli her long-lashed lids,
which completed the suhjugation of that
inflammable being. He responded to it by
scooping out a seat for himself at her feet.

*' I'm not worthy to sit on a level with
you," he declared.

*^ Why not ? " Sadie knew perfectly well,
but it was her humour to affect ignorance
of his meaning. *' Why not ? " she asked
the shy, long-haired poet, whose emaciated
cheeks and thin form told a tale which
would have grieved the heart of any
mother.

The poet looked up at the whirring bands
above him. '' Something's wrong here,"
he said, placing his hand on his chest ;
" and I ain't ready for it."

" Eeady for what ? "

His eyes shone with preternatural bright-
ness through the gloom.

*' It ain't — I mean, I'm not— like other
folk, that's a fact. This cough's tearing
me to bits just as I'd found out what it is
to live — just when I'd learnt the forms of
the flowers, the whispers of every wind, the
sigh of the streams, the sweet birds' song.
I've read in olden books of ancient knights,

and h
to th<
ride t
hand,
'em c
'twas
The
you'\
I've
make
say,
niad(
mom
but
derei
hear:
chip
A

all -
exh:
love
aloi
get-
to
lot
hii]

lOa-ROLLING.

103

and ladies with golden liair a-shining down
to their feet ; and I've waited for 'em to
ride through the Bush and take me by the
hand. Sometimes in the Fall I've seen
'em coming through the maple leaves ; but
'twas only the reds and yellows of the frost.
The nearest I've ever been to 'em's when
you've come down to the Crick, singing.
I've tried to put it into words — words as '11
make people feel kinder sorry for me, and
say, ^ If that chap had lived, he'd have
made folk laugh and cr3^' In a few
months, maybe, they'll cry — some of 'em —
but they won't laugh. I've often won-
dered what it was like to lie underground,
hearing nothing, not even the patter of a
eliipmunk's feet on the leaves."

A fit of coughing interrupted his words.

'' But I didn't bring you here to tell you
all this," he said, leaning back, pale and
exhausted. ^* 'Tain't in nature you'd ever
love me. Somebody else's sure to come
along by-'n'-by. I've tried to git — I mean
get — that infernal old editor of the News
to print my poems ; but he gave the last
lot to the office goat, and said they made
him sick. What I wanted to tell you was.

104 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

I hung round your house toother night, and
there was another feller doing the same

thing."

^' Who was it?"

** An oldish man. I'd never seen him
before. He dove into the Bush when he
saw me."

" But what were you doing there ? "

** Looking up at your window," artlessly
rejoined the poet. " I could see your
dark shadow on the blind when you
stretched out your arms. They looked so
round and supple and sweet as the sleeves
fell away from 'em, I wanted to climb up
and kiss the blind. I've often wondered
what a girl's room — the room she has for
her own — was like. Seems to me it must
be kind of restful, and part of herself, with
pretty fixin's — a place for prayer, a beautiful
bower where she pours out her soul to God.
If I could have felt one of them arms, so
pretty and white and warm, around my
neck just for a moment, nothing else would
have mattered in the whole world."

Sadie's hand dropped caressingly for a
moment on the young enthusiast's shock
of liair.

({

piece
to t(
pron
forg(

kno^

said
liki]
boo
the
Thi
tall
life

LOO-ROLLING,

105

*'You mustn't talk such nonsense," she
said kindly. *^ Every knight has to go out
into the world to win his spurs. Some
day, perhaps, you'll become a great poet."

The poet shook his long locks. " Whiles
I'm riding away to tilt against Death on
his white horse, there's sure to be another
feller here who'll get the inside track." (He
did not know that Davenport still slept
within a few feet of them). "But I'm
bound to start in a day or two, and ramble
round on the old mule, trying to get my
pieces printed. I fotched you in here just
to tell you I'm starting, and to get you to
promise, when the time comes, you'll not
forget me."

Sadie made a little gesture of pain.
*' My dear boy, you mustn't talk so. You
know how much I like you."

"Liking ain't love," somewhat drearily
said the poet. *^ A man wants love, not
Hking. When all those fellows in the
books started out, they never knew what
the end was going to be. I do know.
That's why I asked you to have this little
talk with me. I've never had much in my
life to brighten it, or make me happy ; I've

106 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

alwcays been a solitary, moping owL with
more kinship to bees and flowers than
human beings. Then you come along, and
it was different. I ain't going to howl that
God might have made things easier for mo.
I've had my doubts about there being a
God at all, till I met you. Now I know
there must be one ; the devil couldn't
create a girl like you. Maybe God's so
busy with all His millions and millions of
sinful, suffering folk, He can't give me
more'n an odd minute now and again, and
that's how I've got wrong."

He sat there, looking up into her beautiful
eyes with strange wistfulness.

The girl sorrowed for this playmate of
her youth. She knew that he spoke the
truth; that she had no love for him, sucli
as he desired ; but she bent over him, put
her arms around the lad's neck, and pressed
her lips to his with infinite tenderness,
infinite pity, infinite pain.

*' When you come back, tell me you
have forgotten all this," she said. '' If you
cannot come back, promise to send for me."

Davenport, drowsily coming forth from
behind his rampart of sawdust, surprised

LOQ-ROLLING,

107

the two. With a slight flush on his cheek,
he passed on and hastened out to the log-
rollers, who worked whilst he slept. He
seemed to spend most of his time in sleep-
ing since he had arrived at Four Corners.

The poet looked after him somewhat
enviously.

'' There's a man," he said; ** handsome,
straight, tall. Nothing the matter with
him that a week or two won't put right.
Things are hard for some people."

*' Come into the sunlight," said Sadie,
confusedly ; ** the gloom is had for us hoth."

But the poet shook his head as she left
the mill. He went further back into the
gloom, still feeling the exquisite wonder of
a woman's kiss upon his virginal brow.

*' My ! what it would be to live for that ! "
be cried to the whirring bands above Inm.
'^ To live for that ! "

108 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COHNERS.

CHAPTER VI.

TOLLEVENTS S BALL.

In the course of the next few days, and at
a comparatively small expenditure of ready
money, but a vast amount of good-natured
energy on the part of the neighbours,
Davenport found himself in possession of
his new home. As the roof was not yet
shingled, he slept in one of the lower rooms
for the present. The weather was perfect,
the sky a cloudless blue. The wound in his
head had healed rapidly. Every morning,
as he rose from his bed, the young English-
man felt that it was good to be alive, a
pleasant thing to wander forth and smell
the sweetness and fresh savour of this fair
land. Truly, that fall from the coach had
been a fortunate thing.

Davenport was not alone in the new
house, for Old Man and Ikey had consented
to confer on him the benefit of their society,

TOLLE VENTS' 8 BALL.

109

provided that they should be allowed to
roturn to their own hut whenever they felt
inclined to do so. They also felt it incum-
bent on them to give out a public intimation
in the post-office that any attempt to take
advantage of the stranger's ^* greenness "
would have unpleasant results for a person
so lacking in tact as to imperil the honour
of Four Corners. In consequence of this
notice, Davenport had some painful mo-
ments when purchasing stock.

'' Did I understand you to say you had
the all-fired impudence to want ten dollars
for this yer alleged three-legged heifer?"
Old Man would ask an intending vendor.
" P'r'aps you think we're goin' to lift your
mortgage for you. The right price is five.
Jest think it over, now. Five dollars, eh ? "

Something in his eye usually induced the
would-be fraudulent seller to state that he
meant ^ve dollars, but that a curious slip
of the tongue had caused him to misstate
the amount. As a result of this paternal
supervision, Davenport bought good animals
at proper prices. He was a much better
judge of cattle than Old Man.

" You pick out the beasts you want,"

110 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

said that worthy, " an' I'll attend to the
domestic details in huyin' 'em.'*

The ^^ domestic details " which required
attention from Old Man generally caused
tricky sellers to depart in a hurry, looking,
to quote Ikey's phrase, as if his friend had
been ^'rearrangin 'em, an' forgotten to
mend their garments arterwards."

When the roof of his new house had been
properly shingled, Davenport received a
formal invitation from Tollevents pere to be
present at a ^^ frolic" in honour of the
occasion.

** You'll see some fine gals, Stranger," he
said. ^' Tollevents, the five finest are my
own, it bein' the will of the Lord to afilict
me with gals. I shouldn't be s'prised, now,
if your bein' chucked from that coach was
a providential dispensation to take one of
'em off my hands. If you'll give me your
brindled heifer you can have your pick
of ^"

But Old Man broke in with i hasty state-
ment that the brindled heifer was suffering
from all the ills that cow-flesh is heir to,
and succeeded in preventing Tollevents
from renewing the subject.

Tol
cfarnis
whicl
a coi
not
prove
nanc:
supei
with
lug ii
oye ^
on t
festi^
revo'
whei
watc
an u
allia
had

youi
prei

Mis
thoi
Pet
me

TOLLEVENTS'S BALL.

Ill

Tollevents's barn had been swept and
garnished for the occasion of the *' frolic,"
which was his euphemistic way of describing
a country dance. Tollevents himself was
not officially present, his religious scruples
preventing him from personally counte-
nancing the proceedings. Unofficially, he
superintended them from the hay-mow,
with a bottle of whisky and a Bible, drink-
ing in the contents of both when his watchful
oye was not roving from person to person
on the floor below. In the midst of the
festivities, people were startled by hearing a
revolver-shot. The alarm quickly subsided
when it was found that the Deacon kept
watch and guard in the hay-mow, and that
an undesirable aspirant to the honour of an
alliance with the house of Tollevents had
bad the tip of his ear grazed by a bullet.

ii W — what's that ? " asked the frightened
youth, clapping his finger to the place, and
preparing to bolt.

*' That ? Oh, I guess it's only Pa," said
Miss Tollevents, coolly. '' I s'pose he
thought I wanted a lock of your hair, Jim
Peters, and that you'd danced enough with
me for one evening."

112 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR C0BNER8.

" I left my revolver in the committee-
room," muttered Mr. Peters, ^^ or I'd soou
have him out of that hay-mow by the tail
of his coat. It's a mean trick of the old
man's. He converted a feller down at the
Crick t'other day by threatenin' to blow the
top of his head off if he didn't go down ou
his marrowbones an' own to bein' a mis'rablo
offender. V/hat's the good of that kind of
repentance anyway ? I'll "

'' It's nearly time for his next shot,"
calmly remarked Miss ToUevents. ^'Pa
generally allows three minutes when he
gives a hint. Clear out now, and I'll meet
you to-morrow at the usual place. Quick,
quick ! Back behind me ; get down towards
the door. Then he'll understand that you
understand. There's the Coroner over there
sizing you up f^lready."

Peters hastily beat a retreat, muttering
that the time would come when ToUevents
should pay for his shot. As he went out
he ran against Davenport, who had con-
sulted Old Man with regard to the etiquette
appropriate to such an occasion. '' You
bein' a stranger," that worthy observed,
'' you did orter put on a little style so's not

TOLLEVENTS'S BALL.

113

to disgrace your native Ian' when the thing-
gits into the papers. You don't happen to
have a clean shirt about an' a black
coat?"

Davenport electrified Old Man by show-
ing him his linen and clothes. Instead of
being pleased at the sight, Old Man mourn-
fully shook his head. ** You'll be makin'
enemies if you come out in this style ; an'
I mayn't be by to look arter you. Jest take
my advice ; keep 'em locked up. Don't
wear white shirts an' collars 'cept on Sun-
days an' dances. Me an' Ikey don't wear
white shirts, or we wouldn't be alive now.
Folk round here think 'em kind of preten-
tious. Thar was a man round here once as
come to a log-rollin' with a white collar
on." He paused.

*^ And what became of him ? "

*' The Coroner set up drinks with the
fees," gloomily responded Old Man ; ** but
thar warn't no taste in 'em arter such a
low outrage. You tone yourself down as
much as possible, or you'll be on my mind
all the evenin' an' Miss Wilks '11 git ahead
of me. Nobody 'd say nuthin' agin a red
tie, or somethin' light an' green : but no

114 TH1<: JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

clawhammer, mind you, if you don't want
the tails shot off."

As a result of Old Man's advice, Daven-
port's attire was singularly sombre, to the
great satisfaction of the younger men, who
saw in Iiim a possible rival for the hand of
one of Tollevents's fair daughters. Theso
3^oung ladies, who had been brought up on
strictly Puritanical principles, nowresemblod
a bed of variegated poppies as they stood in
one corner of the barn awaiting the arrival
of swains bold enough to come within range
of their belligerent parent.

Old Daoust, the bhnd French fiddler in
charge of the music, sat on a barrel in one
corner, serenely oblivious of the fact that
the tallow candle in a tin holder just above
him guttered down his back. Every one
felt ready and anxious to begin, but no one
cared to do so before the arrival of Sadie.
Sadie was the belle of the place ; and w^ho-
ever was fortunate enough to secure the
first dance with her would be a privileged
man for the rest of the evening.

To the astonishment of every one, Mrs.
Vankleek accompanied her daughter and
eJanie Ducaine, tlie bosom friend of Sadie.

TOLLEVENTS'S BALL.

115

That is, the two girls quarrelled three or
four times a week, and became reconciled
five minutes after they had vowed never to
speak to each other again. Janie Ducaine
was a blonde, with a weakness for philo-
sophizing on the wickedness of old men
in general, and young ones in particular.
This did not prevent her appreciating the
attentions of the latter with a zest which
somewhat displeased her more reserved
friend ; for Janie Ducaine had little of the
austere demeanour of the Judge, her father.
Janie had never known a mother's care ;
but the big-hearted Irish immigrant, to
whom the Judge had confided his infant
daughter, worshipped the child, and imbued
her with that laughter-loving humour and
tenderness so inseparable from Milesian
blood. Janie was full of romance, scorn-
fully disbelieved all stories to her father's
discredit, and loved Mrs. Vankleek with
passionate devotion. The tragedy of Mrs.
Vankleek's life, the disappearance of her
little child (it had been mysteriously brought
back to the grief-stricken mother a few
weeks later, when it seemed as if her brain
must give way), and the devotion of the

] IC) TIW JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Judge to the widow, all combined to invest
Mrs. Vankleek with a halo of romantic
interest in Janie's eyes. Mrs. Vankleek
was so handsome, so melancholy, so faithful
to the memory of the missing Vankleek, so
haughtily obstinate, and yet gracious withal,
that Janie never ceased to admire her
father for his constant devotion to one
whose dignity of demeanour matched his
own. That hard things were said about
the Judge ; that his reputation for loving
money w^as notorious ; that he was harsh
and severe, did not detract from her father's
greatness in Janie's eyes. He must be
diflPerent from other men, or how could he
judge them? If he had faults, who was
perfect? and where was a handsomer man,
or a better parent, in the whole of Canada ?

Mrs. Vankleek declined to dance, but
was secretly pleased at the chivalry with
which Davenport approached her on the
subject.

*' My daughter will take my place," she
said graciously. '' Presently we can sit in
the moonlight. I wart you to tell me
about your English home."

Davenport offered his arm to Sadie, and

TOLLEVENTS'S BALL.

117

led her away, conscious that ** Skeeter
Joe/' who had apparently postponed his
departure, glared ferociously at him in a
most unpoetical manner. The poor poet,
unable to deny himself a last glimpse of
the lady of his love, failed, in his turn, to
notice Janie Ducaine's wistful eyes. The
girl, seeing him lonely, haggard, and ill at
ease, crossed over and sat down beside the
lad, overflowing with sweet, womanly
sympathy for this poor moth, fluttering
round a flame, the light from which could
only consume him.

Thus left alone, Mrs. Vankleek, after
observing that her charges were enjoying
themselves, and pitying the blind fiddler,
who could not see how beautiful they
looked, walked through the open door into
the cool moonlight. It was long since she
had frequented festivals of any kind. Now
she remembered, with a pang of bitter pain,
how the path led down through Tollevents's
pasture into a patch of Bush beyond. The
centre of this patch of Bush contained a
little sheet of water known as the Dragon-
fly pool, owing to the myriads of those
beautiful insects which hovered over its

lis THE JUDGE OF THE FOUB CORNERS.

clear surface in early summer. A spirit in
her feet — the spirit of her lost youth, her
lost hope, her lost happiness — led Mrs.
Vankleek hack to the pool ; through dewy
grass, spangled with fireflies and fragrant
with flowers, the stems of the pines stand-
ing sentinels arow, the scarred branches
maimed and jagged, and bending beneath
the burden of their years. In the old
times, whe.n she and Love walked hand-
in-hand together — when the days of her
life were a dream of delight — she had run
down the uneven path, lightly leaping
fallen trunks, her cheeks aglow with happi-
ness, her eyes aflame with the joy of meet-
ing her lover — that lover as arrogantly
imperious as herself, as overbearing, as
keen to win the mastery. How swiftly
their frail bark had foundered on the con-
tentious rocks of matrimony ! How soon
their hopes of happiuess departed! And
why ? They had been too much alike ever
to yield to one another. This was the ? Aq
secret of the misunderstanding which had
robbed them both of home and happiness,
the joy of mutual comfort and support
throughout the battle of life.

uip"-

TOLLEVENTS''b BALL.

119

Mrs. Vankleek sighed when she cainc to
the water's edge. Full many a time and
oft she had wandered round the edge of the
pool on such a night as this. Now the
clear water seemed black, dim as the dark
days of her own disappointed life. Her lips
quivered ; she fell on her knees by the rushy
margin of the pond, and prayed with pas-
sionate tears, not for hapj)iness, but peace.
Happiness was such a shadow, such a fleer-
ing, flouting will-o'-the-wisp. Oh for a
httle rest, a little slumber, a folding of
tired hands to sleep ; a forgetfulness of daily
pain, of all the fever and the fret on life's
liighway ! Her starved heart cried aloud
to Heaven, her uplifted hands beat the air,
the tears ran down her face ; but there
came no sign save the sighing of the pines,
no answer to her prayer except a little
ripple on the placid surface of the pool.
The branches came between her and the
sky. They shut her out ; they barred her
prayers ; they rubbed gently together,
s]iedding their resinous balm to mingle
with her own salt tears. ** Not yet — not
yet," they seemed to say. '' A sign! A sign !
Perchance it shall be given thee. Wait ! "

120 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUlt CORNERS.

As Mrs. Vaukleek knelt there in tlu^
moonlight, a hlack lace scarf floatmg loosely
over her hair, there was nothing but the
more fully rounded outlines of her beautiful
form to betoken the flight of time. The
scarf mercifully hid a few threads of silver
hair ; in the soft light filtering through the
trees she seemed almost girlish again. Not
a wrinkle showed upon her brow ; the lips
retained their old imperious fulness and
beauty, and the dark shadows under the
eyes only lent a softer fire to those brilliant
orbs — a tender sadness to her proud face.
She had been deserted by her boy-lover
and husband. Only if he were dead could
she take up the threads of life anew and
weave them to fresh issues.

At this moment a man emerged into the
little clearing from the shadow of the trees
on the other side. Mrs. Vankleek could
not distinguish his face, for he wore a very
full-flowing beard, which covered it with
iron-grey masses of hair. The tip of his
cigar burnt redly as he strolled round the
pool, and hesitated for a moment when he
saw that Mrs. Vankleek had sprung to her
feet and was regarding him somewhat un-
easily.

TOLLEVENTS'S BALL.

121

((

A pleasant eveniug, madam," he said,
bowing courteously, and throwing his
cigar into the pool before she could inter-
pose to prevent him. '^ I see that you, too,
have quitted the ball-room for Nature's
softer scenes."

He bowed again, and was about to pass
on, when she stayed him by a movement
of her white hand.

** I think I had the pleasure of seeing
you in the ball-room a little while ago ? "
she asked, pointing in the direction of the
barn.

He bowed again, as the sound of old
Daoust's fiddle floated merrily towards them.

*' Colonel Francis G. Burr, at your ser-
vice," he said, with the slightest possible
American accent. ** I am spending the
summer at the Springs, and looked in at
the dance to-night to see an old friend.
May I ask to whom I have the pleasure of
speaking? "

Mrs. Yankleek explained ; the stranger's
pleasant manner — it was evident that he
was a polished man of the world — over-
coming her reserve. Besides, she wanted
to escape the memories which she had

l-J-J THE JUDQK UF THE FOUR <K>nNEnS.

conjured up, to lay the ghosts of bygone
years. With a somewhat cynical smile,
she lingered by the side of the pool, trying
to put herself and the man beside her l)ack
some twenty years. He was handsome
still, from what could be seen of his face ;
his bearing was that of a graceful cava-
lier; but, unfortunately for the success of
her fantastic idea, he was the wrong man.
That other man, impetuous, hot-headed,
imperious, overbearing as herself, yet full
of strangely sweet and gentle impulses at
times — where was he ?

She sighed and moved away. Colonel Burr
accommodating his steps to hers, his long
hair floating picturesquely over his square
shoulders. In spite of her seclusion from
the world, in spite of her wrongs, Mrs.
Vankleek experienced a thrill of pleasure at
the Colonel's grave deference. He had been
suffering from the effects of an ugly arrow-
wound received in a brush with Indians on
the Plains, and intended to make the Springs
his headquarters for some time to come. On
the whole, if his physician insisted on his
drinking the waters, he would prefer to let
the arrow-wound do its worst. There was

f*S'.

TOLLKVENTS'S BALL.

123

nilo.
)ack

long

a vulgarity, if he miglit speak of bo delicato
a subject, in consumiug such vast quantities
of liquid, no matter liow harmless it might
be.

They had twice circled the pond, the
Colonel still hat in hand, when Mrs. Van-
kleok remembered her duties as chaperono.
She turned towards the gloomy clumps of
pines, the Colonel gravely pacing by her
side. Suddenly, a shot rang out from the
dense masses of shadow, and a lock of the
Colonel's grey hair, cut by the bullet,
wavered a moment and then blew gently
towards Mrs. Yankleek.

When she recovered from her alarm she
was alone ; and the thud- thud of a horse's
hoofs going at break-neck speed through the
Bush smote upon her ear. She picked up
the lock of hair and waited.

Presently the Colonel returned, smiling,
debonair, apologizing for his abrupt de-
parture. *' The fellow had a good horse,"
he said, ** or I should have caught him. I
could have shot back ; but I make it a rule
never to draw a weapon in a lady's presence.
Shall we return to the ball-room ? ' '

Mrs. Vankleek smiled imperiously. This

124 THE JV^QE OF THE FOUR CORNEBS.

was a mau ! '* Colonel Burr, that was a
liint from the Fates for you to avoid me in
future. You will do well, for your own sake,
to profit by it. Sorrow and misfortune guard
my poor threshold."

The Colonel smiled. *^ Madam, when the
Fates sever a thread, they generally place
the ends in the hand of a woman to re-
unite. I see that you honour me by
retaining the end cut away;" and he
pointed to the lock of hair which she still
held. " May I beg of you to keep it until
I ask for it again. It will prove an important
link in a certain chain of events."

Mrs. Vankleek bowed in silence, took the
Colonel's arm, and re-entered the barn, only
to lind that she had not been missed by
either of her fair charges.

lESS.

( 125 )

|was a
me ill
sake,
guard

en the
place
to re-
le by
id he
e still
until
ortant

ok the
a, only
led by

CHAPTEE VII.

MISS WILKS S LOVERS.

The evening after the dance at Tollevents*s
barn, Miss Wilks unexpectedly entered Mrs.
Vankleek's room and found her quietly weep-
ing as she gazed at a certain portrait on the
dressing-table. From the garden below
came the mirthful voices of Sadie and
Davenport discussing the incidei uS of the
ball, which had continued wdth unabated
vigour until the small hours of the morn-
ing. There had been a glorious walk home
together in the dewy moonlight afterwards,
and much interchanging of youthful con-
fidences. Now, a certain reaction had set
in; they talked of extra-personal subjects
with a suspicious affectation of interest.
Mrs. Vankleek, sitting at the dressing-table,
felt their voices stab her. She was lonely,

126 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

tired, aching for sympathy, yet too proud
to seek it. The weary passing of the years
had broken down her pride. She wanted an
arm to rest upon — some one to share her

burdens.

She put down the portrait with a sigli.
From behind her came a sympathetic sniif
in response. ^' Wilks, what are you doing
here ? " slie asked sternly. *' Haven't I told
you always to knock ? "

*'I don't care," said Wilks, defiantly.
*^ It's no use pitchin' into me. I can cry
if I like, can't I? I've troubles enough
and to spare. It makes 'em worse when
you're crying too."

" How dare you, Wilks ! Leave the
room." But as Wilks continued to cry,
Mrs. Vankleek softened at her evident
distress. '' I didn't know you were in
trouble, Wilks," she added gently. '* What
is the matter? "

Wilks' s reluctant tears stayed themselves
as if by magic.

^*It's all them two men," she said, with
a giggle. '* They both wanted to dance
with me at Tollevents's, and carried on
most marked ; and I'd no one to take care

\ERS.

proucl
years
ited au
Lre he.i'

sigli.
Lc sniff
doing
I I told

fiantly.
an cry

lOUgll

when

MISS WILES' S LOVERS.

127

^e the
)0 cry,
evident
ere in
What

iselves

[, with
dance
ed on
e care

of me, or to make 'em careful what thev
said before me."

Mrs. Vankleek smiled. The mere possi-
bility of so athletic a female as Wilks
needing a chaperone had not occurred to
her.

'^You've always the chopper, Wilks,"
she suggested. *' People say you carry one
about, ready for emergencies."

To her surprise, Wilks burst into another
torrent of tears.

*' That chopper's been my ruin," she
said. ** Every one's afraid of it now. Old
Man says you know how many times a
gun '11 go off, but you never can be sure of
my chopper. I'm sure I'm peaceable enough
v/hen they let me alone. If I only lift my
little finger, some one tumbles down, and
says I did it."

Mrs. Vankleek smiled. '^ Ah, you're like
the rest, Wilks. You stay with me a little,
and then want to go away. You, too, are
tired of me."

Wilks was at her mistress's feet in a
moment, red-eyed, incoherent ; eloquently,
if somewhat jerkily, protesting that she
never meant to leave her mistress until

128 Tilt: JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Mrs. Vankleek was perfectly happy, and
that even then she wouldn't go far. Then
she rushed forth to the river-side to
escape the too inquisitive looks of her
fellow-servant, and jumped down the green
slope — into the arms of Colonel Burr, who
was sauntering along with the inevitable
cigar in his mouth. Being an old Indian
fighter, the Colonel was not wholly taken
by surprise ; but the impetus of Wilks's
charge carried her over him like the rush
of a tornado. Picking himself up and
carefully dusting the sand from his clothes,
he gazed at her with a sardonic smile.

*' Perhaps you would have the goodness
to hand me my cigar when you've quite
done with it," he suggested blandly. '' If
you prefer to keep it sticking into your
jacket — it's burning a hole — say so, and I
will light another.'

Miss Wilks plucked the cigar away,
and held it limply between her fingers.
A note in the stranger's voice awoke
some chord of memory ; it fascinated
her. She rubbed her eyes in a bewildered
manner, scorched her fingers with the
glowing end of the still burning cigar, gave

MISS WILKS'S LOVERS,

129

r t.

a loud snort, and sat down on tlie sand in
a bony heap.

*' I don't think I would do that if I were
you," the Colonel blandly protested. **It
isn't at all dignified."

Miss Wilks got up again. *' I'm sorry,"
she murmured, in a dazed kind of way.

The Colonel produced a small flask from
liis revolver pocket.

** Allow me," he said, delicately unscrew-
ing the top. *' A little of this — this harm-
less beverage — may enable you to pull
yourself together. ' '

Miss Wilks, as she stood gazing at the
Colonel, presented so flaccid and disjointed
an appearance that it seemed as if no amount
of human tinkering could ever have the
slightest restorative efi'ect upon her. She
dropped the cigar on the sands, and thank-
fully gulped down the contents of the flask
without stopping to take breath.

*' You had better have a little water with
it," suggested the Colonel. ^'Wait a
moment, I'll get you some."

Miss Wilks eagerly drank the water from
the little silver-plated cup, which surrounded
the bottom of the flask. But in her haste

130 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNEBS,

she agaiu caught her breath, and became
limply purple, iridescent hues glittering
over her visage, strangely resembling the
varying tints of a freshly caught mackerel.

'* You really are so precipitate, Miss—
eh? — Wilks," remonstrated the Colonel.
''Pardon the liberty if I venture to pat
you on the back. It may help to restore
you to a world which could ill spare your
majestic presence."

Ikey, who had been fishing the other side
of the river, stopped in mid-channel to
witness this unceremonious proceeding on
the part of the Colonel. Then he dashed
for the shore, full of indignation at what he
imagined to be Miss Wilks's perfidy.

" Now^, may I ask," continued the Colonel,
when Miss Wilks's complexion had faded
from a rich dark purple back to its natural
brick-dust hue — " Now, may I ask. Miss
Wilks, the reason of this flattering, though
extraordinary demonstration ? "

Miss Wilks ungratefully regarded him.
*' I took you for some one else. Thought
you were a ghost. It was a mistake."

The Oolonel somewhat ruefully rubbed
his forehead.

MISS WILKS^S LOVERS.

131

*' If I had been a ghost, I shouldn't have
had this bump here. Pardon me for so
ungallant a simile, Miss Wilks, but your
liead is like a battering-ram."

'' Yes, I'm only soft here "—Miss Wilks
pathetically put her hand to her heart —
'* and I pay for it."

The Colonel was politely interested.
*^ With so charming a mistress, madam,
I do not see why you should be unhappy.
Permit me to apologize for my rudeness
in running against you just now. Perhaps
this ten-dollar bill will help to repair the
damage to your originally becoming, and
becomingly original, costume."

Miss Wilks took the ten-dollar bill with an
air of bewildered incredulity. * * Why, I only
paid four dollars the year before last for it."

" That leaves six dollars for the skill
required to renew it to suit your idio-
syncrasies," returned the Colonel, with
a bow which Miss Wilks thought the most
fascinating she had ever beheld. She did
not know what " idiosyncrasies " meant, but
felt that they were some personal charm
evidently not bestowed upon mere ordinary
mortals.

132 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

*' So you thought I was a ghost?"
sardonically remarked the Colonel, when
Miss Wilks had blushingly tucked away
the ten-dollar bill in the bosom of her
dress.

Miss Wilks hesitated. ** It's a long time
ago," she murmured confusedly. ** He
wasn't so broad, he wasn't; and he'd
different hair — red, not grey."

The Colonel listened to her patiently.
He had nothing to do except to recover
from the effects of his wound ; and Miss
Wilks's disjointed remarks helped him to
pass the time.

'* If I could have red hair in order to
oblige you, I would do so, Miss Wilks. It
is not every one who can preserve the colour
of the hair so well as your mistress."

Miss Wilks became enthusiastic. ** It's
lovely, ain't it? — as glossy and dark and
thick as ever it was, with only a few grey
hairs here and there to mark the tears."

Colonel Burr's hand gave a nervous twitch
at his cigar. *^ Tears ! Is it possible —
pardon my presumption in asking. Miss
Wilks — that your raistiess can have any-
thing to weep about ? "

MISS WILKffS LOVERS.

133

" 'Tain't only possible, but 'tis so. All
because she was jest a little high-spirited,
and wanted her own way."

'* A lady's privilege, undoubtedly," mused
the Colonel.

** He went away, and left her without
a word. If he'd only come back," said
the belligerent Miss Wilks, *' and let me
have five minutes at him with my chopper,
he — he'd never go away again."

The Colonel had no doubt about it. "I
should think it extremely likely. Miss
Wilks, whoever the individual in question
may be."

**Her husband." Miss Wilks plunged
into domestic details. " He wanted Miss
Sadie to be a girl; she wanted her to be
a boy. He went off without wa.iting to
see which it was ; and then the baby was
stolen, and afterwards brought back again."

The Colonel endeavoured to follow Miss
Wilks's somewhat incoherent statement,
but with imperfect success. ** He was Mrs.
Yankleek's husband, I presume ? And
he was disappointed about the sex of the
— of the impending child ? Was that it ? "

Miss Wilks nodded, forgetting her

■«
;*'(

■is;

( ;::;

134 rzr^ JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

native caution. **And he's been at her
ever since to marry him," she said, waving
her hand in the direction of Ducaine's
house, a mile below.

*^Who?"

The Colonel again put his hand to his
forehead, upon which a large red bump
was distinctly visible. Miss Wilks*s rapid
changes from one "he " to another became
confusing.

"Judge Ducaine."

" Though I am a stranger here, I have
heard as much," the Colonel replied,
flicking the ash from his cigar. " Now,
Miss Wilks, strictly between ourselves,
don't you think it time that some one came
along to show up this scoundrel, Ducaine,
and horsewhip the life out of him ? "

Miss Wilks gave a little cry of delight.
"That's it! That's it! That's what 1
want to hear him called. Lay your
tongue to it, Colonel, and ease my mind.
I've often done it myself in the garden,
but I was always afraid she might hear
me, and not like it." In her eagerness,
she laid one huge hand upon his sleeve.
" You can fight ? "

MISS WILKS'S LOVERS.

IGfj

*' I have that reputation. The Indiaus
of the Plains call me, ^ The-Man-who-Fires-
a-Gun-Backwards-without - Looking-behind-
him-and-never-Misses.' '*

'' Indians ! Yah ! " Miss Wilks sniffed
scornfully. '' The Judge's slipperier than
any Indian as ever drank whisky."

'* Could you procure me an interview
with your mistress ? " asked the Colonel
warmly. '<I might be able to help her
against this fellow. Why hasn't any one
else done anything ? Are they all cowards
about here ? "

*'You see, he's judge and jury too.
They're all afraid of him."

"Fix this up for me, and you'll never
regret it. You may rely upon me to help
her against this villain. I'm pretty sure
that it w^as Ducaine who fired at me the
other night."

In her eagerness Miss Wilks paid no
attention to this last remark, but again
laid her hand upon his arm.

''I b'lieve my mistress is dying of grief.
If I could only find that mis'rable husband
of hers, I'd bring him back here and make
him go down on his knees. She's never

130 77//; juugp: of the four corners.

looked at a man since lie went away ;
not for all these years ; and she might
have married dozens if she'd wanted to.
He's nothing to her now; he's no right
over her. She's her own mistress, if he
comes hack to-morrow. Ah, if he only
would!"

" I guess thar's quite enuff people ahout
as isn't wanted, 'ithout any more comin'
hack," said Ikey, thrusting himself between
them as he came noiselessly up from the
shore. *' Now, Colonel, or Gin'ral, or which-
ever it is, me an' Old Man don't allow no
liberties with this yer harnsome woman."

The Colonel said nothing, but looked
vaguely round the horizon, as if in search
of the young and beauteous maiden referred
to. Something in the gleam of his eye
awoke Ikey to the sudden knowledge that
he was making himself ridiculous ; for, in
truth. Miss Wilks, no longer in the first
flush of youth, had almost imperceptibly
attained that majestic prime which extorted
so much unwilling admiration from Old
Man. It was a new sensation for Miss
Wilks to hear herself championed as beauty
in distress — a sensation which caused her

MISS WILKS'S LOVEUS.

137

to beam upon the Colonel with maidenly
archness.

** Say, Colonel, what's to be done with
this yer object ? It's allers followin' me
about, and listenin'."

The Colonel's eyes quizzically travelled
over Ikey's sunburnt features, his faded
garb.

** I think, if I were you, I should have it
repaired and redecorated," he said, lighting
another cigar, altogether regardless of the
fact that Ikey's hand stole ominously
towards his hip-pocket.

'' That's right," said Miss Wilks to the
latter. *' 'T would take a long time to do
it, though. Ikey, if you don't dry up, and
leave me alone when I'm talkin' to friends,
I've no use for you. Is that straight?"

Ikey flushed. '^That's straight enuff,"
he said slowly ; " but I ain't arguin' with
you. You jest clear out. Me an' Old Man,
havin' matterymonial designs on you, so
to speak, he looks arter you when I ain't
round, an' I looks arter you when he's out
o' sight."

*^ What ! " screamed Miss Wilks, the
truth beginning to dawn upon her. " Was

■I

138 th:e judge of tee four corners,

that why Arkis Bludso gave up coinin' to
see lie?"

'' Prezactly. Two broken ribs an* a
bullet in his arm."

"And Sol Cummins?"

''Old Man downed him into the Crick.
The catfish wai3 very fine in consequence
last year," retorted Ikey.

'^ Silas Laphal?" screamed Miss Wilks,
rapidly revising her list of lovers.

*' He found it wasn't hsalthy round here.
Me an' Old Man fitted him up with a
wooden leg, an' let him go to the States."

'' George Cass ? You might have left a
looneylike Cass," pathetically remonstrated
Miss Wilks. '' He was as harmless as a
tater-bug."

'* Oh, we tied him to a mule, an' started
him home agin. He don't seem to have
turned up yet. Old Man's sorter sus-
picioned that mrle must have taken to the
river, an' couldn't quite git over."

Miss Wilks was aghast at the disclosure
of this hideous conspiracy. No wonder her
court had diminished, when these two in-
exorable ruffians were always on the watch,
with never-failing ingenuity and readiness

MISS WILKS'S LOVERS,

139

of resource, to eliminate all present and
prospective admirers.

*' You'll be startin' 7}ie off somewhere
next," she said.

*^I did think it was the best way," Ikey
retorted ; '' but Old Man said no. He
wouldn't hear of it. Told me we'd best
keep you here as a solium warnin'."

Miss Wilks nearly fainted with rage.
''And which of joii two wants to marry
me ? " she asked, coming to the point with
a vigour which elicited a smile from the
Colonel, who had made no attempt to
defend himself during this animated dis-
cussion.

'' We ain't yet made up our minds," said
Ikey. *' When we do, you'll hear from us."

Miss Wilks tittered ominously. '' And
which d'you think I'd better choose ? "

'* You won't choose," said Ikey. •* When
Old Man's made up his mind, he'll let you
an' me know."

'' S'pose I don't agree with him?" sug-
gested Miss Wilks. '- ri'pose I don't fall
in with these high-handed purceedins — this
marrying of helpless young women 'ithout
their consent, Mr. Marston ? What then ? ''

140 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR CORNEHS.

*< 'Tain't no use talkin','' answered Ikey,
in his most matter-of-fact way — ** 'Tain't
no use talkin', when you know you'll jest
have to. When Old Man makes up his
mind, why, the thing's got to be done for
sure, an' that's all about it."

**But," said the Colonel courteously, ^' I
gathered from your conduct just now that
you also are a suitor for the lady's
hand."

*' Don't make no diff'rence," Ikey an-
nounced. " Not a mossle of diff'rence. I
mostly 'spicions it's OJd Man she wants.
What ]^^ wants, we shan't know till he
wants it. Now, Colonel, if you'll ask this
5'er lady to retire, we'll settle our little
affair up in the Bush yonder. You git
ahind one tree, I'll take another ; best out
of three shots to end it. I reckon I kin
double you up in two," he added critically;
*^ but you might take three to sorter finish
you off, if the light's bad. Or " — he bright-
ened up at the idea of displaying his
prowess before Miss Wilks — ^' if she likes,
Miss Wilks can stay an' hear your testa-
mentary dispositions."

"But suppose I kill you?" asked the

MJSS WILKS*S LOVERS.

141

Colonel, not at all dismayed by Ikey's
vigorous programme.

'' Then Old Man '11 be down on you,"
answered Ikey. " It bein my duty, when
Old Man ain't round, to keep an eye on
Miss Wilks, I sees her foolin' with you.
Well, we settles it all fair p,n' square, an'
if anything happens to me — which it won't
— Old Man comes along with his sixshooter
to resoom the discussion. Now, Colonel,
if you're quite ready, we'll let Miss Wilks
git, an' wade in."

Miss Wilks made a sudden grab at the
collar of Ikey's shirt, and held him in her
bearlike hug. ^' Don't you interfere,
Colonel," she implored. ''Don't you in-
terfere. Three minutes is all I want to lay

]iim out. Three "

But the Colonel laid a restraining hand
on Miss Wilks's arm,' and freed the astonished
Ikey. " Come with me this way a moment,
Mr. Marston," he said. " I have some-
thing to tell you — something which Old
Man knows also."

He drew Ikey aside, and whispered some-
thing in his ear. Ikey staggered back in
surprise, and then began to grin. ''It's

142 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

■ %

all riglit, Miss Wilks," he said to that
lady, who was altogether perplexed by this
sudden change of front. ** It's all right. I
poggleises — 'umbly poggleises. Speakin'
for me an' Old Man, individually an'
collectively, you kin hug the Colonel all
you want to if he don't mind. He's on the
free list."

** And the others ? " queried Miss Wilks,
not at all gratified by this generous per-
mission.

^* Thar won't be any others, not till Old
Man makes up his mind," quietly retorted
Ikey. " If thar is any others, d'reckly the
symptoms gits pronounced you may say
good-bye to 'em. Under the circumstances,
if I was you — which I ain't — I shouldn't
think it worth while to lure 'em on."

For the first occasion in many years, a
sense of helplessness overcame Miss Wilks.
At the same time, life promised to be less
monotonous than before. She immediately
resolved to give this self-appointed com-
mittee of Ikey and Old Man all the work
they could possibly do as an Amatory
Vigilance Society; and, to this end, ap-
peared at church in great splendour of

MISS WILKS'S LOVERS.

143

attire on the following Sunday, only to be
met by Ikey in the porch after the service
was over.

*' 'Tain't no good," he whispered quietly,
looking at a knot of men who stood by the
church-gate. ** 'Tain't no use at all. Old
Man's give out an altrymatum to em ;
they daren't see you home, to save their
lives."

'' Then you'd better do it," suggested
Miss Wilks, with a toss of her head.
''You're homely to look at, but you're
better'n no man at all. Come on."

" Which was my intentions," answered
Ikey, opening the gate for her with
elaborate politeness.

144 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

CHAPTEK VIII.

THE KING.

After the judicial labours uf the day were
over, the Judge was wont to make a pre-
tence of listening to his daughter Janie's
somewhat tinkling tunes on her mother's
harp. The late Mrs. Ducaine, during her
brief married life, had harped uninter-
ruptedly. The Judge's enemies said that
she was a saint, w4io hid her martyrdom
with music ; for it was notorious that he
had married her in a fit of pique against
Mrs. Vankleek. Janie, following in the
maternal footsteps, also deemed it her duty
to play to the Judge every evening, though
her music had about the same effect on
him as the lap-lap of the river against the
piers of the wooden wdiarf at the bottom of
the garden. It was there, and it would
not go away. Sometimes, however, it

THE lilNO.

145

y were
a pre-
Janie's
other's
ng her
!ninter-
id that
fcyrdom
hat he
against
ill the
jr duty
though

3Ct ou

tst the

torn of

would

^er, it

soothed Ducaiue's restlessness, extracted
the sting from his secret care, put a hetter
complexion on the world in general, and
inspired him with fresh hope that Vankleek
might never return to claim his wife. That
which he had feared so many years ago
had actually happened. The supposed
widow worshipped the memory of her
harum-scarum, ill-tempered spouse. When
the Jud^e had suggested that he should
assist in the worship, in order that Mrs.
Vankleek might not feel lonely, she had
repulsed him with scorn. Whether he
chanced to be dead or alive, she was
wedded to Vankleek. It was an insult to
his memory even to suggest that he could
be replaced. She refused to admit the pro-
bability of Vankleek's having obtained a
divorce in the States, so that he might wed
some one else. He had always been hasty,
but never base. It was probable, she
insinuated, with a haughty curl of the
lip, that people who were not hasty, and
wlio kept one particularly useless object
in view^ for many years, were sometimes
base.

Tjiis particular evening, the Judge sat

146 rilE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COR NEBS.

on tlie veraiidali, absently watcliing a
belated liumming - bird as it vainly en-
deavoured to extract a supper from the
blossoms of the liuge fuchsias in tubs
which guarded the steps. It had been a
particularly trying day ; the intense heat
stretched his nerves to their utmost ten-
sion ; and there was a stifling, suffocating
feeling about, w-hich oven unlimited iced
drinks could not wholly banish. Presently
a low rumble of distant thunder indicated
that a storm w^as brewing on the other side
of the river.

In the pasture below the garden, Ducaine's
cattlo moved restlessly about, too much
perturbed to feed, whilst a rooster on the
fence crowed lusty defiance to the coming
tempest ; but as the heat grew greater and
eddying dust-clouds choked his clarion notes,
the bird also hegar to droop, flopped limply
down from the fence, and sought thfi society
ol his harein, the members of which had
already gone to roost, leaving their lord
and master to brave the elements until he
grew tired. There was a little tapping
together of branches amongst the bushes,
a darkening of the distant sky. low, ominous

THE BING.

147

ling a
ly eu-
m the
I tubs
3een a
lie at
3t ten-
)cati]ig
d iced
sently
licated
er side

caiue's
much
on the
3oming
er and
motes,
limply
society
)h had
ir lord
Qtil he
apping
)ush.es,
Liiinous

wind-soughings amid the tree-tops. The
surface of the river began to break into
crisp little miniature waves, harmless and
pleasant enough to look at, until the Judge
noticed the way in w^hich a small boat
rocked upon them, as its occupant made
for the shore. The wind drove down a
gorge from the opposite side of the river,
and swept the little cockleshell before it
like a feather. Whilst the Judge idly specu-
lated whether the rower could swim or not,
and what would happen if the frail craft's
head slewed round, a wave struck the little
boat, and swamped it. As it disappeared,
the Judge hoped that it contained either
Ikey or Old Man ; for those worthies had
been a constant and unceasing annoyance
to him for many years past. Whether they
were shot, or lynched, or drowned was
utterly immaterial to him, provided that
something unpleasant ultimately ended their
careers. The only reason that he did not
issue warrants for their arrest on a charge

of robbing the coach was that.

though

liiorally certain of their guilt, he had not a
particle of evideuce on which to lay an
information before a brother judge.

■ r. *

148 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNERS.

Janie's tinkling music ceased as she
hurried away to shut the window and
divest herself of any ornaments likely to
attract electric currents. The Judge threw
open his waistcoat, unhuttoned his shirt at
the throat, took a long drink from a huge
tumhler at his elbow, and watched the
vivid hghtning zigzag through the air to
the sullenly following accompaniment of
rumbling thunder. It was too late now to
drive the cattle into the yard ; they were
cowering uneasily together under a huge,
scarred cedar at the bottom of the pasture.
Should the lightning strike that particular
tree, the result w^ould be disastrous. The
Judge could see a favourite old bull patrol
round the trembling herd, his front clothed
with thunder, his eye flashing back the
lightning. Moved by an impulse of fellow-
ship for the magnificent beast, he stepped
off the verandah as the first pitter-patter of
the rain tapped on the shingled roof, and
went bare-headed through the garden to
drive the cattle home. Before he had
gone half-way across the pasture, however,
the storm increased, and drenched him to
the skin ; at every step, the water ran out

THE RING.

149

of his boots ; he had to crouch down and
let the force of the wind break over him :
wliilst the undaunted old bull threatened
tlie thunder, and challenged the lightning
to do its worst. Presently, to Ducaine's
amazement, the whole herd of cattle, headed
by the bull, began to move towards the
house. A few moments later, the light-
ning struck the tree under which they
had sought shelter. Every now and then
the bull turned and viciously charged at
a man with a long pole, who was driv-
ing him towards the yard. The Judge
anxiously watched for the next lightning-
flash, in order to see the new-comer's
face. What manner of disinterested fellow-
creature had taken all this trouble for an
unpopular judge, and also risked his life to
insure the cattle getting safely home ? If
the stranger escaped the lightning, there
was the bull ; if he avoided the bull, w^ho
should protect him from the lightning?
The next flash settled this question, and
left the Judge more perplexed than ever ;
for the new-comer was one of the very
men of whom he had been thinking a few
moments before. Old Man had braved the

]50 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNEBS,

ilous nii'Iit

•der to save his

enemy s

cattle, and was rapping the hull on the nose
in a most scientific manner whenever that
unruly heast made a hreak, accompanying
each hit witli maledictions on the Judge for
not knowing enough to take in his cattle
when the heavens are let loose, and even
wild beasts remain in their lairs until the
storm is over. The Judge felt himself to he
comprehensively wet, hut Old Man seemed
wetter — a kind of human cataract in minia-
ture. In fact, the onlj dry thing about
him was his humour, as he drew comparisons
between the animal and its master.

** You," he said, addressing the bull, as
he headed it off for the twentieth time —
*' You don't know enough to git away from
a tree when it's goin' to be struck ; an' he
don't know enough to git away from a
woman as looks thunder an' lightnin' at
him every time he comes anigh her. You'll
both have your hides tanned before long,
if you ain't pretty careful, you bellowin'
bull of Bashan, you. Take that, you
son of a gun, an' be thankful I let you off
so eas5^"

a final rap on tlie nose, he drove

THE BINO.

151

lemy's

e noso

r that

nying

go for

cattle

eveu

il the

■ to bo

seined

ninia-

about

Tisoua

ull, as
ime —
7 from
an' he
•cm a
in' at
You'll
long,
lowin'
. you
ou off

drove

the bull into a yard and fastened the

urate.

Now to treat his master in the

same

way," he muttered grimly. ** Wonder
whether he'll go rampagin' round to the
same extent ! Dunno which has the thickest
head. He must be pretty wet by this time,
if he's still out there in the pasture. Tho
dum fool, to think as I can't see any one on
the darkest night, rain or shine."

*' Come in and change your clothes, and
have some whisky," said the '* dum fool"
in a voice of suspicious blandness, wring-
ing the rain out of his own wet shirt. '' I
ought to have known better than to leave
the cattle out on such a night as this."

Old Man nodded. *'You did," he said
with uncompromising directness. ''You
did ought to ha' known better, Judge.
Guess your man was pretty drunk over
t'other side of the river, so I thought I'd
look in an' see whether that black bull was
all right. He's always made it so lively for
me when I'm crossin' your pastures that I
don't want his joysome little excitements
cut short by a thunderbolt."

The Judge Imrdl/ ].uew wJietlier to thank

152 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Old Man for such expressive candour or to
tell him to go to the devil and take the bull
with him ; for that obstreperous beast,
indignant at the treatment to which Old
Man liad subjected him, charged furiously
at the yard-gate and expressed in bovine
language his opinion of an adversary mean
enougli to keep him at arm's length with a
long pole. Old Man, leaning on the other
side of the gate, within six inches of the
bull's nose, continued to talk to Ducaine
without paj^ing the slightest attention to
the exasperated animal.

'^ I'd come in, if I were you," suggested
Ducaine. *' Two more charges like that
will lift that gate off its hinges ; we can't
run far in our wet things."

" No more can he, Judge ; the ground's
too soft," retorted Old Man, unabashed by
another cbirge from the bull, which broke
one hinge and nearly wrenched the gate
down.

He nodded with friendly tolerance to the
exceed animal, and went with the Judge
towards the house, without even looking
round to see whether the bull's last charge
had smashed in the barrier.

THE RING.

153

or to
e bul]
beast,
h Old
iously
)ovine
mean
fvitli a
other
of the
icaine
ion to

jested

3 that

can't

mnd's

ed by

broke

gate

the
udge
)king

large

'^ You're soaked," said Ducaine, abruptly,
as they entered the verandah, leaving a
long wet trail behind them.

'* Oh, that was when the boat busted, an'
I had to swim for it," replied Old Man.
'' A fev7 drops more or less don't count when
a man's bin in the river."

He followed the Judge to a spare room,
and presently emerged clad in a grey tweed
suit which hung in loose folds around his
spare frame.

''I'll send down for my duds to-morrow.
Judge. The storm's pretty well over now."

" Nonsense, man, nonsense," said Du-
caine, with bluff heartiness. " Keep the
clothes and welcome. Here's the whisky.
Better have a tumbler neat to keep out the
wet."

Old Man nodded. " 'Tain't at all a bad
idea, Judge. It'll have to cover a lot of
ground though; I'm drippin' clean through."
He gulped down the whisky admiringly, and
shook himself like a water-rat.

" Good stuff, eh ? " the Judge asked.
'' Have another? "

Before Old Man could make a feint
of protesting, lie refilled the tumbler and

154 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOVR CORNERS.

hospitably set it in front of his guest, who
swallowed the fiery contents with a sigh of
satisfaction. In a trice, Ducaine had again
replenished his glass.

''Drink square, Judge," said Old Man,
immediately perceiving Ducaine's object.
" Stuff like this goes a long way."

The Judge hospitably pooh-poohed Old
Man's mock scruples. "Nonsense, non-
sense," he said jovially. ''Any one could
drink a gallon of this whisky after such a
soaking. It's as mild as a pet lamb, and
gentle as a humming-bird. You must keep
the wet out of your bones, man."

" Glass for glass, Judge," said Old Man,
gaily yielding to the challenge, with a con-
fident faith in his own powers to drink
down Ducaine or any other mere mortal
man.

The Judge was equally certain that he
could "down" Old Man, and pump him
with reference to the " holding up " of the
coach. As the hours flew by, it appeared
probable that Ducaine was abc:"'t to effect
his object ; for Old Man became foolishly
loquacious, and talked at random. It
seemed to tiio Judge as he fetched anothej'

THE BINO.

155

bottle of whisky, made a boisterous pretence
of drinking, and urged Old Man on to fresh
efforts, that the full confession was only a
question of time. Do what he would, how-
ever, it became impossible to fix Old Man's
attention on the coach episode. He con-
tinually harked back to the time when
Vankleek had gone away some twenty years
ago, and the possibilities of his future return.
In spite of his precautions, the liquor
mounted to Ducaine's head. Had Old
Man been in a condition to profit by his
adversary's rambling revelations he might
have put two and two together in a manner
which would have left little room for doubt
as to the real author of the discord between
Yankleek and his wife. But, to all outward
seeming, Old Man was too stupidly drunk
to pay much attention to what the other
said. Ducaine felt a kind of savage relief
in freeing his soul from its burden of crime
— a burden borne in silence for so many
years. The man gloried in his infamy.
The only bar to his success was that he
could not put any financial pressure on Mrs.
Winkleek with regard to her mortgaged
property as he was unable to produce the

150 TJIK jrUQE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

jiecc'ssary deeds — those deeds which had
been stoleji from liirn when the coach was
upset. He made large offers to Old Man
to induce him to find the missing docu-
ments ; and, i]i fact, promised to interest
liimself with Miss Wilks, with a view to
her becoming Mrs. Evans on the day that
Mrs. Vankleek doffed her weeds. Old Man
listened to all these outpourings of incau-
tious villainy with a befuddled manner,
which completely allayed Ducaine's sus-
picions. He admitted, with an air of
drunken candour, that he had no idea who
had taken the deuds ; but that it might
be within the bounds of possibility to find
out, provided no inconvenient questions
were asked.

It was eleven o'clock before Ducaine
would consent to allow Old Man to leave.
Janie, reassured by the unusual merriment
below, had gone to bed a couple of hours
l)eforc. She drowsily woke up on hearing
her father's voice bidding Old Man farewell,
aTid, slipping softly to the window, hjaw that
Avorthy slouch away through the dewy sweet-
ness of the fresh summer night in his usual
deliberate manner. The enormous quantity

THE EING.

157

of "whisky he had taken had failed to make
the slightest impression on him. As soon
as he turned the corner, he shook himself,
^yith an expression of disgust at having
missed the loveliness of the night, and sat
down on a log to admire his new clothes.

*'He can't say I stole 'em," he mused;
*' for Miss Janie's window went up as I
said good night ; she heard him tell me he
hoped I'd live long to wear 'em. Wonder
whether there's a spring anywheres about."
He hunted round for a little, found a
pure, sweet spring, and drank eagerly.
When he had plunged his face and hands
into the clear water, he went back to the
log, stretching out his arms to the cool
night air, and listening with intense satis-
faction to the creeping, pattering things of
the darkness as they rustled through the
undergrowth. A snake slid over his feet,
paused a moment by his hat, which he had
thrown on the ground, and then glided
away, a momentary gleam of moonlight
falling on its glossy back. The long wx-t
grass was full of tiny insects, with tiny
voices uplifted in rejoicing at the rain.
Xow and again a night-bird llitted by on

s»

158 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

velvet wing, its harsh voice momentarily
silencing the myriad insects in the grass.
The Bush, so silent by day, was alive with
bird and beast, the] nameless piping voices
of the night, and on its outskirts thousands
of fairy firefly-lamps lit up the cool gloom.
Old Man sat drinking it all in — the beauty,
the majesty, the ineffable rapture of the
night — with the joy of a truant child.
Presently the force of old childish habit
became too much for the gravity of his
years. He drew off his boots end socks,
and dabbled bare feet in the grass, at the
same time upturning the palms of his hands
against the beating breeze. When he had
satisfied this pantheistic rapture, he slung
the boots over his shoulder and crept noise-
lessly back to the house. Worming himself
up on the verandah with the dexterity of a
snake, he pushed his face against the
window and looked in.

Ducaine sat motionless at the table, his
eyes fixed upon a plain, thick gold ring
which lay there. The table was wet with
little pools of whisky ; three or four tumblers
— one of them broken — were scattered over
its polished surface. Here and there were

THE HINa,

159

little moist circles where glasses had been
moved from time to time. The ring itself
lay in the centre of the table, the black
background of a whisky bottle showing off
the colour to advantage as Ducaine gazed
at it with fascinated eyes. Once he raised
his hand to touch it, then drew back in
fear. Presently some overmastering impulse
bade him put forth his hand to assure him-
self that the ring was a reality and not
conjured up by whisky. He took it up,
held it to the light, laid it down again, and
recovered from his fright.

"Pshaw!" he muttered. "There are
many gold rings in the world. That
scoundrel, Old Man, must have left it be-
liind him by mistake. Stay, though, I
didn't see him wearing it."

He again picked up the ring and put it
on his finger. It fitted perfectly.

"So be it," he murmured. " Vankleek
is alive and has remembered the old com-
pact. Why didn't the fool shoot me with-
out warning ? Now I am ready for him
whenever he appears on the scene. All the
time I was pumping Old Man, he must have
been chackliner in his sleeve" — "Your sleeve,

■m

IGO THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Juclg(

.ftly

sd Old Man at th

larmuii
window — *' and getting ready to leave that
ring on the tahle when we went out. That
was why he insisted on following me. T
should like to have a few minutes with Old
Man — just a few minutes — in the Bush
some da J when the s:oii; diyl va. unarmed.
I dare say he's loafing %'Uiid now to enjoy
the scare I've had."

He moved silently to the window and
stepped out ; but Old Man had disappeared
with magic celerity. Ducaine hurled the
ring away with an oath, and went in again.
He knew the worst. Vankleek was alive,
and thirsting for revenge, but too chivalrous
to take him unawares.

( 161 )

OHAPTEL IX.

THE MEETINd.

Miss Wilks noticed, with much inward per-
turbation, that Mrs. Vankleek no longer
scorned the pomps and vanities of this
wicked world in obedience to St. Peter's
injunction, that women should adorn them-
selves with shamefacedness and sobriety, and
not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls,
or costly array. The great shining coils of
her blue-black hair, here and there tinted
with little soft delicate lines of grey, were
wound about her head and secured by golden-
hilted pins of gleaming tortoise-shell ; they
gleamed duskily out from beneath the black
lace w^orn, mantilla- wise, over these lustrous
masses, each thread of which had once
served to enslave the susceptible Colonel
A'ankleek. Stray suggestions of colour
appeared here and there on her black dresses

102 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

— touclies of scarlet or orange, which bleuded
with tliem, and dehcately suggested that
the time of mourning had been succeeded
hy the iueffable cahn of Indian summei'.
Beneath the dusky olive of Mrs. Vankleek's
cheek the blood mantled as of yore ; her
listlessness disappeared, and the grief-
stricken woman's magnificent vitality re-
asserocd itself. Life's summer had been
spent in tears ; now that autumn approached,
he flew to drag her from the chilly arms of
woe, to reawaken a desire for life, to send
rich torrents of blood pulsing through every
vein, and drive back thin shades of hope-
less grief to that dim underworld, where
unrequited love lies sleeping nor wakes
to wooing kisses of sweet maids. The
harsh asperity of sorrow gave place to
pleasant words ; a smile played about her
lips; she sang soft snatches of old planta-
tion songs, and drank in the sunshine like an
imprisoned butterfly which has just escaped
from its cell, spread its light wings, and
stretched them in the vivifying air.

Miss Wilks noticed this change in Mrs.
Vankleek with lurking disapproval. She
had been used to the panoply and livery of

-i\-

XEIiS.

blended
ed that
cceeded
ummcM'.
nkleek's
>re ; lior
grief-
lity re-
ad been
roached,
arms of
to send
^h every
of hope-
i, where
r wakes
3. TJk^
place to
)Out her
[ planta-
e lilvP an
escaped
igs, and

in Mrs.
1. She
iverj of

THE MEETING,

woe for so long, tliat any alteiation in it
seemed unbecoming. Her first liking for
Colonel Burr speedily turned to rooted dis-
trust, for ne seemed to pervade space, to
be ubiquitous, to appear at unexpected
moments when she did not want him, to
put her suggestions aside with a lofty polite-
ness, which made th;s grim Amazon long for
her chopper, the seclusion of the lonely
Bush, and an emphatic interview, with no
one by to stay her hand. But the Colonel
appeared to be wholly unconscious of her
jealousy; he was perfectly lavish with
largesse ; and Miss Wilks's attire at this
monied period of her career would have put
that of many a squaw to the blush, owing to
her fondness for certain crude and violent
colours. Blue, red, yellow, and purple
largely predominated in her costume ; she
had even been heard to ask for gloves at the
village store; but this rumour was not
believed, inasmuch as people knew very
well that the size of her hands would necessi-
tate the manufacture of a special sort.
When this rumour reached Old Man, he was
reported .to have said that he should be
sorry to see Miss Wilks wearing gloves, as

164 TDK JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

such imuecessary adjuncts to her ordinarily
striking costume were calculated to spoil
her splendid freedom of action, should she
be called upon to adjust any little dispute
between Ikey and himself. On this beiui,^
reported to Miss Wilks, she immediately
forswore gloves, and publicly announced
that Old Man had more sense in his little
finger than Ikey would ever possess in his
whole body. Old Man heard of this com-
prehensive statement from his familiar, and
smiled in sphinx-like fashion, but gave Ikey
an encouraging pat on the back.

'' You git that young feller up in tlio
swamp to write her some po'tr^^" he said
to his dejected friend and satellite. **You
can't keep up with her in the matter of
colour on Sundays, an' you're ruinin' your-
self in hair-oil since I took to goin' 'itliout it ;
but if you was to have somethin' sIulj; off
about the way she cleared out Millette's bar,
an' marched Pete Simkins into gaol by the
slack of his britches, you'd find it soften her
wonderfully. Nothin' touches women like
po'try ; it sorter addles an' mixes of 'em up.
When a woman's dead gone on a man of
your style, Ikey, she's allers partickler nasty

linarily
o spoil
Lilcl slu'
dispute

diately
oiinced
s little
in his
is com-
'ar, and
ve Ikey

iu the
he said

'' You
itter of
i' your-
hout it;
iuii j^ off
;e's bar,

by the
Ften hor
eu like
'em up.
man of
)r nasty

THE MEETING.

1G5

t, :

to liim in public. Give that long-haired
chap a dollar, an' he'll turn you out some-
tliin' as'll fetch her like a lamb."

''But I don't want to git ahead of you,"
Ikey somewhat fretfully exclaimed, though
never swerving in loyalty to Old Man.
''You ain't doin' nothin' ; I'm gittin' the
bulge on you."

• Old Man smiled a fatherly smile as he
refilled his pipe. He had gone through
<,'reat amatory experiences in his younger
(lays, and knew that a certain aloofness was
not without its charm for a palpitating fair
one like Miss Wilks.

" My son," he said, ramming home the
tobacco with a discoloured forefinger, " if
you kin git ahead of me, it's all right.
She's bound to have one of us. Which
one I ain't agoin' to proticerpate. When
the crisis comes along we'll both wish
we'd never been born, for sure. It stands
to reason arter the way I've dragged you
up, so to speak, she's tooK a fancy to you ;
but it stands to reason, too, if she's took
a fancy to a man like you on that account,
she can't bear to lose a man like me who's
made you what you are. I'd have her up

166 THE JUIOE OF TEE FOUR CORNEPS.

afore the Judge, an' git her chopped in
two with lier own chopper, an' toss for
halves, only your lialf 'ud allers he runniu'
round arfcer my half, an' w^e'd git 'em mixed.
Solomon knew a good deal ahout babies,
no doubc, but not much about wimmen.
I've lost all grip on him since I found
out the way promiskus females hunted him
up, an' got him to give piirties for their
benefit. You don't find Miss Wilks huntiii'
us up ; she knows we draws the line at
that. No ; you git some verses and men-
tion all the discouragin' things I've said
about her. That'll let you have a bit of
a start. When I've time to give my miiul
to her I'll tell you, an' we'll begin fair."

The simple-hearted Ikey was greatly
relieved by the enunciation of these senti-
ments from the lips of Old Man. They
had been friends from youth. Should a
mere Wilks disturb that ancient friendship,
lovr -inspiring female though she might
be ? No, a thousand times no ; and yet
Miss Wilks was such a gorgeous being, so
liandy to have round in case of emergencieh'
that Ikey felt he could never give her up.
Davenport's sudden coming to Four Corners

■ir

JEP^.

THE MEETING.

107

Ipecl in
OSS for
runuiu'
mixed,
babies,
limmeii.
found
ed bini
Dr their
buntin'
line at
d men-
ve said
ii bit of
ly mind
lir."
greatly
e senti-
Tbey
loiild a
iiidsbij^,
might
md yet
Ding, so
2[enciey
her up.
Corners

had unsettled Ikey. The young English-
man was so very much in love with Sadie
Vankleek that his amatory tendencies were
vaguely felt by those around him. After
nnich cogitation and an unwonted con-
sumption of tobacco, Ikey determined to
take Old Man's advice, and, saddling his
mule one evening, set off for Skeeter Joe's
dwelling in the swamp, passing Colonel
Burr as he did so.

The Colonel nodded affably to ikey,
offered him a cigar — he seemed to keep
the whole of the adult population of the
^ illage in cigars, although rather disgusted
to find that most of them chewed his gifts
instead of smoking them — and strolled on
through the soft evening ligut towards the
shore. There was none of oliat gradual
fading into darkness which characterizes
an English dusk. ^* At one stride came
the dark,'* as the night-birds sallied forth
from the Bush, and the bull-frogs in the
Creek began their nightly serenade to harsh-
voiced fair ones, their dull booming notes
mellowed and softened by the distance
until they resembled the placid lowing of
home-returning herds.

1'^

168 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Colonel BiUT leisurely entered Mrs.
Vankleek's garden, bowed affably to Daven-
port and Sadie on the verandah — they wero
far too much engrossed with each other
to be more than dimly conscious of his
presence — and strolled onward towards the
lower part of the garden. Through the
quickly gathering gloom he caught a momen-
tary ghmpso of the scarlet flower within
a w^oman's hair. The soft rustle of a silken
skirt guided him towards her as, without
appearing to see him, she turned down
the path wdiich led towards the shore and
disappeared.

The Colonel put his hand to his heart —
every swish of Airs. Vankleek's rapidly
receding skirts drew him to her — threw
away his cigar, carefully Hicked his im-
maculate boots — alike the envy of all the
village beaux and the despair of his negro
servant — with a handkerchief, smiled curi-
ously, and followed.

Mrs. Yankioek drew him onw^ard beneath
the trees as if slie, too, were conscious
of her power to make him follow after
through this odorous maze of overhanging
])Ouglis, this soft carpet of lush grasses

lERS.

THE MEETING.

160

Mrs.
Daveu-
y wero
other
of Lis
ds the
^li tlio
omen-
within
' silken
'ithout
down
re and

leart —
I'apidly
-tlirew
is im-
ill the
negro
I curi-

meath

scions

after

ngiug

rasses

which muffled up the sound of every foot-
step, and rendered both pursuer and pursued
mere shadows gliding through a phantom
world. Only the fragrant odours of the
llowers, the resinous scent from lonely pines,
s])ared by the woodman's axe as

grim

sentinels to check the onward march of
devastating civilization, the soft murmu
of the river below — only these were real ;
only these spake of life and love, the
yearning of soul to soul, the desire of the
moth for the star, of the star for the moth,
the unsatisfied longing for happiness, of the
Power beyond the moth and star, the light
and the gloom, the joy and the sorrow.

The woman dropped lier uplifted palms
with a short, sharp cry ; the man flung
his hat to the ground to follow her bare-
headed through the dewy darkness of the
night. They were both creatures of fate,
fleeing and pursuing in obedience to some
unknown decree which ruled their tortured
lives ; and so, unseen of each other, yet
drawn onward, they came beyond the
garden's sheltering gloom into the light
of the slowly rising stars at the river's
tliat river which stayed them both,

edge

170 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COJINERS.

and wandered on, bearing upon its tranquil
bosom tbe woe:^ and sorrows of human
lives — their burdens and crimes — to lose
and purify itself within immeasurable depths
of the salt sea.

Mrs. Vankleek stood idly looking into the
water, the soft breath of the breeze playing
upon her flushed cheeks, whilst, black and
grim, the mountains on the other side rose
up in overwhelming bulk as if to crush her
with the implacable, unhasting, inexorable
march of Time. For forty years she had
watched them — the river between — as happy
child, as wife and mother, as widowed wife,
a^' broken-hearted woman weeping away the
weary days and nights. The passing years,
witnesses of the tragedy and comedy of her
life, were scarcely seconds to that giant
mass which crushed and overawed her into
insignificance. The helplessness, the power-
lessness of man and woman to shape their
lives, the insignificance of human existence,
smote her as with a sword. Darkness and
the shadow of Death and Time, were over
all; there x\1.^ actliing to sweeten, nothing
to lessen, the naugs of past remembered
joys ; only t;bo \v iters of oblivion to

^ns.

THE MEETING.

171

tnquil

Luman

lose

iepths

|to the
[aying
k and

ros(3
sh lier
orablo
Le had
happy

1 wife,
'ay the
years,
of her

giaut
^r into
^ower-

their
tence,
13 and

3 over
)thing
ihered
n to

overwhelm her, a little folding of tired
hands to sleep, and rest !

But Mrs. Yankleek's strong nature cried
aloud to Heaven in rebellion against this
hopeless creed. Her life was empty and
barren of love ; her husband had deserted
her without leaving a trace behind. Why
recall those days ? why make them a per-
petual sorrow and reproach ? why shut her
eyes to the future ? why weep salt tears,
and toss upon her troubled bed in anguished
mourning for one who had forgotten her?
Had she not suffered for her pride ? expiated
her obstinacy ? humbled herself to the God
who had punished her ? mourned the
memory of the man she lo ved ? Why should
this dead man — he must be dead ; no one
would be so monstrously wicked as to
conceal from the wife he had once loved
his whereabouts, for more than twenty
years — rise up before her to poison at its
source another love which might yet be
hers ? Surely the world would absolve her
from all blame if she married this stranger,
whose eyes looked things she had never
thought to see again, whose voice was a
caress, whose presence a

172 THE JUDOE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

<'0]i-]i!" She gave a little cry; for
Colonel Burr's shadow mingled on the sand

here. Colonel

Avith hers.

Bur;

9 "

((

Yes ; 1 expected to find you, Mrs.

A'ankleek
Why

? '

.ow can one tell why ? I caught a
gleam of the flower in your hair and—
followed."

" It might have heen some one else."

'']^ut it wasn't."

*^No; it wasn't, Colonel Burr. I was
restless, and came out, because "

'* Because, thougli Nature crushes and
overwhelms, she is the mother who takes
us to her breast, soothes our pain, enables
men and women to endure."

Mrs. Vankloek looked at him curiously.
'Tain! — Pain! Life is nothing but pain!
Don't talk to me about Nature being kind
to us. When we make a mistake, Nature
mocks at us, stays serenely aloof, or crushes
us until we die and are buried out of sight.
Comfort us ? No. Nature is the physician
who gives us an opiate that we may gather
strength to endure more pain ! This great
(|od who fasJiioned us, who knows our

I'HE MEETING.

173

; for
sand

9 "

Mrs.

gilt a
md—

was

and
takes
tables

)usly.
paiu !

Idiid
ature
islies
ight.
ician
ither
^reat

our

weaknesses, watches our marred lives and
makes no sign."

His eyes held hers. '^ Look for a sign, and
you shall find it. Eyes blinded by tears
fail to see it. Ah, the days that are lost
lamenting o'er lost days ! The joy of life is
always before us."

She smiled mockingly. "• The joy of
life!"

''Yes; the joy — the joy which comes
to the few — the joy of love. Commonplace
people content themselves with common-
place, effortless lives. The man and woman
whose love is eternal must hunger and
fast and follow false fires until they under-
stand themselves, until they soar to the
heights of that love. 'Tis but your puling
])oy and girl who love for a day, then
quarrel and drift apart. All love, to reach
its highest range, must be sanctified by
sorrow, and purified in the cleansing fires
of experience, so that at last it shall come
to crown a man's and a woman's life and
give them a foretaste of heaven. It doesn't
need possession, it doesn't need constant
association; it doesn't need mutual con-
cessions, half-measures. Its white fiame

174 TiiK JunaK OF tue four cobners,

burns iuvisible to public gaze. But the
mau and woniau \vho have wept for it,
watched for it, waited for it, hungered for
it, toiled for it, who are willing to die for
it, know that the supreme moment shall
come once in their lives when soul speaks
to soul, the lies and shams of the world

sink down before it, the "

She was in his outstretched arms, lip to
lip, strained to his breast, murmuring half-
incoherent sounds, sobs, sighs, reproaches
that he should dare to speak to her thus.
T]i"T> she drew herself violently away.

"J)on'^ you see?" she cried. ''Can't
you see ? All ycu have said condemns me
for false wife, false woman. He is beside
you. His voice y urs, his eyes yours, his
touch yours ; the ntterness of the past
comes back to me. You only took away
the pain for a moment. I can't forget him.
I can't forget, l^his is his revenge. After
all these years, my husband thrusts himself
again into my heart. I love him, I love
him ! The poor dead shade, this pale
phantom of bygone years — boy, youth,
husband — 1 can't forget him. I can't
belong to any one else. Never speak to

THE MEETING.

175

lit the
for it,
ed for
lie for
} shall
speaks
world

, lip to
half-

oaclies
thus.

Can't
ms me
beside
rs, his
3 past

away
t him.

After
imself
[ love
i pale
^outh,

can't
ak to

me again. I'll not see you, not hear yoii.
Oh, my heart is broken ! My heart is
broken! "

He stood alone, a smile pregnant with
sympathy upon his lips. *' Nature cold !
Nature cruel ! Tlio world one scene of
hopeless misery and woe ! " He looked
at the mountain-tops, and — laughed ; at the
river, and — wept. '* I'm unworthy to touch
her hand," he thought; ''but I've come
back, and — she needs me. She needs me.
She's never forgotten our childish love, the
days of our brief happiness ; she cannot
forget. My God, how she has suffered ! If
she hadn't needed me, I'd have gone away
again without a word. She doesn't even
suspect who it is — that she is again in love
with her own husband. Now for Ducaine.
Tlie reckoning must be a heavy one for all
these wasted years.

17G THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COttNEnS.

CHAPTER X.

IN THE BUSH.

pAVEypoRT and Sadie, left alone on tJii'
vernndali, watched Burr's retreating figure
with curious eyes. They had noticed the
change in ]\Irs. Yanldeek with some shglit
feehng of jealousy on Sadie's part, witli
cordial sympathy on Davenport's.

Davenport had conceived a great affection
for this handsome, melancholy woman who
treated him as a son, and offered him the
entree to her family circle in the intervals
when he w^as not ministering to the wants
of his stock or making hay. There were
few traces of the "tenderfoot" left in the
handsome, energetic young Englishman.
He was hronzed and hearded, as strong as
a horse, and had grown into his environment
without losing any native qualities. There
was so much for liim to do in fighting tlie

JEIiS,

JN TTIK nUS/f.

Ill

311

tJiO

figlU'O

ed tlio

sliglit

with

fectioii
,11 who
im the
tervals
wants
5 were
in the
hinan.
mg as
QUI en t
There
ig the

forest primeval, that lie had no time for
regrets at his expatriation. His father had
sent him another hundred pounds, and a long
letter of congratulation at liaving fallen on
his feet. ^^ Marry a nice, steady, sensible
girl," the letter concluded. ^' I never knew
a farmer succeed alone. If you don't do
well now, I shall be extremely disappointed
sliould you consider it necessary to turn up
In England again without any visible means
of support. Your younger brother is just
l^eginning to want to spread his wdngs also ;
the next hundred pounds must go to him.
r.8. — Your mother sends her blessing, with
a request that you will read your Bible, and
be careful to change your socks whenever
you get wet feet. She was about to add
a recommendation to wear flannel next to
your skin ; but I told her that it would be
unnecessary, as it is a custom of the country.
])o not contradict this, or it will make her
very unhappy."

Davenport had returned the hundred
})0unds, with cordial thanks. The sum
would have been extremely convenient in
the event of certain contingencies, but he
knew that his father could ill spare the

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178 THE JUDOE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

money. As luck would have it, for twenty
pounds he had been enabled to purchase
some handsome furniture, old-fashioned, and
fit to last for another hundred years. How
it had reached Four Corners, or when, no
one knew ; but, the owner having died,
people unanimously refused to have any-
thing to do with it on the ground of its
being unlucky. They preferred light rock-
ing-chairs and tables of modern make. In
consequence of this preference, Davenport
obtained the whole of it for a hundred
dollars, and was now, as he sat by the open
door, tentatively striving to break to Sadie
the reason for this purchase. Janie Ducaine,
seeing from the expression of his eyes that
he was in deep waters, withdrew to the
verandah, and, opening a book, began to read.

Sadie, as usual, rallied Davenport upon
his preoccupation.

*' Is there anything wrong with the
stock?" she inquired, with an air of pro-
found seriousness. ' ' Mr. Davenport, nothing
causes you serious anxiety unless a cow is
sick. Have you lost one of those uninter-
esting animals ? ' '

Davenport laughed. ''No, thanks; you

IN THE BUSn.

179

know very well that I love cows and calves
mid all the other animals that walk the
ejirth — except skunks. Of course I get
anxious about the cattle sometimes."

" But you prefer cows to everything
else. They alone hold undisputed sway in
your heart."

*' Yes ; mostly cows. They give milk
and beef." He had already overcome his
English prejudices against eating cow beef.
In a land where cows abound, sex does
not count.

Sadie laughed provokingly. She was
piqued by his absorbing interest in the
animal world, and would fain have trans-
ferred a reasonable proportion of it to herself.
*' You give up to cows what was meant
for — for "

'' Womankind," he flashed back.

Sadie tapped her foot on the ground as
she swung backwards and forwards in a
rocker. Davenport, watching the little
slipper, half off her foot, would have given
worlds to kiss it.

*'I gathered, Mr. Davenport, that your
interest in cows was not confined to indi-
vidual specimens of the race," she continued.

180 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

<« Ye— es. I like them all."

"Do you treat what you so elegantly
call * womenkind ' in the same way ? "

His face brightened. *^ No ; that's
different."

"I don't understand, Mr. Davenport.
You are as enigmatical as Old Man or the
Sphinx."

" Well, you know, in the world there are
many cows for a man ; there should bo
only one woman."

Sadie affected to be provoked. " I
believe you purposely led up to this. Who
is this one woman who has secured your
young affections, Mr. Davenport ? " She
paused a moment to still further embarrass
him. " Perhaps you are preparing to offer
her the cows as well as — as well as your
heart."

This chance remark additionally harassed
Davenport. Had she heard anything about
the furniture, and taken it for granted that
he was reckoning upon her consent to
marry him ?

"You see," he began, confusedly — "You
see, it was so awfully cheap ; I got it for
twenty pounds."

IN THE BUSH.

L81

Sadie began to laugh again. " Oh, I
cannot think in gaps. What are you talking
about ? "

*' I — well — that is — you see **

She shot a mischievous glance at him,
taking the lovesick swain in with lightning-
Hke rapidity.

"Ah, you are still laughing at me," he
protested.

**I frankly admit it. You have given
twenty pounds — a preposterous price — for a
cow, or something of the sort ; but I really
can't tell why you should be so bewildered
over the matter. Was it a bad cow ? Did
it decline to approve of you until some
equitable arrangement had been made about
milk?"

**It wasn't a cow."

Sadie's foot tapped impatiently. '* Hadn't
we better begin again, if — if there is any
beginning or ending to this cow ? There is
to most cows — the ordinary commonplace
animals, of course; but this one seems
interminable."

'*It wasn't a cow at all. It was an old
table, and couch, and chairs, and — and
—other things," he concluded lamely,

182 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COHNEHS.

remembering that it would be unseemly to
discuss his purchase of an old family four-
poster with a young lady to whom he had
not even proposed.

*'Are — are these articles intended to
adorn the barn for the cow ? Cows don't
usually require tables."

*' No, no. You don't give one a chance.
It was some furniture I bought. I — I
wanted to fix up the house a bit, in case
I "

Sadie left off rocking. ** Oh, I see, Mv.
Davenport. You go a-wooing in the English
fashion — with a sideboard under one arm,
and a table under the other. How de-
liciously quaint."

'' Ye-es ; it is funny when you come to
think of it, only I didn't intend doing any-
thing of the sort."

*' Then aren't you throwing away twenty
pounds? "

Dave.-.port saw his opening. " That's
what I want to find out. I'm in a strange
country. I don't know the fashions of its
wooing ; but I come "

'* Furniture included ? "
'' I come — I say, I come-

IN THE BVSIL

183

mly to
y four-
lie had

led to
dou't

ihaiice.
I— I

in case

ee, ^fr.
^Inglish
Le arm,
ow de-

ome to
ig any-

twenty

' That's
strange
5 of its

'' Well, you've said that before."

'* I come Oh, Sadie, you know why

I've come."

'* With the furniture," she prompted.
' ' Don't forget the furniture. Is it outside ? ' '

Davenport invoked a muttered blessing on
tlie furniture. ** Please let me get it out,
Sadie. I'm awfully serious. It's more to
me than anything I ever dreamed of. I've
come to tell you that you're the dearest,
sweetest, most beautiful girl in the whole
world, and to ask you to be my wife."

Neither of them heard a rustle between
the vines of the morning-glories, which shut
off the verandah from the garden, or saw a
pair of blazing eyes peering through tlie
leafy scene. The short, shining barrel of a
revolver was raised, and deliberately pointed
in the direction of Davenport, who, all un-
conscious of it, had taken Sadie's hand.

'' You will let me call you that ? " he
pleaded. ** You will be my wife ? "

'* The most beautiful girl in the whole
world 1 " she murmured abstractedly.

" The most beautiful girl in the whole
world," he repeated firmly, striving to
possess himself of her hand. ''There can

184 TIIK JUDGE OF THE FOUR COIiNEIiS.

be no question about it. If any man is iool
enough to dispute it, I will knock him down
and make him apologize."

^'And you think that would be con-
clusive? " she asked shyly.

^* It would be quite conclusive, my dearest
sweetheart. I would keep on knocking him
down until the question did not admit of
argument."

By this time her small hand had dis-
appeared in his huge brown fist.

**' Am I really your — your sweetheart ? "
she whispered, her dewy eyes upraised to
his. She had quite forgotten about the
cows.

Janie Ducaine slipped out of the verandah
from the other end ; her white hand stole
quietly through the leaves, grasped Skeeter
Joe's thin fingers, and pulled him back, just
in time to prevent the angry poet from
seeing Davenport take Sadie in his arms.
The dazed and unresisting youth suffered
himself to be led away through the sombre
pines fringing the garden, into a little clear-
ing beyond ; the girl's firm grasp upon his
wrist never relaxing for an instf,nt. Skeeter
Joe stumbled along without making any sign,

NEIiS.

JN THE DUSn.

18;")

1 is Tool
tn down

)e con-
dearest
ng him
imifc of

ad dis-

earfc ? "
ised to
ait the

srandah
d stole
5keeter
3k, just
t from
i arms,
uffered
sombre
J clear-
on his
ikeeter
ysign,

save au occasional heave of thin shoulders,
the sharp bones of which stuck up through
his flannel shirt. Presently his hold on the
pistol relaxed, .^d Janie Ducaine took it
away, with never a word of reproach imtil
they came to a little opening in the Bush,
upon which the first pale stars shone faintly
down.

Tlie lad — he was little more than a lad
— Hung himself on a fallen log, his face
hidden in his hands, the strain of his
heaving shoulders showing all that he was
going through.

Janie 's hand stole caressingly to his
shoulder as if trying to stay the tempest
in his soul.

'' Murder, murder ! " he gasped. *' An-
other second, and I'd have shot 'em both."

"It wasn't like you," said Janie's quiet
voice. ** We all know your gentle ways with
every living thing. You didn't mean to do
it. Look up." She drew the lad's hands
gently away from his face. '* You couldn't
have come out into the starlight with the
guilt of murder on your soul. You wouldn't
have killed a girl you cared for because
she loved some one else better."

18G TIIK JUT)GE OF THE FOUR COUNERS.

The poet looked awcay. He was morally
guilty of murder, aud he knew it.

*' Think! " pursued Janie's gentle voice.
*' Think! They were so happy. He was
telling her that he loved her; that she
was the one God-appointed woman in the
world for him. I could see the happiness
in her eyes, the unshed tears she strove to
keep from falling. We had no right to sec
it at all ; it was sacred to them both — the
supreme moment in their lives. And the
devil sends you, with murder in your heart,
to profane all this ; perhaps to kill them
both. You, who have so little time left to
make your peace with God."

The poet wiped away thin red stains
from his lips, and broke into a hacking
cough. He knew, better than she did, how-
short the time was.

'* I loved her first," he said fiercely.
*' You've never loved any one and seen
them care for others. You don't know
how it makes a devil of a man, his life a
burning hell."

Janie gave a little shiver. The one she
loved was beside her, and would never
know of her love. Through all the hours of

IN TIIK BUSH,

187

Lmppy childhood they had heeu together ;
through all the days of youth and maideu-
hood ; until Fate, in the shape of Sadie,
drew them apart. Now a time was coming
when thoy would meet no more this side of
th(' grave ; a time when lie must go down
into it, and Ic ve the woman he loved,
the sunshine, the hirds, the flowers, the
thousand and one delights of living. Of
late, Janie had heen forgotten. Now that
the hand of Death was on him, the old
days came back. The desire for blood, the
thirst to kill Sadie and her lover, departed.
He was only a weak, miserable stripling,
about to sink into a nameless grave.

" Eeckon I'd better get back to the
hut," he said. ''I ain't safe here. I'd
crept up quietly, just to peer through the
leaves for a sight of her. I've come most
nights, to look at her window, to see her
shadow on the blind, to fill my hungry
heart ; and while I looked, I'd hear a
thousand voices telling me to come aw^ay
into the black depths of the Bush to die.
But something dragged me back again.
The sight of her gave me fresh strength.
Every day I didn't see her, was two days

188 TUE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNKIIS.

nearer the grave. I reckon I won't coiuo
any more," be added weakly. *' I'm main
tired of it all — main tired. There's nothing
left now. Nothing — nothing ! No — thing I
I— I "

He fell forward, swooning on the grass.
When he revived, his head was on Janie's
fair young breast, her arms around him.
For one delirious moment he imagined that
it was Sadie, and uttered a little exclama-
tion of awed delight. Then he roused
himself, the light gone from his handsome,
pain-sharpened features, and shivered.

Janio drew back, conscious that the
supreme moment in her life had come and
gone. Something in the girl's wistful face
seemed to strike the poet for a moment.
He made an effort to forget his own
woe.

'* It's best we should say good-bye here,"
he muttered. ''We've always been rare
chums, Janie — rare good friends. I'm sorry
you've seen all this. When it's over and
done " — he shivered again — ** maybe you'll
think I'd gone off my head a little, and
make allowances. I can't bear to, die in a
crowd, so I'm going back to the hut. My

IN Till': BUSH.

180

mule's in the bushes there. The old cuss
knows I'm not as spry as I used to bo."

** Won't you come back to the house
with me?" pleaded Janie. *' Papa would
1)0 only too glad to have you looked after pro-
])erly. You will soon get well again if "

Skoeter Joe smiled kindly. ** Such
pretty lips as yours don't take nat'rally to
lyin', Janie. I'm dying, and you know it.
We've all got to do it some time. There's
uo dodging that. But I'm glad it's me, and
not you. Don't come any further. I'd
have gone down pretty deep to-night if it
hadn't been for you."

'' You'll let me know how you are to-
morrow?" pleaded Janie. ''You can't be
left to yourself like this."

The poet smiled. "If you knew any-
thing about beasts and birds, you'd know
they like to get away into the Bush to die
by themselves. I've made a muddle of it
all. I want to go out quietly. Where's
the mule?"

They found that lop-eared, slab-sided,
three-cornered hybrid placidly cropping the
grass in another little clearing. As she
ambled towards them her velvet muzzle

190 THE JUDGE OF . . E FOUR CORNERS.

sought the poet's hand, her wicked eye
regarding him with magnanimous forgive-
ness for many a contumelious epithet
hurled at her in the agonies of composition.
She allowed Janie to help her master into
the saddle. Once there, the poet hesitated,
as if reluctant to say farewell. Janie read
the desire in his eyes, and put up her sweet
lips to be kissed.

*^ It'll take the stain out of mine," the
poet murmured. He bent over with au
effort, and their lips met.

The mule looked round impatiently,
twitched her tail, and prepared to start.

'* Don't come near me again," whispered
the poet. ** You're too good, Janie. It'll
only remind me of to-night."

He threw his remaining pistol to the
ground, gave the mule a feeble kick in her
laiik ribs, from mere force of habit, and
ri^de slowly off, turning for a moment to
^Vu-^ e farewell to Janie, who stood looking
after him with the meek despair of a saint.
He did not know that she loved him, and
would never know it.

When he had disappeared beneath the
sombre branches of the pines, his cough

IN THE Busn.

191

echoing mournfully back, Janie picked up
the pistol, wept over it, thrust the gleaming
little weapon against her w^arm breast, and
held it tightly there. Nothing could save
him ; but he should not die alone. She
would disguise herself, and follow Inm until
he went his journey of all days, and passed
through the door of darkness into the Great
Beyond. Soon would the dear sun flood the
land and shine upon the saddest grave that
ever tears kept green ; soon Avould the light
and joy go out of her life, and sorrow con-
sume her soul. She gave a little quiver-
ing sigh and turned homeward ; with a
desperate resolve to brave the w^orld and
minister to her poet's last moments. Then
she would have time to think of her own
sorrow^ and pity herself; but not till then.

And so, the poet rode on through the
Bush, turning his back alike on the woman
who loved him, and the woman who did
not. The mule walked slowly, steadily, as
if a constraining hand were on the bridle.
It seemed to the shivering poet, ere the
branches closed around them, that a tall,
fleshless form walked by the mule's head, and
that the name of that form was — Death !

192 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNEIiS.

CHAPTEK XI.

THE LAST POEM.

*' Skeeter Joe " lay dying iu his bunk.
There was no doubt whatever about that,
to any ordinarily dispassionate observer.
But the one observer, the sole critic of the
moribund poet, was not dispassionate ; and
he (or she) refrained from obtruding the
fact upon the notice of the sick youth
Outside, the wind roared through the Bush ;
the wailing waters of the angry Ottawa
beat against the wooden piers, their rough
music mournfully calling upon the poet to
depart through the Valley of the Shadow.
Amid the howling of the wind, the hoarse
roar of the flood, the crackle of the logs
upon the hearth, came the soft silvery tones
of the invalid, reciting a momentous com-
position which had occupied his attention
for the last ten hours — that is, when lie was

TEE LAST POEM.

193

not otherwise engaged in spitting blood or
coughing. The one oil-lamp on a wooden
stool by his bunk gave out a smoky light,
through which the youth's eyes shone with
unearthly brilliancy. Janie, in a boy's dress,
iiud disguised under the appellation of
*' Timber Jake," sat on the only other stool
which the log hut boasted. Now and then
she threw out indififerent suggestions as to
the originality of the poet's natural history ;
suggestions which the latter received with
petulant impatience. Though these con-
tributions to the literature of her native
land were invariably rejected, Janie con-
tinued to listen to the poem with unfeigned
and appreciative cordiality. At intervals,
when she was evidently expected to applaud,
she did so with a tin spoon against a battered
old kettle, at the same time drawing the
coverlet over the wasted arm which held
the sheets of manuscript.

" There ! " said the poet, as he finished,
*' Stop your infernal row for a moment.
What do you think of that, Jake ? ''

" Me not bein' a scholard," the counterfeit
Jake replied, in the slow simple tones
necessary to the part of an unlettered feller

194 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNEBS.

of logs, far removed from the social ad-
vantages of a judge's daughter — *^ Me not
bein' a scholard, you says to me, * Jake, how
does it pan out ? ' and I says to you, me
not bein' a scholard, ' Bed rock every
durned line of it ! Bed rock ! ' There's
things in it like the singin* of robins in
spring ; things in it like the little flashes of
light when dragon-flies flit across the sun-
shine ; things in it as Shakespeare couldn't
have done, or — or," he somewhat lamely
added, " the Ottaiva Times, or any of those
mud- coloured ink-slingers over the river."

Skeeter Joe's cheek flushed warmly at
this whole hearted eulogy. At the sound
of it, he turned momentarily away from the
entrance to the Valley of Death, then shook
his head, and fell back in the bunk with a
sigh.

'' Maybe, Jake," he said. ^' Maybe; but
for all that, the editor at Four Corners
won't print 'em unless they're paid for at
advertisin' rates. He sent back the last
lot, with his compliments, an' he wasn't
takin' any stock in poetry just then."

An ominous frown gathered upon Timber
Jake's pretty brow.

|;.

THE LAST POEM.

195

^* Oh, of course ; lie wouldn't know real
poetry when he had it under his nose. You
said jest now you got a chill when the
answer came back."

'' A death chill, Jake. Wanderin' about
tryin' to forget a girl begun it, and that
Four Corners fellow finished me up. Yes,
I'm goin' under, Jake. You'd better clear
out to your own folk afore the worst happens.
You remind me somehow of a girl who
used to go to school with me, only you're
shorter."

Jake did not affect to despise the gravity
of the situation, but listened to the roar
of the rapidly rising river against its
banks.

"You don't feel," he asked quietly —
" You don't feel called upon to wrestle it
out instead of passin' in your checks?"
There was a tremor in his voice — a feminine
tremor — which the other was quick to note.

"Not a durned wrestle," said the poet,
falhng back again, and letting his two sheets
of manuscript rustle to the floor. "I'm
played out, Jake — done for. Something'll
bust in a day or two, and finish me off. I'd
have liked to see this yer foolishness in

196 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

print before I went ; but another night'll
finish me, and I sha'n't get a chance of bein'
even with that Four Corners chap. I'd die
easier if I could dip his head in his own ink
bar'l. A fellow-citizen too ! "

Jake gazed thoughtfully into the fire
with puzzled eyes.

'^ I was over to Hutchinson's at Hawldes-
ville to-day," he resumed presently, " an'
the doctor gave me some stuff for you. I'll
fix you up with a dose; then you won't
want any thin' till the mornin'. It's eleven
o'clock now."

The poet looked at Jake curiously.
*' You ain't had a sleep for a week, I reckon,
Jake?'*

The sham Jake almost burst into tears.
Janie's father believed her to be paying
a visit to her foster-mother, and would in
all probability never speak to her again if
he learned the truth about her unmaidenly
conduct. Two days after their last inter-
view, when wandering sadly through the
Bush in her recently donned disguise,
thinking of the absent poet who never
thought of her, and wondering, in a blind,
helpless kind of way, why the wrong people

THE LAST POEM.

197

should always fall in love with each other,
the girl had seen Skeeter Joe ride languidly-
past on his flop-eared old mule, his head
hanging dejectedly down, his emaciated
body swaying loosely from side to side in
the saddle. She again resolved that he
should not die alone. There was Death
in his face, in the unnatural red of his
hectic cheeks, the brilliant light of his
feverish eyes. She followed Skeeter Joe
to his broken-down shanty in the depths
of the Bush, a few miles from Four Corners,
and saw him lurch in the saddle. There
was a thin streak of blood oozing from
his lips. The doomed youth had broken
another blood-vessel.

When he recovered his senses, Skeeter
Joe found himself stretched on his rough
bunk. For a moment, it seemed to him
tliat he heard the rustle of departing
feminine skirts. Pinned to the coverlet,
however, he found a note, the rude cali-
graphy of which jarred upon his fastidious
taste, informing him that the writer would
return that evening with some ** store grub,
an* make you cumferable." This unlooked-
for communication was signed ^* Timber

Ic98 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Jake ; " and that evening ** Timber Jake " —
alias Janie Ducaine —returned to the hut,
bringing with him a couple of bulging-
saddle-bags, laden with good things.

Since then '* Timber Jake '* had quietly
and unostentatiously taken charge of the
friendless youth, feeding her hopeless
passion with every breath drawn by him
as she watched night and day, waiting
for the end. When the poet was not
devoting his last momentt; to sorrowful
reflections about Sadie Vanklcv k, he sought
solace in the composition of moving and
original verses — verses which his one desire
was to see printed before he died. He had
not a friend or a dollar in the world, and
affected to regard Timber Jake as an
emissary of the devil, sent to buy his soul
in exchange for delicacies, wherewith to
pamper his feeble appetite.

" You ain't had a sleep for a week, Jake,"
he repeated presently.

" Not bein' used to your goin's on," said
Jake, — "naturally I ain't had a wink. When
you gets to r'arin' round an' breakin* blood-
vessels, an' seein' angels playin' flutes in
the distance, an' callin' for your old woman,

THE LAST POEM.

199

when the only female, old or young, in
this yer shanty is myself " — he laughed
bitterly — **it's only natural these yere
unknown parties'll expect some one to
look after 'em when they gits here.*'

As he spoke, he poured some medicine
into an old cracked tea-cup, and held i\>
to the sick youth's lips. One arm stole
gently round the boy, who, with a gleam
of mischief in his great eyes, put up a
thin white hand to the cheeks above him,
and gave them a caressing rub.

Jake was manifestly discomposed by this
poetical exhibition of tenderness.

'^ Quit your foolin'," he said hurriedly,
'^ an' drink this yer mixture. It'll keep
you quiet till mornin'."

The boy drank with difficulty. " Yes,
Jake, I reckon it'll keep me quiet till
mornin' ; that's about the time the river
leaves off callin'. I've cried ' Wolf pretty
often, but this is the last time, I reckon."

Jake affected not to hear this pessimistic
remark, but talked on in wandering fashion
until Skeeter Joe's head fell back upon his
arm. Then he covered him up carefully,
veiled the light of the lamp with an old

200 THE JUDGE or THE FOUR CORNERS.

towel, and drew a revolver from the shelf
in a manner which betokened a stroiii'
reluctance to close contact with firearms.

The wind, as it blew beneath the rude
door of the pine slabs, rustled the papers
about the floor. Jake picked them up,
bent over Skeeter Joe to make sure that
the opiate had done its work, and crept
cautiously into the darkness.

A low whinny of delight greeted him as
he entered the narrow shanty which served
for a stable. Without striking a light, he
saddled his brown mare, led her into the
trail, and mounted.

** Now, old lady,'* he said, in strangely
feminine tones for such a swashing ex-
terior, ** you must gallop for all you're
worth."

The mare whinnied again, and broke into
a long, swinging gallop. As she sped
through the darkness, Jake sat squarely
back in the saddle, the reins hanging loosely,
and only stirring when a splash of water
from the mare's flying hoofs wetted his
cheek. A mistake on the mare's part
meant being dashed against the trunk of
the nearest pine ; but Jake made no sign.

TEE LAST POEM,

201

only holding the papers a little tighter
when the mare left the track.

After an hour's hard galloping, he detected
a light in the distance.

" Shooh I " he said to the mare. *^ Gently,
lass, gently. We're nearly there. You are
not going back to your own stable. Be
good, and do as you're told. You shall have
numberless oats and bread and salt when
we go back again."

He drew rein on the outskirts of Four
Corners, and tied the mare to a pine stump.
Then he crept along to the one tumbledown
hut in which there was a light, and peered
through the window with a satisfied look.

Mr. Watson H. Bangs — Mr. Bangs com-
prised in his own person the edit r, staff,
*' devil," printer, advertising agent, and
proprietor of the Four Corners Gazette — was
composing Saturday's leader; assisted in
his consumption of the midnight oil by a
bottle of whisky, which occupied one end
of the table where he sat. Every now and
again, he snipped long paragraphs from
*' exchanges " on a bench at his side, and
laboriously pasted them together. Then he
would march to the nearest ** case," pick up

202 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

the type from various little boxes, and throw
it about with all the rapidity of a practised
juggler.

Suddenly the door opened, and Jako
entered, dripping from the storm.

** Old Man Bangs " made for the drawer
of a distant table in which his revolver lay
hid. When he saw that his visitor was
little more than a boy, he abandoned all
warhke intentions, casting at the same time
a reluctant glance at the whisky bottle, as
if uncertain how long it would hold out
against the new-comer's attacks.

Jake slid into the editorial chair, after
carefully closing the door, and Old Man
Bangs, with a reluctant nod in the direction
of the bottle, went on with his task.

" Sit down," said Jake, briefly, pointiug
to a chair, and declining the implied in-
vitation.

Oil Man Bangs sat down, and refreshed
himself with a pull at the bottle.

"It's a nice sort of night," he said
cheerfully. '* I guess, if the river keeps on
risin', old Doc Hutchinson '11 be drowned
out afore mornin'."

" P'r'aps," said Jake.

THE LAST POEM.

203

** There's a sort of yarn wheu the river's
tliat high,'* said Old Man Bangs, lighting a
pipe — ** There's a sort of yarn when the river
rises suddenly, that it carries away a soul with
the mornin' light. But I reckon you don't
take no stock in such dum foolishness ? "

** Keckon I do," said Jake, still speaking
without a sign of resentment. ** That's
why I've come down."

"Jusso," said Old Man Bangs, puffing
away with undiminished composure. ** Jusso.
What's up, young man ? "

Jake carefully laid his revolver on the
table. Old Man Bangs realized that his
visitor meant business, and had him at a
disadvantage.

" Some folks outside of Four Corners
allow this yer paper of yours ain't higli-
toned," said Jake, carelessly. ** You don't
put on frills enough."

Old Man Bangs looked longingly at the
table-drawer.

** Guess I could put more tone into the
conversation, if I'd my usual seat," he said
significantly, and went on smoking.

**P'r'aps," said Jake; '^p'r'aps." He
laid the papers he had brought with him

204 TBE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNEIiS.

on the table. *' Some of the folks want a
little native talent in this paper of yours.
They allowed, mebbe, you should take more
stock in poetry, an* native produce, such as
straddle-bugs, an' chipmunks, an' things."

"All the fools in the world ain*t dead
yet," said Old Man Bangs, savagely.

" P'r'aps," said Jake again. " I said they
was wrong. * You don't give Old Man
Bangs a chance,' I said to 'em. * He's
wcU-meanin', is Old Man Bangs ; but you
don't give him a chance. Now, if I was to
drop in on him, and ask him to give native
talent a show, why Old Man Bangs would
be agreeable.' So they allowed I'd better
try."

Old Man Bangs, with studied composure,
stretched out his hand and took up the
paper on the table. He recognized a note
in his own spidery writing which Jake had
pinned on the top.

*' I told 'em," said Jake, speaking witli
slov/ and studied insistence, *' I told 'em I'd
only to take you some native produce and
you'd print it straight off."

Old Man Bangs rose without a word,
walked to the composing case, and rapidly

THE LAST POEM.

205

began to *' set up " the verses which Jake
had brought, his fingers flying with all the
precision of machinery. After half-an-hour's
hard work, he screwed up the type in a
** forme," took a "pull," and brought it to
I Jake, who read through the words, still
keeping one hand on his revolver and
criticizing the spelling with a sublime dis-
regard for masculine methods.

"Will that do?" growled Old Man
Bangs, sullenly resenting his enforced
labour.

Jake gazed admiringly at the poem so
rapidly called into beiug.

"Pretty, ain't it? Til tell the folks
you're no slouch when you do get a chance,"
he added admiringly.

He tucked the printed paper carefully
away into his vest pocket, and sprang for
the door. Old Man Bangs rushed for his
revolver in the drawer of the distant table,
and, with a dexterity acquired by long
practice, took a flying shot at Jake as he
disappeared, then blew out the light and
waited for reprisals, but none came.

The brown mare scented her master, as
he crawled slowly through the darkness and

206 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNEBS.

hauled himself with difficulty into the
saddle.

" Gently, Winny, gently/' he said.
" That wretch has shot me in the arm, I
didn't think a little bullet could hurt so
much."

The girl heroically adhered to her assumed
part, although every now and again she
could not restrain a sob as the mare walked
away. Presently something warm ran down
the mare's flank, and made her start. For
three hours she paced slowly along the
narrow path, halting every now and then
when her rider clung to the saddle and
groaned, faint from loss of blood. The
wind fell as suddenly as it had risen.
Through the straight trunks of the pines,
the swollen river glimmered here and there
with faint streaks of light. A rift in the
sullen sky betokened the coming dawn.
"With careful steps, the mare plodded for-
ward, halting now and again to look round
at her rider, who motioned her on with a
feeble wave of his hand.

When they reached the clearing, *^ Jake "
slid out of the saddle and crawled into the
hut, leaving his mare standing at the door.

TEE LAST POEM.

207

Seizing a wliisky bottle, he drank long and
eagerly ; then propped himself up on his
stool by the boy's bunk, and tightened his
sash.

Presently a ray of sunlight stole into the
hut, and the shadows fled away before the
cheerful singing of the birds.

The boy awoke with a glad little cry.
'^Jake, where are you? Jake, I've had
such a dream. I saw Sadie, and "

Something white glistened on the rude

blanket.
"Ja — ! Why, snakes alive, Jake, how

did this come here ? '*

He fell to reading the verses with delirious
enjoyment, and a soft, pink flush came into
his cheek.

<t Why, Jake, they're printed ! Smell the
lovely ink ! * Song to my Lady of Dreams,'
by our gifted fellow-townsman ! "

A fit of coughing interrupted him. Jake,
leaning back so that the boy could not see
his face, lied with tranquil indifference.

*' Oh, Old Man Bangs came up here after
you'd dropped off to sleep."

**Yes, Jake, yes?"
He'd misjudged you, so he printed the

208 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

verses, brought them over, and planked
down a ten-dollar bill. Here's the money."

The boy gave another cry. ** Jake, Jake,
that's fame ! That's more than love !
That's fame. Hang the money! No, let
ine see it. Where is it ? "

Jake handed him the money with difficulty.
The boy pressed it to his feverish lips.

" Jake, Jake, there's blood on it ! Wha-
Oh, my God, I'm choking — chok ! "

Jake tried to raise his head, but in vain.
A little later the mare thrust open the
door with her velvet muzzle and walked
into the hut. The dead boy reclined on
the arm of his friend, and Janie, her long
hair freed from the cap which had hidden
it, lay senseless on his breast.

( 209 )

CHAPTEE XII.

THE END OF " SKEETER JOE."

After the ring episode, Ducaine began to
reflect seriously upon the danger of his
present position. Scarcely had he recovered
from the shock of knowing that he must
defend his life from the assaults of a relent-
less foe, when the woman to whose care he
had confided his own helpless Uttle daughter
some twenty-one years ago, sent for him
in order to make a death-bed confession.
Actuated by a desire to befriend Mrs. Van-
kleek, and thinking that her child was too
delicate to live, the tender-hearted Irish-
woman had exchanged the infants in the
belief that she was providing Mrs. Vankleek
with a companion for her loneliness. With
characteristic impetuosity she did not stop
to consider that this companion was the
child of the man who had wronged Mrs.

210 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Vankleek in the vilest possible manner.
She had been bribed heavily by the Judge
when he confided to her that the infant
child he brought was Mrs. Vankleek's.
This admission had become necessary owing
to the woman's refusal to take the child
until she knew whose it was. She was the
only person, however, who knew all the
true history of Ducaine's wild midnight
ride with Vankleek's new-born child in his
arms. At first, her conscience had taken
the alarm ; but, on Ducaine's promising to
return the child should the mother fret
over its loss, she consented to take charge
of it. Then came the news that Mrs.
Vankleek was on the point of death from
grief at loss of her husband and child. Both
the children had blue eyes ; hence the
easiness of the deception. If Mrs. Van-
kleek's child throve with the Judge, there
would be many chances in the future of
making a little money out of the secret ;
if the child died, Mrs. Vankleek would be
spared the shock of knowing the truth.
As it happened, neither Sadie nor Janie had
died; they were both remarkably healthy
girls, who, in the ordinary course of events,

1:HE end op " BKEETER JOE."

211

might reasonably hope for a long life. The
bewildered Irishwoman, imder the pressure
of conscience, dictated her confession to
her doctor, and then seemed to consider the
matter ended.

Janie received the news very quietly.
There had never been much sympathy
between Ducaine and herself. She was
grateful to him for all his kindness to her ;
but they were so radically different in
temperament and tastes, that the news
made little impression upon either of them.
When Ducaine had finished his announce-
ment and sat waiting to hear what she
would say to it, she kissed him on the
forehead, and asked for time to think the
matter over.

"I suppose it will be an exchange," she
said somewhat wearily. ** Sadie will come
here, and I had better go to my mother."

Her eyes brightened for a moment at
the thought of Mrs. Vankleek. It would
be sweet to feel a mother's arms around
her, to weep her heart out on that generous
breast. But everything seemed dull and
indistinct; there was a leaden weight
oppressing her; the dead boy's face as he

S.'

212 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

lay in liis bunk, a handful of wild flowers
strewn upon his quiet breast, was ever
before Janie. The memory of that last
kiss — that kiss which had set a seal of blood
upon her lips — clung to her. What should
she do ? how contrive a decent sepulchre
for the poor boy in obedience to his last
request to bury him in the Bush afar from
the ribald crowd who had jeered at his
aimless life ? In her despair she remembered
Old Man Evans, and how, many a time and
oft, he had befriended the dead boy. She
was safe with him; he would guard her
secret and protect her honour. Many
women had reason to be grateful to Old
Man; they trusted him because he never
betrayed a trust.

She was roused from her sad reverie by
Ducaine's voice.

'' I'm going down to Mrs. Vankleek's,"
he said quietly, "just to explain the matter.
Perhaps she will marry me now. She
would rather do that than part with Sadi^."
This was better than putting on the screw
financially. A woman may sometimes be
reached through her purse; through her
heart always.

THE END OF *' SKEETER JOE."

213

Thus it was that Janie accompanied the
Judge to Four Corners, and left him as he
turned down the wharf in the direction of
Mrs. Vankleek's house, just before they
came to Old Man's hut. Old Man himself
sat by the fire in company with Ikey, some-
what perplexedly thinking out the situation,
and wondering whether all the resources of
his generalship would carry him to a suc-
cessful issue. Poetical justice demanded
that Duoaine should be punished ; but
Ducaine's ideas of poetical justice were of
the vaguest possible kind. He was far
more likely to shoot the returned Vankleek
on sight than to allow himself to be treated
in the same way. Having become an un-
official Master of the Ceremonies, as it
were. Old Man felt it incumbent upon him
to see that there should be no hitch in the
official programme. When all these ques-
tions of life and death had been settled,
there remained the more joyous one of
marriage — a question which might also
involve the same issues unless very carefully
handled. He stole a glance at Ikey, who
safe, head in hands, disconsolately looking
at the stovepipe as if he could see Miss
Wilks's visage in its rusty surface.

214 TTIE JUDOE OF THE FOUR COJRNERS.

Just; as Old Man's features relaxed into a
grin of pitying amusement at Ikey*s woe-
begone aspect, some one knocked timidly at
the door ; and Ikey sprang to his feet, in-
voluntarily running his fingers through his
hair with a frightened gesture.

** 'Tain't oiled, neither,'* he muttered,
hastily surveying himself in the one small
fragment of looking-glass whiyh the hut
contained. " Wonder what she wants ? "

Old Man's firm hand on his shoulder
brought him up with a round turn.

" Don't you be a blitherin' idgeot," he
said, not unkindly. ** 'Tain't Wilks; she
gin'rally makes as much noise as a fair-
sized airthquake. It's some one a good deal
smaller an' lighter. I kin tell by her step."

The unnerved Ikey sat down again with
a sheepish laugh.

*' I might have known it warn't her," he
said apologetically. ** She's sorter gittin'
on my nerves — chopper an' all. I'll see
who it is."

He walked to the door and flung it open.
Janie slowly entered, the tears rolling down
her cheeks. She was overwrought, broken-
hearted; all the joy of life had gone from

THE END OF " SKEETEn JOE."

215

her. In the bitterness of her sorrow she
wanted to die ; to be at rest ; to escape
from all thought of the dead boy in the
lonely Bush ; to drift away into a dreamless
sleep. She came blindly into the hut, her
hands outstretched as if groping for Old
Man, who made a sign to Ikey to leave
them alone.

Janie came towards Old Man without
thought of the tears running down her pale
cheeks. Many a time in childish sorrow
had her feet borne her to him; now that
the supreme woe of dawning womanhood
had overtaken her, she turned to this grim
old cynic for pity and for help, and fell on
her knees beside him. Then the tempest
burst, and vehement sobs choked her
utterance.

Old Man sat perfectly still ; one huge,
scarred, brown hand gently stroking the
girl's pretty hair.

** Thar ! thar ! Don't take on so ! Don't
take on so ! " he murmured. ** Old Man'll
help you. What's the matter? Thar!
thar ! Now give me your handkercher.
You'll feel better soon. Come, come !
That's it, that's it. Let me dabSle it in

216 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

the pitcher for you. That's better. Now
on your forehead an' your wrists, an' just
a touch behind the ears. I guess you've
bin overdone lately. Now, now; I kno^v
all about it. I was a-waitin' for you to
come to me to help you. Thar ! thar !
You did all you could ; don't you fret an'
worry yourself. Ikey an* me've bin at the
hut the last two nights, to keep any one
back as got wand'rin' round to spy out
things. Thar ! thar ! You just keep quiet
whiles I think out what's best to be done."
As he spoke, Old Man, with soft gentle
touches, dabbled cool water from the pitcher
over the forehead and wrists of the sorrow-
stricken girl who, exhausted by the out-
burst of grief in which she had indulged,
lay back upon his strong arm like a tired
child. It was a new sensation to Old Man
to find his enemy's daughter come to him
in her sorrow ; but he never made war on
women or children. It was not in his
strong nature to wound the gentle girl
who, despite her father's frowns, had looked
upon him as a friend. She had no one to
respect her secret, except Ikey and himself.
Miss "Wilks, with the best intentions in the

THE END OF " SKEETER JOE:' 217

world, would be sure to do something foolish,
and betray the cause of Janie's interest in
Skeeter Joe. And so, with his customary
magnanimity. Old Man soothed and com-
forted the poor girl, uttering tender words
of wisdom which dulled her grief, and trans-
formed his hard features until they became
almost beautiful. His strength comforted
Janie ; the virtue of it went out of him
into her heart, and enabled her to
endure, to suffer and be strong, to bind up
the raw edges of her gaping wound, and
bear her trouble to the end. In broken,
disconnected sentences, she explained to
Old Man the dead youth's wish to be
buried in the Bush near his hut, afar from
the haunts of his unsympathetic fellows,
amid the hushed silence of the lonely little
clearing, with the sombre pines he loved
so well to guard his rest.

Comforted and reassured, Janie stole
away homeward, after promising to meet
Old Man and Ikey at the hut that night.
When she had gone. Old Man summoned
Ikey to a hasty conference. There was not
a coffin to be had in the village. Suddenly
Old Man remembered that a criminal lay

218 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COR NEBS.

■'.1
■3

under sentence of death in the goal, and that
it was the custom of the gaoler always to
keep the coffin of a condemned prisoner in
readiness among the rafters of an outhouse
behind the prison. Time was pressing;
this coffin must be secured at all hazards.

That evening, Old Man strolled carelessly
down to the gaol amid the ominous black-
ness of a gathering storm, and entered into
a seemingly casual conversation with Gaoler
Grey.

** Thar bein' a kinder needcessity for a
coffin in a hurry," he leisurely remarked to
that good old man, "that poor shiftless
crittur, Skeeter Joe, havin' pegged out, I
thought I'd buy yours, seein' as how it ain't
wanted for a month. He must be buried
to-night, an' I can't lay my hands ou
another. Folks here are so shiftless ; they
never keep nothin' handy — not even a
coffin. What might yours be worth ? I
ain't particklar about a few dollars."

*' Government coffins cost ten dollars
each," said Gaoler Grey hesitatingly.
"Boin' a month off the time for Black-
mouthed Jake to swing, I could git another
ready for him by then. I've been labouriu'

ORNERS.

, and that
always to
risoner iu

outhouse
pressing ;
lazards.
carelessly
us black-
ered into
ih Gaoler

Jity for a
arked to
shiftless
^d out, I
wit ain't
e buried
ands on
ss; they
even a
rth? I

dollars
atingly.

Black-
another
i-bouriu'

THE END OF " SKEETER ^OZ" 219

long to convert him ; but, somehow, he's
got to hear from his friends about that
coffin waitin' up in the shed, an' its hardened
him. If he knew it was gone, he'd be willin'
to give in ; maybe the dear Lord *ud git
him yet. If you ain't got ten dollars," he
continued, "I've saved up that for Jake's
wife, an' I'd lend it to you to pay for the
coffin. You'd look after her, poor soul.
She's expectin' a child, an' — an' takes
things hard. Seems to think a lot of Jake,
though he's allers hammered her about a
good deal. She's like a squaw ; them squaws
beyond the Point don't think nothin' of the
braves unless the bucks give 'em a hidin'
now an' again."

Old Man laid ten dollars on the t ible.
*' It's occurred to me," he said slowly, " you
bein' the champion devil- wrastler for miles
round, an' that parson of ours puttin' on
airs about givin' a send-off to a corpse as
ain't buried in undesecrated " — ** XJncon-
secrated," gently suggested the gaoler —
" ground, if you'll promise to keep your
mouth shet arterwards, you'd better come
along an' run the show. I kin make a
speech gin'rally," continued Old Man, with

220 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

some show of embarrassment ; ** but this
ain't in my line. It sorter lays over me,
so to speak. I ain't had no trainin' for it,
most of my Sundays bein' spent in the
Bush with Ikey."

The gaoler's blue eyes gleamed with holy
fire. ** The dear Lord'll help me to rake
you in some day," he said fervently. " The
joy of it'll come into your heart an' make
a little child of you agin, Old Man. It'll
all be a beautiful new world to you, with
the Lord's handwritin' on ev'ry bird an'
beast an' flower."

Old Man dryly shook his head. '^ Not
yet, gaoler, not yet. It's taken me all my
time to know 'em up till now, an' I can't
begin agin yet. Thar's trouble ahead," he
added darkly. **I never was great ou
askin' favours; but if you could sorter
arrange for things bein' straightened out
a bit, to ease one poor child's breakir.'
heart, I'd take my own chances of what's
goin' to happen to me in the next world.
You'd better lock up an' come along now,
or we won't be ready. Ikey's gone on to
do the diggin'."

After the gaoler had handed the keys

THE END OF " SKEETEB JOE."

221

to a deputy, he brought out a couple of
lanterns, and went round to his shed, where
lay the rough shallow box of unpainted
pitch pine, originally intended for Black-
mouthed Jake. By the aid of a ladder,
and to the sullen accompaniment of distant
thunder, Old Man reached the coffin,
lowered it down, and strapped it on the
back of his mule, which immediately
tried to rub off its unwelcome burden
against the side of a tree. "When Old
Man had adjusted this slight difference of
opinion between himself and the mule, he
was ready to start, and looked round for
the gaoler.

The gaoler knelt down en the ground,
his white hair falling to his shoulders, and
motioned Old Man to join him.

Old Man hesitated. ^' 'Tain't in my
line," he muttered. " But seein' as you're
runnin' the purseedin's, I s'pose it's only
fair an' square for me to chip in."

He knelt down somewhat awkwardly by
the old gaoler, who put one arm around
his neck and raised the other appealingly
to heaven.

''Dear Lord," he prayed, ''we, Thy

222 THE JVDQE OP THE FOVR CORNERS.

wand'rin* children, are settin* out to return
to Thee one Thou hast called hence. We
beseech Thee to bring us unto Thy fold
when the time is ripe for us also to be
gathered in. Bless an' watch over us to-
night, an* guide our steps into the way
of peace. Thou seest, dear Lord, this
child of Thine a-hesitatin' an' perhapsin'
an' puttin' off the day of repentance. Make
him Thy accepted servant. Take him
'stead of me, Lord. Though the pangs
of hell get hold of me, yet will I rejoice
in his salvation. Hear us, good Lord, an'
accept the soul now offered Thee to-night.
Amen."

Utterly taken aback by this unexpected
turn of events, Old Man maintained a grave
silence, feeling that, if Gaoler Grey couldn't
make any impression on him, it was a
rather hopeless task for any one else to
attempt his conversion. Besides, he did
not intend to be saved in lieu of any one
else. That was not his idea of equity as
between man and man. Presently the
gaoler took his arm away from Old Man's
neck.

** You kin git up now, brother," he said,

tllE END OF " SKEETER JOE:* 223

with grave simplicity. "I've reintroduced
you to the fold. When the dear Lord's
need of you, He'll tell you what to do.
You may think yoarself a tough case, but
He knows. You just leave it to Him that
* dwelleth in the whirlwind and rideth
on the storm. Whose love is everlastin'
peace, Whose shelter safe an' warm.'
Now, we'll go and bury that poor boy
you was a-tellin me of, an' intercede for
him also."

For once in his life. Old Man meekly
obeyed the directions of another man. As
he afterwards explained, he had had no
previous experience in such matters, and
didn't like to seem officious. He had a
theory of his own about the next world,
which was somewhat akin to that of his
Indian friends ; but now, as he accompanied
the old gaoler through the solemn files of
the pines — grim sentinels of the night, their
slowly waving boughs giving password and
countersign to the birds of the air — he
felt that Gaoler Grey was " runnin' the
show," and must be given a free hand.
And so he followed slowly on after the old
man, the coffin on the mule's back brushing

224 TUE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

against the branches as the animal swayed
from side to side or stumbled over a fallen
trunk.

It -was impossible to see where they were
going until the moon suddenly filtered down
upon them, lighting up the great eyes of
the mule and shining on the steel rings of
her bit. Just at the entrance to the clear-
ing where Skeeter Joe had erected his slab
shanty, a black form glided from out tho
bushes and, with a little shiver at the mule's
burden, came slowly towards them. In an
instant, Old Man's strong arm was round
the trembling girl ; he drew her to his side
with mute sympathy as the gaoler took the
mule by the head and led it towards the
hut.

In the centre of the little clearing was
a newly dug grave; on one side of it
the upturned freshly-smelling earth. The
moist walls of Skeeter Joe's last resting-
place were screened with cedar branches,
the bottom hidden with fragrant wild flowers
by Ikey after he had finished digging.
Presently he emerged from the hut and
helped to unload the mule. Then the door
closed, and Janie again began to tremble

THE END OF " skeeteh joe:'

225

violently until Old Man's firm grasp calmed
her sorrow.

^' You just hold up for a little," he softly
whispered. **When it's all over, I'll take
you quietly back, an' no one'll know any-
thing about it."

In a short time the two men came out
of the hut and waited. Old Man, his arm
still around Janie, drew her towards the
door, opened it, and remained outside whilst
she prayed by the coffin. When Janie came
out after an interval of a few minutes, she
was no longer weeping, but walked with a
firm step towards the open grave and knelt
there. As Old Man quietly put on the
coffin lid, he saw something white on the
dead boy's breast. It was the enthusiast's
last poem, entwined with roses.

Without an effort, Ikey and Old Man
carried the coffin into the open air; the
gaoler, bareheaded, Bible in hand, walking
before them and repeating fragments of
holy writ. When the coffin had been
lowered into the grave, he fell on his
knees and prayed fervently that this lonely
soul might not be overlooked in its solitary
resting-place at the Last Day. The brief

■# '

226 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CO KNEES,

ceremony over, Ikey and the Gaoler noise-
lessly went away, leaving Old Man to fill
in the grave.

Janie shrank back in the cold moonlight
when the first shovelful of earth fell on the
coffin, and turned her white face to Old
Man as if imploring him to be gentle. And
Old Man deftly, delicately, slipped the moist
earth into the narrow opening, so that it
should not lie too heavily on the dead boy's
breast and crush the printed phantasies
upon his heart. When he had finished his
task, he put down the shovel just in time
to hear a long-drawn quivering sigh, as
Janie sank senseless at his feet. The wound
in her arm had broken out, and was bleed-
ing afresh in a red stream over the poet's
grave.

Old Man, without wasting time, tied up
the wound, took Janie in his strong arms
as if she had been a little child, and carried
her home through the dense Bush; her
long hair shining whenever the moonlight
penetrated the dusky shadows of the pines
and fell upon the sad whiteness of her face.

When Janie awoke from her swoon, she
was lying in her own little room> and the

THE END OF " SKEETER JOE:'

227

Four Corners doctor had just finished doing
something to her arm. Instinctively she
turned away from him to where Old Man
sat, half hidden in the shadow of the cur-
tain, put her hand in his, and, reassured by
his firm touch, slept the sleep of a weary
child.

228 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COR NEB 3.

CHAPTER Xm.

SADIE JOINS HER FATHER.

For the second time — his first visit had
been unsuccessful — Ducaine walked rapidly
down the wharf towards Mrs. Yankleek's
house. In answer to his inquiry, he
learned that both Mrs. Vankleek and Sadie
were at home. The latter showed no dis-
position to leave the room when the Judge
was announced in a ferocious and disgusted
manner by Miss Wilks who, on his entering,
immediately took up her position by the
side of the door with an air which implied
that she was ready for any emergency which
required prompt and decisive muscular
action. The undaunted Judge looked at her
significantly. He was intimately acquainted
with Miss Wilks' s idiosyncrasies, and did
not want her to be present, for she had a
way of glaring at people of whom she dis-
approved in a decidedly unpleasant manner.

SADIE JOINS HER FATHER.

229

**The matters about which I wish to
speak to you are strictly private/' Ducaiuo
said to Mrs. Vankleek. ** May I ask you to
be good enough to dismiss your servant?
Perhaps Miss Vankleek will also excuse us
for a little while."

** I am not aware," began Mrs. Vankleek
haughtily, *^that "

" Precisely. That is the reason why I
wish to communicate certain facts and the
contents of certain documents to you,"
blandly urged Ducaine.

" Stay in the passage within call, Wilks,"
said Mrs. Vankleek. ** Sadie, dear, leave
us for a little while. I will send Wilks for
you if I should want you again."

When Sadie and Wilks had left the room,
the Judge hesitated for a moment, drinking
in Mrs. Vankleek's beauty with an admira-
tion which made him forget the revenge he
had taken years ago. After the others had
gone, Mrs. Vankleek's manner changed.

" So, sir," she said almost fiercely, ** you
have come to tormont me again with your
professions of affection? I consented to
receive you to-day in order to make you
clearly understand that this persecution

230 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

must cease. Most men would have relin-
quished it long ago. I have no doubt that
there are many women in the world who
would feel flattered by your persistency.
I am not one of them. Most men would
have more pride than to force their atten-
tions on a woman whom they had so deeply
injured as you have me."

Ducaine bowed. " But I'm not as most
men. You, of all women in the world,
should know this. If ever man suffered
the pangs of hell for a woman's sake, I am
that man."

" Was it only to tell me this that you
came here ? What are your sufferings to
mine — my days of tears, my lonely nights !
Do you know why for so many years I have
endured your persecution without protest ?
Do you know why I have so meekly sub-
mitted to your iniquitous thefts of my pro-
perty ? Do you know why I have received
you, talked to you, even taken you by the
hand? Do you know why " — she went on
with gathering passion — " do you know
why I have never denounced you as the
stealer of my child, the wrecker of my
happiness, when all I had to do was to

ORNERS,

lave rolin-
loubt that
^orld who
)rsisfceucy.
on would
eir atten-
so deeply

fc as most

le world,

suflfered

tke, T am

that you
enngs to
7 nights I
L's I have
protest ?
^kly sub-
my pro-
received
L by the
vent on
1 know

as the

of my
was to

5^11)7^ /O/iVfif HER FATTIER,

231

lift my little finger, and you would have
l)een lynched by an infuriated mob ? "

*' Passion is always becoming to you,
madam. It causes your eyes to flash in a
manner which compels my most ardent,
though unwilling, admiration. No; I am
at a loss to understand this alleged forbear-
ance on your part for the imaginary wrongs
which you mention. Perhaps you will be
good enough to enlighten me."

*' Certainly. I loved my husband. If it
had not been for my obstinate pride, our
dissensions, so carefully fomented and en-
couraged by you, would have died a natural
death. But when he left me — doubtless
instigated by you — I resolved to bear my
punishment, feeling that I deserved it. You
were a part of it. That is why I have
allowed you to enter my house ; that is why
I have encouraged you to hope that you
might one day succeed in your plans — only
in order to dash them to the ground, to make
you suffer — if possible — as I have suffered.
My punishment has been to weep through
the best years of my life in unavailing
repentance ; yours is to find your plots
foiled just when you imagine them on the

232 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR COBNERS.

point of success. You threaten to foreclose
the mortgage you have obtained on this
property. You know very well that it is
only an idle boast, that you cannot produce
the deeds, that they were stolen from you
on the night the coach was upset."

" By your friends and accomplices. Yes,
I know that very well. They shall answer
to me for it. I was a fool not to have fore-
seen such a possibility. Will you listen to
me for a moment ? ' '

*' For the last time. After that do your
worst. I give you this one opportunity for
repentance and restitute' on."

He was startled and uneasy, and showed
his anxiety for a moment^ but immediately
restrained himself. Did she know about
the warning he had received ?

She swept towards him, her eyes flashing,
hands outstretched. *' Miserable man, your
doom is written on your forehead I I see
death in your face. As you have sown,
so shall you reap. For every tear you have
made me shed you also shall sorrow before
you go down into the dark with all your
crimes upon you. You are doomed, and
you know it."

yOUNERS.

'0 foreclose
^ on this

that it is
ot produce

from you

ces. Yes,
^11 answer
have fore-
Hsten to

fc do your
tunity for

id showed
Mediately
>w about

flashing,
lan, your
I I see
'e sown,
^ou have
^" before
all your
ed, and

SADIE JC2N8 HER FATHER.

233

He laughed. ^* So it was you who
managed by some means or other to obtain
t aat ring and send it to me as a warning ?
I might have known that it was only a
child's trick to frighten me."

*' I know of no ring. I sent you no
warning. I only warn you now. Don't
ask me how I know ; but I do. Death is
written on your face."

He was awed in spite of his bravado.
A chill crept through his veins, for he
feared death. All his a^'ms and interests
were connected with this world, not the
next. He had much to do, much to plot
and plan and scheme before he died, several
old scores to settle, several accounts to
balance, people to pimish, money to collect
at usurious interest. This woman defied
him in a last despairing attempt to assert
her old power — the power which had turned
the scale, and sent him on the downward
path when he was only waiting an excuse
to tread it. He would make one last
attempt to win her affection. If that failed,
then he would tell her about Sadie, and
claim that somewhat haughty young lady
L-^ his daughter.

234 TEE JUDGE OF TEE FOUB CORNERS.

** I don't understand all this," he said,
with his old imperiousness of manner.
*' You know well enough that I am noi
easily frightened, not lightly turned from
the path I mean to tread. Your husband
is dead, and you know it. If you will
marry me, you shall have everything you
want. You can go to one of the big cities
and enjoy life there with me, instead of
being confined to this miserable village
w^here you cannot even show yourself with-
out people talking of your wretched history."

** You forget," she interrupted, " how
largely responsible you are for that miser-
able history, how much you contributed to
the making of it."

** That is only your idle fancy. Come,
listen to me. You have wept too long.
Dry your eyes, and come to my arms.
You are not a woman who was meant to
weep always, to renounce for ever the joys
of life out of imaginary fidelity to an ideal
— a weak-minded fellow who did not value
you at your proper worth, and was only too
glad of an excuse to sever his bonds. He
has probably married half a dozen times
since he deserted you. You'd far better

'OUN^ItS.

SADIE JOINS EER FATHER,

235

lie said,
naanuer.
^ am noi
irued from
1' husband
you will
tiling you

big cities
ustead of

e village
self \,^[i]x^

history."

'^, ''how
^at miser-
ibuted to

• Come,
jOo long.

ly arms,
neant to
the joys
an ideal
ot value
only too
ds. He
u times

• better

marry me at once, and let the past take
care of itself. I can be relentless to all the
world but you. You have crossed my life
in every way. Our fates are destined to
mingle, whether you wish them to do so or
not. Let us put tiie past behind us, enjoy
the future. Come ! " He held out his
hand to her ; but she did not take it.

** How can you put the past behind you,"
she asked, *^ when all the time it is marring
your future ? The future bears its pimish-
ment for what you have done. I have had
mine already; yours is to come."

He laughed. " Oh, it would take a good
deal of punishment to have any effect upon
me. I haven't any nerves. It is only your
men with a sensitive, nervous system who
fear a future state. I believe in being alive.
Why, I'm as strong as a horse ! "

^' Your strength doesn't prevent you from
shooting at people and then galloping
away," she flashed, with a sudden recollec-
tion of that scene by the pond.

He laughed again. *^ Oh, that was merely
a warning when I saw you philandering in
the moonlight with the Yankee colonel.
The next time — should you be unwise

236 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR CORNERS.

enough to let there be a next time — I shall
shoot straight ; and you are aware of my
reputation for straight shooting. Barring
Old Man, you know, I am the best shot
in the Ontario Valley. I thought perhaps
that Colonel Burr might take the hint and
clear out."

'* I don't think he is that kind of man.
If I were to mention my suspicions to him
you would probably pass a very unpleasant
quarter of an hour."

^*Oh-h! In what way?''

*^I fancy that he would disdain to kill
you — to put a bullet through your back;
but he would probably thrash you instead.
If this persecution does not cease, I shall
appeal to him to do so, stranger though
he is."

Ducaine was angry, and showed his anger
pretty plainly. *' If you are in such need
of a champion, why don't you employ those
two old ruffians in the village to defend
you?"

" Why ? You question why ? You know
very well that I have only to ask, and
either of them would shoot you down like
a dog. Cannot you understand that I hold

8AVIE JOINS HER FATHER,

237

your life in my hands, and that my patience
is nearly exhausted ? "

Ducaine was- startled for the moment.
The supreme egotism of the man pointed
to only one reason for her forbearance.

" You love me, or you would never have
done this."

Her face, without the abhorrent gesture
with which she turned away, convinced
him of his mistake.

** Love you ! — You ! I loathe you. I
have warned you of what will happen
unless you repent and make restitution
for all the wrongs you have done me. If
you choose to brave the matter out, you
must be prepared to face the consequences."

"Ah! but there is another little thing
on which you have not reckoned," he
sneered. **It might, perhaps, be just as
well for Sadie to know that, in helping
you to set your gang of ruffians to work
to wipe me out, she would also be helping
them to murder her father ! "

Mrs. Yankleek smiled incredulously.
'' Her father ? Isn't it rather childish to
start an absurd story Hke that ? "

'' Yes ; her father. Here is the document

238 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

which will prove it. If you promise to
return it to me you shall read it, not
otherwise."

*^ Oh, I promise. You forget with whom
you are dealing. Give it to me, please."

Mrs. Vankleek ran her eyes hastily over
the paper until she came to the signature
at the bottom.

"Poor Janie ! " she said, "poor Janie !
Now I know why my heart always turned
to her. Is she aware of this ? Why didn't
she come to me ? "

" Janie is in bed with a bullet wound in
her arm. We don't know how she got it.
She says it was an accident. The doctor
thinks that she's had a shock of some
sort."

"My daughter! oh, my daughter! I
must go to her. You are not lying to
me ? She is really ill ? Poor Sadie, too ! '*

Ducaine saw what a trump card was in
his hand. " Of course, you cannot enter
my house unless you accede to my con-
ditions. Come as my wife, or not at all.
If you will agree to this, you shall see
Janie in half an hour."

For a moment Mrs. Vankleek was torn

SADIE JOINS HER FATHER.

239

with doubts. She yearned to see Janie,
to watch over her, to know what was the
matter with her child. And Sadie ? — that
other daughter! The girl who had been
her one joy and comfort all these years !
What would she say to the terrible news ?
And how reconcile herself to Ducaine, whom
she detested ?

The question was settled by Sadie softly
entering the room. *^ Don't fret, mother,"
she said gently. ^* We're none of us to
blame for this horrible freak of fate. I will
go to Janie. There is no necessity for you
to set foot in the house."

Ducaine saw his trump card slipping
away from him. He had just proved Sadie
to be his own daughter, and could not
very well forbid her the house.

"You take the matter lightly enough,"
he said. ** One would think that you were
in the habit of discovering a parent every
day."

'* Such a parent would be rare at any
time," retorted Sadie, crossing over to the
woman who was no longer her mother.
"You mustn't expect too much from me
at first. I've hated you all my life, and

240 THE JUDQE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

loved your victim. You can't expect me
to veer round all at once, and protest my
undying love and affection for you when I
haven't any. The situation is a little hard
on us all. If it hadn't been for you, it
would never have arisen. You are quite
sure that this document is genuine ? ' '

She picked up the paper and carefully
inspected it. Instead of heiug angry at
iie) omarks about himself, Ducaine looked
at her with new-born admiration. Her
hand did not shake, the colour remained
in her cheeks, her manner was as cool and
composed as if her future did not depend
upon the result of this scrutiny. When
sho had thoroughly digested its contents,
her eyes wandered from Mrs. Vankleek to
the Judge, from the Judge to Mrs. Yau-
kleek. She laid down the paper on the table,
and put her arms round Mrs. Vankleek.

*' There's no help for it, mother. I must
go to him at once, and look after Janie/'
Her voice faltered a little. ** It is easier
to bear this news because, in any event, I
shall not be alone in the world. You will
explain everything to Mr. Davenport, and
say that, for the present, at any rate, I

8 AD IK JOINS HER FATHEli.

241

cannot hope to have the pleasure of meeting
him. Tell him not to despair."

'* I don't think I would do that," gravely
interrupted the Judge. '' The companion
of those thieving old rascals would not be
at all a suitable match for you. If he
comes near you again, it will be at his
own peril."

''I don't think I would complicate
matters, if I were you," said Sadie, com-
posedly. " They are bad enough already."

"You must either admit my authority,
or I wall have nothing whatever to do with
you," snapped the Judge.

"Under any other circumstances," re-
torted Sadie, "I fear that I should gladly
welcome the possibility of our continuing
to dislike each other. It's the tragedy of
life that w^e should be chained together
like this when we would both rather go
different ways. Of course, you know I
can't leavo Janie, or you wouldn't expect
me to take any notice of such rubbish.
Tell Mr. Davenport, mother, that, for the
present, he had better not come near me.
I shall be back to see you in a day or two.
Now I must break it gently to Wilks."

■'t

242 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR CORNERS.

Wilks stalked scornfully into the room,
drawing herself up to her full height.
''Just say the word," she implored Mrs.
Vankleek. '' Just give me leave to get at
him, and I'd cheerfully give up a year's
wages, the unnatural old villain ! I'd make
him wish he'd never been born. I ain't
afraid of him, and my friends ain't neither.
As for takin' my lamb " — she put her arms
round Sadie — ''into the lion's den, she ain't
goin' without me, if I have to batter tho
place down."

Sadie gently disengaged herself from
Wilks's massive embrace.

"Oh, it's all right, Wilks, you old dear.
When I want you to chop up any one I'll
send for you. But Janie's ill; I must go
to her. Your mistress will need all your
care and protection. Do^^'t let her out of
your sight," she added, in a whisper.

She ran towards Mrs. Vankleek, kissed
her again and again, and promised to return
shortly.

" Of course, it's all nonsense about my
not being your daughter," she said, fer-
vently. "It wouldn't make any difference
if I had been changed at nurse a hundred

SADIE JOINS HER FATHER.

243

times. I love you, and you love me, and
that's all there is to be said about it.
When," she added, in an audacious whisper
— ^* When I have a home of my own, it
will be my turn to adopt you. You can
come and help me milk things. Harry will
be only too glad. I believe he is a good
deal fonder of you than he is of me."

Mrs. Vankleek smiled. *^ You won't make
a very good farmer's wife, Sadie, if you call
cows * things.' T suppose I had better break
it to Harry myself. If I don't do so, ho
will be coming down to besiege the place.
Do all you can to help Janie, dear. There
is some mystery about the poor child's
illness which I cannot fathom."

Sadie jealously held her aloof for a
moment.

*' Ah ! you already care more for her
than for me. But of course you do."

*'I had," said Mrs. Vankleek, indulging
in slang for the first time in her life — '* I
had to take a * back seat ' when "

** Oh yes, I know, mother; and I'm not
going to be so unreasonable as to expect
you to love me better than you do your
own flesh and blood. But my dear papa is

244 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUJi COBNFRS.

waiting for me. I wonder whether * His
Honour ' will condescend to carry my
satchel."

The Judge stiffly assented to this proposal.
Hence it happened that a few minutes later
the whole village was startled by the some-
what extraordinary spectacle of Sadie and
the Judge walking in the direction of tho
latter's house, Ducaine bag in hand, and
Wilks, also heavily laden, bringing up tho
rear in a state of such suppressed fury, that
she felt it absolutely essential t(; kick a dog-
out of the path, instead of walking round the
recumbent cur. When the animal had dis-
appeared — a howling, yellow streak — into
space, Miss Wilks felt better, and marched
grimly on with the air of a prison warder
escorting a culprit to execution. Specula-
tion became still wilder when Miss Wilks
was observed returning to Mrs. Vankleek's
alone. Had Ducaine secretly married
Sadie ? AVas her dislike for him all a
sham? AVas Janie ill ? Was ?"

But Miss Wilks explained matters to the
assembled villagers with such effect that
Davenport immediately posted off to Mrs.
Vankleek, in company with Colonel Burr,

SADIE JOINS HER FATHER.

245

to learn the truth. Old Man, listening
thoughtfully to Miss Wilks's vigorous
rlietorio, felt more embarrassed than ever
at this further complication of affairs, and
wandered into the Bush to thin'i it out,
unconsciously breathing a wish to the sway-
ing pines that a man might know

" Tho end of this day's business, ere it came ! "

He was quite unaware of the poet's con-
tention —

'* It sufBceth that the day will end,
And then the end is known."

He wanted to know the end at once. It
seemed to him that unless something ener-
getic were done, it might be indefinitely
postponed.

246 T3E JUDGE OF TEE FOUR COlil^ERS,

CHAPTEK XIV.

MISS WILKS WANDERS.

WiLKS was missing. The truth gradually
i:ir/ned upon Mrs. Vankleek that, for at
least an hour, Wilks had not entered the
sitting-room in order to overwhelm her
departed enemy with reproaches and make
derogatory allusions to every portion of his
frame with all the untrammelled freedom of
a child of nature. It was noticed that she
had been reclining in a dejected attitude, a
white apron over her head, in one corner of
the kitchen. Whenever the apron fell,
moved bv her convulsive sniffs, it was seen
that her eyes were red with weeping, that
her Medusa-like ringlets were unkempt,
unoiled, limp, and unassertive. Sadie's
departure for the enemy's camp had totally
confused Miss Wilks, even though her
chopper lay on the kitchen dresser, sharp

MISS WILKS WANDERS.

247

and ready for emergencies. This defection
from within was more than she could cope
with or understand. That the child of her
affections, the darling of her mature prime,
should prove to be the daughter of their
common persecutor Ducaine, was more than
Miss Wilks could immediately comprehend.
She felt that the Eoman fortitude where-
with she was wont to regard life had basely
deserted her; the air of the kitchen was
stifling ; she must away to the Bush or
burst her laces. Acting upon this con-
clusion, with her customary promptitude
Miss Wilks stole out of the house, crossed
the garden, went along the sandy shore
towards the Point, and dived into the
soothing shade of the trees which fringed
the edges of the prime\ al Bush until, with
troubled steps, she came to the serried files
of murmuring pines.

The afternoon sun glinted on the boles of
the trees and gilded their mossy sides, a
little streamlet babbled aimlessly along,
soothing her perturbed ears with its infantile
chatter; but Miss Wilks was not to be
placated by merely mechanical efforts on
the part of Nature to put her in tune again.

248 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUB CORNERS.

Her blood boiled within her, she must fiud
some outlet for her pent-up energies. Wan-
deringinto a little clearing, she selected a tall,
straight young tree, made a scientific notch
in it about fiYQ feet from the ground, rolled
up her sleeves, displaying the brawny arms
of a man, raised her chopper with a critical
look, and carefully cut out the word *^ Du-
caine" on the smooth bark. Then she
stepped back, divested herself of her loose
jacket, and brought down the chopper with
a crash . Another scientific blow made a
huge gash in the unoifending trunk. The
splinters began to fly in all directions. Miss
Wilks was ** witching" her enemy, and
meant to do it thoroughly. Had she lived
in the Middle Ages she would have made au
effigy of him in wax, stuck it full of pins, and
melted it before a slow fire. To a woman
of her impatient temperament, however,
scratching Ducaine's name on a tree, and then
hacking down the tree was far more effective.
When her foe fell prostrate with a crash, she
nimbly skipped out of the way of the breai-
ing branches and wandered on througli
the Bush with a contented smile. The
exertion had done her good, and she was

i_,,.

MISS WILKS WANDERS.

249

temporarily at peace with every one ; except
those aggravatingly deceptive persons — Ikey
and Old Mau.

In the exaltation induced by the imaginary
fall of her foe, Miss Wilks totally lost sight
of the way by which she had entered the
Bush. It was impossible for the sun to filter
through these dim, cloistral regions. There
was now no streamlet to guide her; her
knowledge of woodcraft was slight ; she was
alone in the forest primeval, tired with her
deerlike leaps from trunk to trunk, her
throat parched with the pungent dust of the
dead pines as her huge feet crashed into
the fungus-rot of fallen trees — apparently
sound — which were covered with luxuriant
creepers. Wholly imable to withstand her
weight, most of them crumbled away, leaving
her with one leg plunged up to the knee in
touchwood. It is to be feared that, under
these somewhat unpleasant circumstances,
Miss Wilks so far forgot herself as to call to
mind various expletives of her lonely work-
house childhood — expletives which caused
a lizard in the path to look at her with
bright eyes of mingled reproach and curiosity,
ai3 ;1 then scuttle away to avoid the containi-

250 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

nation of a mixture of cockney English and
backwoods slang which could scarcely be
called ladylike, although singularly appro-
priate to the exigencies of the situation.

Exhausted by fatigue, Miss Wilks indig-
nantly plumped herself down on a fallen
trunk to reflect. Unfortunately, the tree,
although presenting a fair and massive
exterior, was even more rotten than the
others. She fell backward amid a cloud of
wood-dust, which got into her nostrils and
made her sneeze, hurt her eyes, and settled
on her face with irritating persistency. She
was too exhausted to do justice to the
occasion, so that she reclined in an exceed-
ingly inelegant attitude — one foot in the air,
and the other on the ground, wondering
what she should do next. Whilst she was
still somewhat vaguely reflecting as to the
best course to pursue, her smarting eyelids
closed, she nodded dreamily, saved herself
with an effort from rolling into the shattered
trunk of the pine, turned over, propped her
back against a tree, and, with limp arms,
head falling forward on her breast, began to
fill the quiet air of the forest with resonant
snores — snores which caused startled, tiny

MISS WILKS WANDERS.

251

Inglish and
Jcarcely be
rly appro-
iuation.
ilks indig-
n a fallen

the tree,
massive

than the
a cloud of
strils and
id settled
incy. She
Je to the
in exceed-
in the air,
vondering
b she was

as to the
g eyelids
id herself
shattered
pped her
np arms,
began to
resonant
iled, tiny

living things to break out from their hiding-
places and creep away, trembling with fear,
to the inmost recesses of the Bush.

When Miss Wilks awoke, it was nearly
night. She felt stiff, and chilly, and un-
comfortable; cross, hungry, tired. The
rustle of a leaf made her shriek ; the pitter-
patter of a ground-hog on the narrow deer-
track filled her with fear. She had not
energy enough even to raise her chopper, as
the pretty little animal stopped to sniff at
her, and then scurried away to rejoin his
family, and tell them of the awesome sight
he had just seen. Miss Wilks in full toilette
was more majestic than beautiful ; but Miss
Wilks in the careless vcglige of the Bush,
hair trailing down her shoulders like black
snakes, face streaked with decayed wood-
dust, eyes swollen and red, had all the
terror-inspiring power of a heathen idol —
she was indeed gruesome to behold.

But this was no occasion to study appear-
ances. There were " no men to conquer in
this wood," and Miss Wilks, as she got up
and shook herself, felt that she was wasting
her time. Though bold to a fault when con-
fronted with a masculine enemy, she still

252 TEE JULOE OF THE FOUR COBNEBS.

retained the prerogative of her sex to start
at a shadow, to fear with nameless dread the
silence of the dusky pines, to shiver at the
breaking of a branch, to jump aside with
muttered " Oli-h-h ! " at a bit of lichen
under the impression that it was a coiled
snake. A little wind began to stir among
the pines; their solemn branches waved
slowly towards her, just like — as she recalled
with a thrill of old childish terror — the
^* ostridge feathers " she had once witnessed
decorating a funeral in St. Mary Axe. If
some one did not soon come to her relief,
a rotten trunk must be her coffin.

Overcome with terror, she hurried on ; one
foot bursting from its huge shoe, the other
hot and blistered. Suddenly, the stately
colonnades of pines grew thinner, converged
to a central point, then separated and formed
a ring around a little clearing. Miss Wilks
hastened forward with a shout of joy, cast-
ing the terrors born of hunger and gloom to
the four winds of heaven. She was herself
again, and dauntlessly defif-d the spirits of
the woods, the wraiths of the dead trees,
which had come out to haunt her. Here
w^is a little clearing, doubtless on the way to

MISS WILKS WANDERS.

253

■

the Four Corners. She would find the path,
hurry swiftly home, slip quietly up to her
room, and pretend to have heen asleep all

the afternoon. Here was the clear !

Good heavens ! What was that in the
centre ?

She sat down in a limp, confused heap on
the ground ; for, wandering in a circle, she
had returned to the scene of her chopping
exploit of some hours ago. The fallen tree
lay just where she had left it, with its white
chips scattered around, and oozing gummy
tears. The pale splinters of the top of the
upright trunk, which she had fashioned into
a rude likeness of Ducaine, grinned at her
in most ghastly fashion. His revenge had
come. Miss Wilks was utterly unnerved
with that complete physical collapse induced
by the combined effects of hunger and super-
stition.

'^ Well," she muttered, '^ some one's got
to give way ; and if it's to be me, gues:^ I'll
have another go at that grinning image
there, before I cave in.'*

She approached the tree with uplifted
chopper, but the permanent grin on the
rude semblance of a face paralyzed her.

254 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

*'It's no use," she cried. **I guess it's
got the bulge on me this time ; I may go
wand*rin' round the wilderness for the rest
of my life, only to come back here to bo
grinned at."

She cast her jacket over the toT\ of the
stump, and SLkk down ^t ii7> foot^ in an
attitude of profound dejection-

^*I can't do anything more for myself,"
she reasoned, her huge hands clasping her
knees. *' I might go round here till the
eJudgment Day, spoilin' my clothes and not
comin' any nearer the mark. No, I'll stop
here. If any one does take the trouble to
look for me, I may as well be presentable.
I expect I'll git light-headed presently, and
begin to cry. Fancy me cryin' ! " She
waved one hand appealingly round. ** Me !
the strongest woman at Four Corners or
any other corners. Me cryin' — just acause
I ain't had no supper. Bah ! It makes
one want to be back agin in Simmery Axe
workhouse, where I was dragged up and
never had a good meal to eat, 'cept when
the Guardians was comin' round to ask if
we'd got enough. I can remember to this
day how shiny the yellow soap made me.

■ guess it's
; 1 may go
or the rest
here to bo

toTi of the

*vo6 ill an

T myseixV
asping her
^e till the
es and not
>, I'll stop
trouble to
•esen table,
ently, and

'!" She
I '' Me !
orners or
^«t acaiise
tt makes
iiery Axe
i np and
ept when
to ask if
Jr to this
lade me.

MISh WlirS WANDERS,

255

My ! I'm that hungry I could eat a

Don't wash your face i^; front of me, oi I'll
throw a chip at you."

This remark was add' eased to a beautiful
little chipmunk which xan across the clear-
ing, stopped half-way, sat up ou its tiny
haunches, and began to wash its face with
an air of being very much at home, which
was exceedingly aggravating to the per-
turbed Miss "Wilks.

''You know very well I can't wash,"
continued Miss Wilks, glad to hear the
sound of her own voi^e in this vast solitude,
although it sounded harsh and cracked, as
if it belonged to some one else. ''But I
ca7i do my hair, and I'm goin* to, chipmunk
or no chipmunk, supper or no supper. They
may as well find me tidy when I've gone
under. I always thought I'd make a fine
corpse ; but I didn't know the time was so
near or I'd have put on my best things afore
I come out."

She took a comb from her pocket, un-
fastened the remainder of her hair which
had not already escaped from its confine-
ment, and composedly began to relieve it of
the dust and dead leaves and twigs which

had accumulated there during the course oi'
her peregriuations.

"Now," she said, with a sigh of satisfac-
tion, when she had finished this somewhat
lU'otracted ceremony, " if I could only wash
my face before I die, I shouldn't feel so
bad. I look like an Injun afore he's finished
puttin' on his war paint. When I'm dead
and gone, even Old Man might wish he'd
been more civil, the — the old rip. Or'nary
times I'd have plenty of names to lay my
tongue to for him, but I don't seem up to
it to-night. Shouldn't be s'prised if there's
Injuns about. I'd rather hke to settle a
few. 'T would be something real after all
these ghosts and lizards and snakes and
dead trees and things."

If there were any Indians about, they
prudently kept out of the way ; Miss Wilks's
reputation as " The - White - Squaw - who-
splits - skulls - with - a - Tomahawk " having
travelled far and wide among the Iroquois
and Hurons and other kindred tribes. As
the night grew darker, she plucked up spirit
enough to return to one of the dead trees,
bring back some branches, and light a fire
in the centre of the clearing. Some wild

MISS WILKS WANDEBS,

257

tli oughts of setting fire to a whole trunk,
iiud of allowing herself to be consumed on
the top of it, float: d through her mind ; but,
after mature deliberation, she came to the
conclusion tliat it was not worth while.
Perhaps at daybreak she might be able to
find her way out of the Bush and return
home in safety. Stimulated by this hope,
she dragged dead branches and toucliwood
to the stump in the clearing and set fire to
it. If the counterfeit presentment of her
enemy wouldn't burn, at any rate she could
scorch it. She was occupied for nearly
an hour in accumulating enough fuel for
the night, and lay down to sleep beside the
roaring fire with a convenient block for a
pillowy hard enough to liave dislocated the
neck of any ordinary woman. When she
awoke, chilled in every limb, the fire was
low. Some one— he seemed doubly tall in
the dim Hght— stood leaning on his rifle,
and looking down upon her with a humorous

grin.

Miss Wilks disguised her relief, threw
some more wood on the fire, shook herself,

and sat up.

'' Well ? " she asked aggressively. '' What

258 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

do you mean by disturbin' a lady at this
time of night ? 'Tain't time to git up yet,
is it ? "

*' Wal ! " returned Old Man, composedly
sitting down on the other side of the lire.
'* Wal, this licks Creation. I didn't know
you'd taken to campin' out, 'itliout a tent
neither. Ain't you nigh froze to death ? "

'^ No, I ain't. You might say good
evenin', at any rate," snapped Miss Wilks,
recovering her spirits and dissembling her

joy-

** Good evenin'," said Old Man, dryly,
looking into the fire, and throwing some
more wood upon it.

** What are you doin' here ? " inquired
Miss Wilks, hoping to find that he had
been looking for her.

** Trav'Iin' round. Jest trav'lin' round,"
answered Old Man, in indifferent accents, as
if it were the most ordinary thing for hiin
to be in the depths of the Bush at that time
of night, and again relapsing into silence.

Miss Wilks threw another log on the fire,
and wondered inwardly whether Old Mau
carried anything eatable about with him.

Old Man was the first to break the silence.

MISS WILKS WANDERS.

259

"Bin choppiu' wood?" lie asked, glancing
at the prostrate pine.

((

Ye — es.

"Healthy exercise," observed Old Man.
" Healthy exercise. Folk do say the smell
of gnm's good for rheumatics."

" Hain't got any," retorted Miss Wilks,
provoked at not finding out whether Old
Man was prepared to minister to her neces-
sities.

" Sorter gives one an appetite," con-
tinued Old Man, indifferently. " Axes is
better for this sort of work than choppers.
Had any supper? "

"N— no."

"Hungry?"

" N— no."

" I was jest agoin' to camp," slowly
drawled Old Man. ** Jest agoin' to camp
when I see your fire. If you ain't no objec-
tions I'll broil thisyer deer's meat on them
ashes. I've got a water-bottle an' a hunk
of corn bread."

Miss Wilks nodded a graceful assent.
She was not going to ask Old Man for
any supper, though consumed with fierce
longing for the want of it. Besides, how

260 TTTE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

could slie confess to this past master \w
woodcraft — the man who could tell you
which way a horse got up or a cow sat
down, tliis oracle of the Bush — that she
had lost her way, was half dead from hunger
and grief, and would have sacrificed all she
possessed in the world for a couple of pounds
of venison and a drink of water ?

Old Man made deliberate preparations
for his supper without noticing her disquiet.
He stuck a long splinter through the juicy
steak and put it over the ashes, with au
occasional turn towards Miss Wilks, until
the ineffable fragrance of it stole up her
starving nostrils and nearly reduced her to
madness. Her hand moved convulsively
towards her chopper, as if she meant to
brain Old Man and take away the food.
His only answer to this was to give the
meat another twist, which caused so ex-
quisite a sm.eil to mingle witJi the piney
odours of the night that she burst into
tears.

'^For God's sake, give it me! Give it
me ! I ain't had no thin' since breakfast,"
she cried. *'I'm 'most dead! I'm 'most
dead!"

OOliNERS.

MISS WILKS WAXDERS.

261

; master in
Id tell you
a cow sat
— that sJie
i'om liuEgcr
iced all she
e of poimds

TeiDarations
er disquiet,
•li the juicy
3s, with ail
^ilks, until
3le up hei
-iced her to
onvulsively
meant to
the food.
> give the
sed so ex-
the j)iney
burst into

1 Give it
n-eakfast,"
I'm 'most

Old Man, to all intents and purposes
utterly unmoved by this outburst, placed
the meat on a huge chunk of corn bread and
drew his clasp knife.

'^It's all yours on one condition," he said
slowly. '' I don't like to sorter take advan-
tage of your extremities" (Miss Wilks
thought that he alluded to her feet, and
hastily tuoked them under lier dress), " but
doer meat's deer meat, an' the value of it
goes up accordin' to circumstanjes. You
understand? "

Miss Wilks did not understand, ijut
nodded faintly. By this time she wa^
past reasoning. She would have sold
herself body and soul to the devil, to be
able to reach out her hand to the meatj
clutch it, rend it, cram it into her mo.ith,
and clutch, and eat, and rend again, until
every fibre of it had disappeared. The
odour of it made her faint and sick ;
iier eyes swam with tears. It was cruel
of Old Man to torture her thus. She was
ready to promise him anything, to do any-
tlr'iig rather than remain hungry. Even
Old Man looked somewhat moved at the
sight of her pale face.

262 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUM CORNERS.

*at's ouly this," he said. '* Not bein'
a vain kind of man so to speak, an' not
bein' a manyin' kind of man, I'd like
it to be understood as you'll agree to
marry the man I picks out for you. You've
got the whole village by the ears ; it's
time you settled down. You ain't is
young as you was," continued Old Man,
carelessly waving the meat about until its
appetizing odour smote upon her greedy
nostrils with renewed force — '' You ain't
as young as you was, by no manner of
means ; but you're a fine-lookin' womau
for all that, an' thar won't be no peace an'
quietness atween friends till you gits sorter
settled down. If you'll promise to marry
the man I picks out, you shall have your
supper, an' I'll take you home agin ; other-
wise, I'm very much afraid I'll have to
eat tbisyer meat myself whiles you finds
your way out of the Bush."

Miss Wihvs shook her head and shut hei
eyes. Even in this extremity she was net
going to be forced into marrying some one
for whom she did not care. She loved
Old Man with all the force of her rugged
nature, altliougji Ikey woukl have made an

CORNEliS.

MISS WILKb WANDERS.

2G-]

'' Not bein'
ak, an' not
^n, I'd like
1 agree to
11. You've

ears ; it's
1 ain't IS

Old Mail,
it until its:
ber greed}'
' You ain't
manner of
n' wornaij

peace an'
gits sorter
'• to marr\
liave your
in; otlier-
1 have to
you finds

cl shut her
^e was net
some one
She loved
er rugged
' made aii

acceptable husband, had there been no Old
Man to eclipse him. She shook her head,
rocked herself to and fro by the fire,
groaned, and motioned him to go away.

''I'm real sorry," said Old Man com-
passionately, as he wrapped up the bread
and meat, and slowly rose from tiie ground.
''I'm real sorry to leave an old friend like
you, Miss Wilks, under such circumstances.
Real sorry ; but 'tain't no use. You've got
such a proud spirit thar ain't no doin'
iiothin' with you under or'nary circum-
stances. I'll never git such a chance agin.
G-ood night."

By this time he had gathered up his
belongings, and was slowly moving towards
the black mass of Bush a few yards away.
Miss Wilks endured agonies of indecision.
Now she understood why Esau sold his
birthright for a mess of pottage; why
starving men and women are not reasonable
beings; why one half of the world is
occupied in eating up the other half. In
another moment. Old Man would be lost
to view in tho black Bush. He stood, his
face- turned towards her, half in the shadow
aud half in the light. She was toe agitated

264 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COB NEB IS.

to notice its expression, or the twitching of
his hps.

*' Anything ! anything ! Oh, my God ! "
she cried. " Give me to eat. Let me eat,
eat, eat ! I — I'm dyin' of hunger. There's
somethin' gnawin' me to pieces. I promise.
1 promise. Anything ! anything ! Only
take away this awful pain — this awful
pain ! "

In a second Old Man was by her side,
supporting her head on his arm, and giving
Jier to drink from his flask. Then he cut
pieces of meat and bread, and made her eat
them slowly ; restraining her ravenous
haste, as if she were a little child, his lips
still twitching, whilst he made feeble jokes,
or smoothed back her hair with grim
tenderness.

When the eating and drinking had come
to an end, Miss AVilks lay back in his strong
arms with a sigh of relief. The blacknesb
of the night, the hoot of a passing owl,
the little murnnir amid the wind-swe])t
boughs, were all pleasant accompaniments
to her sense of pi >STcal satisfaction. She
was in the arms oi' the man she loved.
For the moment, ^\>. (juito 'nirgot ihat he

witching of

my God!"
et me eat,
. There's
I promise,
ng I Only
Jhis awful

her side,
and giving
ben he cut
ide her eat

ravenous
Id, his hps
eble jokes,
vith grim

had come
his strons:

bhickjiess
ssing owl,
and-swept
panimeuts
ion. She
ihe loved.
t ihat he

MI88 WILKS WANDERS.

265

had never declared his love for her. She
did not see him draw one of her snaky
tresses across his lips with that same half-
quizzical, half-tender smile which his face
had w^orn for some time. She only knew
that he had found her out, had ministered
to her ; that he was hers for the time
being ; that nothing else mattered. It
might rain or hail or thunder, trees crash
down and kill them where she lay, but she
was not at all concerned. Annihilation
with the man she loved was far better
than living without him. Only one pang
oppressed her at this supreme moment.
She was not clad in the gorgeous raiment
befitting so momentous an occasion.

Old Man was the first to realize the
situation. With masculine delicacy, he
propped Miss Wilks up against a log, and
bashfully retreated to the other side ol the
fire.

" 'Reckon we'd better be movin' soon,"
he said. *' I'll take you down to the edge
of the Bush, an' then put right out home.
No one'll know, 'cept you an' me, how I
found you. I don't need to ask you to
remember your promise. You ain't the

266 THE JUDGE OF TEE FOUR COBNEL\s.

sort of woman to say a thing an' go back
on it."

^'I ain't," declared Miss Wilks ; ^* not
me. You've took a mean advantage of me,
Old Man, but I'll stick to it."

'^ You think 'twas kinder mean? " asked
Old Man, gazing into the fire.

** All-fired mean," repeated Miss Wilks,
firmly.

Old Man threw a few sticks on the tire
in an embarrassed manner.

'* Maybe you ain't old enough to re-
member," he jerked out, still looking into
the fire, as if he saw faces there, ^* v/hen me
an' Ikey was little bareheaded-uns a-runnin'
round wild an' gittin' into tarnation mis-
chief every whar ? "

^^ No," she said, glad of an excuse for
talking, and seeing that it would postpone
their departure for a little while.

'' Wal, Ikey bein' a venturesome chap,
with no father to larrup him," continued
Old Man, '*his mother sorter made me :i
present of him to bring up. After she died,
he lived in my hut, an' I larruped him
when he wanted it, which was frequent.
Frequent," continued Old Man, musingly.

MISS WILKS WANDERS.

267

"He's got to thinkin' of me as a kind of
yearthly providence. I've humoured an'
larruped him all my life, an' he kinder
expects, if he wants anything, I'll git it for
liim, an' go on gittin' things for him for the
rest of my days."

'^Ye— es?"

" So, you see, when Ikey's wanted a
thing, an' I've wanted a thing," pleaded
Old Man, with quiet earnestness, "I've
mostly larruped him an' took it myself.
But now thar's come a time when he's real
dead sot on suthin', an' I'm dead sot on it
too, an' one of us has got to give way."

"Ye— es?"

" Seems sorter hoggish to go on larrupin'
a chap as ain't so strong as yourself,"
mused Old Man, still gazing into the fire.
" Seems sorter hoggish to sit opposite the
chap you've brought up, an' larruped all
your life, an' know he's kinder dreadin'
suthin' to happen. Suthin' as'll change
his days, an' take the—the sunshine out of
'em. Now, s'posin' you was me, an' Ikey
an' me both wanted to git suthin' very
lauch, an' I was to come to you an say,
' 'Tain't easy to give up what I want ; but

268 THE JUDGE OF TT1E FOUR CORNERS.

it'll settle Ikey if he clon'c git what he
wants,' wouldn't you think a darned sight
more of me if I was to let Ikey have it ? "

There was dead silence for a moment,
as Miss Wilks realized what had happened.
This strong man was prepared to live love-
less, childless, solitary days for the sake of
the little fellow who had nestled on his
heart as a hoy, who had shared his hut like
a brother, and who had looked up to him
with unwavering faith ever since he could
remember anything.

*' 'Twou^J sorter knock Ikey off his basis,"
Old Man resumeu, with a humorous twinkle
in his eye. ** Sorter squash him, so to speak,
if he was to think I didn't own the universe,
an' couldn't git it for him ; if he was to find
I've bin playin' it low down on him for
some time. It's only fair an' square, as
between man an' man, to let him have what
he w^ants. I ain't the sorter chap to git
married, I ain't. I've restless fits, an' have
to be off to the Bush, an' camp out under
the stars by myself. No decent woman^ 'ud
put up with a hog like me. Now, Ikey,
he's a man is Ikey — a man as 'ud pay for
bein' washed an' dressed up ; I shouldn't.

CORNERS.

MISS WILES WANDERS

2G9

t what he
irned sight
ave it ? "
a moment,
happened.
live love-
bhe sake of
led on his
lis hut hke
up to him
e he could

his basis,"
)us twinkle
to speak,
3 universe,
vas to find
u him for
square, as
have what
lap to git
3, an' have
out under
mman' 'ud
'ow, Ikey,
id pay for
shouldn't.

/Vu' so," continued Old Man somewhat
lamely, '' you'll kinder understand he's the
man you've promised to connubialize with
when I gives the word."

'' We'd better be goin'," said Miss Wilks,
limply. '' See, the fire's out."

'' Yes," said Old Man, without looking at
her; '^ I guess it's nearly out this time."

The forlorn woman slowly rose to her
weary feet, walked round to his side of the
dying fire, laid her cold lips to his for a
second, then seized him in her arms, kissed
liis eyes, his lips, his hair, pushed him
roughly away from her, and returned to the
realities of everyday life.

''You ain't thought much of me, I
reckon," she said brusquely; "but we'll let
that pass. I'm tired ; I ain't got no one

to lean on."

Old Man supported her limping steps to
the edge of the clearing.

'< Is it far?" asked Miss Wilks, who
could scarcely drag one foot after the other.

" x\bout a matter of two miles," said

Old Man.

Miss Wilks turned upon him Hke a

wounded panther.

270 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

If I'd known that, I wouldn't liavc^
promised."

^' I was tryin' to forgit it myself," said
Old Man.

« « « 4» ♦

The grey dawn came up out of the East
as Miss Wilks crawled into the house and
crept softly to bed. Left to himself, Old
Man returned to the little clearing, sal;
down by iho deserted fire and began to
rake aimlessly among its cold ashes for tlio
vestige of any flame. By the time he had
finished his task, tlie sunlight flooded the
tops of the trees, the birds sang, the soft
west wind ruflfled the surface of the river
into glad little ripples; bub there was no
summer morn in the heart of Old Man.

" I must keep that little cuss from findin'
out about it," he said, stamping on the cold
ashes, " or he'll be makin' a fuss, an' I'll
have to larrup him agin. It's sorter time
he settled down."

yOBNEJiS,

Idu't liav(^

271 )

yself," said

)f the East
liouse and
imself, Old
taring, sat
[ began to
hes for tlio
me he had
loocled the
^, the soft
■ the river
re was uo
Man.

.'om findiu'
>n the cold
3S, an' I'll
orter time

CHAPTER XV.

*' NEMESIS."

The Judge was covered by three revolvers,
and sat perfectly still ; for the raising of a
finger on his part meant instant death. He
ground his teeth with rage that he should
liave allowed himself to be so surprised ;
that he had neglected the warning which
had been given him ; that he was now in
the power of his enemies. For once in his
life, Ducaine had been doing soniuthing
praiseworthy ; he had spent the night by
.Tanie's bedside as sfie tossed about in
delirium or lay in dull stupor, her unseeing
eyes upturned to the ceiling. Sadie, worn
out with watching, had stolen away at day-
break for an hour's rest, and had then
returned to relieve Ducaine who, feeling
extremely tired, went to sleep downstairs

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272 TEE uUDGF OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

in his study in an armchair, close to the
glass door which opened out upon the lawn.

This was absurdly rash on his part ; but
want of sleep had diminished his caution.
Any one on the lawn could have sent a
bullet into him from the cover of the
shrubs which came close up to the window.
But, for the moment, he was not thinkiDg
of revolvers. He had actually discovered
that he was fonder of Janie than ho knew ;
that he did not wish her to die. Hev
frenzied references to *^ Skeeter Joe''
puzzled him ; for he was connected witli
the dead boy by a tie which was not gene-
rally known — a tie which the poor lad's
mother had not thought fit to ratify in the
manner usually exacted by society. If
Janie were fool enough to be fond of the
graceless whelp, he must do something for
the lad instead of leaving him to make
vain attempts to scale the heights of Par-
nassus in rags.

Ducaine was aroused from these half-
waking, half- sleeping reflections by a sudden
cry of *' Throw up your hands." From
force of habit he threw them up, before
realizing who were his assailants. It was

" NEMJJSIS:'

^ *>

not until Ikey slipped into the room and
dexterously secured his revolver that he
knew what had happened. Ikey was fol-
lowed by Old Man, Old Man by Colonel
Burr. Even at this perilous moment,
Ducaine reflected that it was like the
Colonel's cursed impudence to meddle in
local questions with which he, as a stranger
to all the winning ways of Four Corner
folk, could have no possible concern. But
lie was speedily destined to be undeceived
on this and several other points.

*' You seem to be in a hurry, gentlemen,"
he said gravely. *' May I ask what is the
meaning of this unwarrantable intrusion at
such an hour of the morning ? You gene-
rally * hold up ' people under the cover of
night."

'' Gol' darn your impudence. Judge," said
the usually phlegmatic Ikey. "We've come
on business ; an' we've been waitin' for you
all night till you was free to attend to us.
We didn't want to disturb that poor sick
girl. She'll have all she kin do to wrastle
through as it is, 'ithout our worryin' her."

'* Has this— this gentleman "—the Judge
looked at Burr with instinctive antipathy—

274 THE JUDQK OF THE FOUR CORNEliS.

"also come on business? He seems to
handle a revolver rather awkwardly."

" Guess he's sorter dropped in on busi-
ness too," said Old Man, who was leaning
idly against the doorway with the air of
one who was only a disinterested spectator.
" Eact is, we've all come on business-
pretty stiff business, too. Hadn't we bettor
sit down. Judge, an' git it over ? "

'' 'Tisn't the hour I'd have chosen my-
self," said Ducaine, roughly. *' However,
as you are here, you old ruffian, I can'i
help myself. Sit down. The sooner it's
settled the better."

Old Man, with an air of placid enjoy-
ment, gently re\olved something suspi-
ciously like a quid in his lean jaws.

" I wouldn't waste breath in recrimerna-
tions if I was you. Judge. Maybe it'll all
be wanted afore we've done with you."

He moved carelessly to the table and sat
down, facing the Judge. At a sign from
him Ikey left the door, and took up a
position on Ducaine's right ; Colonel Burr
stood beside Old Man with the air of one
who was very much at home, and intended
to stop there.

" NEMESTSr

275

The Judge was puzzled. If they meant
killing him, now that they had him at a
disadvantage, why did not they do so at
once and get it over, instead of going
through the transparent farce of discussing
things ? Under similar circumstances he
would have acted first and considered after-
wards. Looking at it impartially, it seemed
to him that he was in a very tight place —
a very tight place indeed. The only thing
to be done was to see the situation through.
Any movement on his part would mean
something unpleasant at once ; whereas if
he temporized, he might he able to devise
some means of escape from this exceedingly
awkward predicament. Eeassured that no
immediate violence was intended, the judi-
cial dignity of years came to his aid. He
drew himself up in his chair, and motioned
to Colonel Burr to take a seat.

Burr shook his head. '' I only sit
in the house of my friends," he said.
'^ You're "

Old Man motioned to him to be silent.
For a little while the three men made no
sign, all of them appearing to be immersed
in unpleasant reflections. Colonel Burr

276 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

seemed buried in thought, and Ikey played
with a paper-cutter on the table. Present!}
Old Man, rousing himself from his abstrac-
tion, pulled an inkstand towards him, put
some foolscap sheets in front of it — as he
had seen the Judge do after taking his
place in court — and, with a persuasive smile,
announced that he was ready to begin.

"Begin what?" asked Ducaine. *'I
don't recognize any right on your part to
break into my house and go through this
farce. If you have a grievance, out with
it, and get it over. You are throe to one,"
he added with a bitter smile ; " otherwise,
gentlemen, I should be very happy to try
conclusions with you. Very happy, indeed."

** Oh, we're cornin' to conclusions soou
enuff, Judge," cheerfully returned Old
Man, trying one of Ducaine's best quill
pens on his thumb-nail. *' We're comin' to
conclusions fast enuff, an' we ain't three to
one neither. We're five hundred to one."

"W— what?"

** Five hundred to one," said Ikey, feeling
that it was about time for him to take part
in the conversation. " If yon was to shoot
the three of us — which in course you can't,

" nemesis:'

277

seein' as I've got your six-shooter — an' walk
out of that window or that door, you'd run
phim centre into some one else who'd hring
you back agin ; an' when you'd killed
another three, the same thing 'ud happen."

'' Oh ! " The Judge understood. '^Lynch
law ? That's what you're after, is it ? Well,
I don't recognize your authority, or admit
ir in any way. If you've made up your
minds to murder me, you may as well get
it over. It's just what might have been
expected from a thieving set of scoundrels
and bogus colonels like you. Murder away
and be done with it ! "

** Oh, we ain't goin' to murder you,"
cheerfully returned Old Man. '' We ain't
goin' to murder you, not by no manner
of means. You've had a fair an' square
warnin,' though you didn't deserve it, to
look out; an' you ain't looked out worth
a cent — that's all. But it's goin' to be all
fair an' square, with the usual formalerties
of Mister Justice Lynch. You bein' a la'yer
kin look after yourself. Judge. Ikey, bring
the jury in from the bushes, an' tell 'em if
they disturb Miss Janie comin' in, I'll larrup
the life out of the lot of 'em."

li^Hifi

278 TB£ JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Ikey went quietly oat and returned with
a dozen bearded men, all armed to the
teeth, who followed in his wake, their boots
leaving muddy marks on the carpet. At
a sign from Old Man, Ikey improvised a
kind of jury-box by putting two rows of
chairs against the window. At another
sign from Old Man, the jury dropped quietly
into their places, each cheerfully nodding
at the top of the table with a ** Mornin',
Judge." Out of deference to Old Man's
wish to conduct the proceedings with a
proper amount of decorum, they had all put
on their coats ; one man, who was unani-
mously selected as foreman, had come in
a white turndown collar. To the initiated,
this collar was as terrible as the black cap
used by a judge when sentencing prisoners
to death. Once it was donned, its wearer
wanted blood. Ducaine alone was ignorant
of this fact. Not so Old Man, who was
extremely averse from anticipating the
result of the impending trial. He went
quietly up to Isra'l Moss, the wearer of the
collar, unfastened it, and threw the offend-
ing article into the Judge's waste-paper
basket.

" NKMESISr

279

"When Justice Lynch is sittin', he don't
allow no personal prederlickshuns," he
ohsen • "" quietly. *' You keep that thicg
oir till ou ve done your work, Isra'l Moss.
Now, Judge, if you're roady, we'll begin."

At this moment Sadie entered the room,
and looked round, startled to find herself in
the presence of so many men. *' What
d'you want ? " sharply asked the Judge.
'' I'm busy over the voting lists, and must
not be disturbed."

" That's so, Miss Sadie," said Old Man,
lying in his customary truthful way.
"We're gittin' through it as quietly as
possible, so's not to disturb IMiss Janie. I
don't see how we kin let in that German
from over the Kidge, Judge. He's only a
squatter, an' a bad 'un at that."

" You would like some breakfast brought
in ? " Sadie asked the Judge. She had seen
the jury stalking slowly across the lawn,
and knew very well that her newly found
father was the object of many a bitter
hatred.

" No, thank you ; not just yet," returned
Ducaine. "I've a little more than I can
swallow this morning, Sadie. There's a lot

280 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COIiNEHS.

to be doue, with a very little time in which
to do it. Isn't thf.t so, Mr. Evans ? "

*' You bet, Miss Sadie. When the Judge
says a thing, it's so," responded Old Man ;
and Sadie withdrew, satisfied that her vague
uneasiness was without foundation.

Old Man again sat down. " Judge, jest
cast your eye along thar. D'you challenge
any of theseyer men ? '*

The Judge looked at the jury sharply.
He had wronged most of them at one time
or another ; but he knew that it would be
impossible to select another jury without
finding others whom he had injured still
more grievously. Loans at high interest,
sudden foreclosures of mortgages, unwar-
rantable evictions — all these were to be
laid to his account by the dozen. Ho
shrugged his shoulders indifferently. *' No ;
I should like one more man on the jurj',
that's all," he said suddenly.

Old Man looked at the jury. The jury
nodded affirmatively. ^' Who is it?" he
asked Ducaine.

" Harry Davenport."

*' Ain't a member of the Vigilance Com-
mittee," returned Isra'l Moss. **Thisyer's

" NEMESIS.'

281

a Vigilance business, and don't yer forget
it." He was still feeling sore that Lis
cherished collar should have been taken
away. The loss had reduced him to the
condition of a mere ordinary individual,
now that there was nothing of the pomp
and panoply of office about him.

Old Man nodded peremptorily at Moss.
'' You shet up. That's so, Judge."

''It doesn't matter, then," said Ducaine,
indifferently. He had made this proposal
with a conviction that Sadie would never
marry a man who had assisted in lynching
her father. " Twelve will do. Personally,
I wouldn't believe one of you on oath;
but that is a mere detail. You all know
that this is a farce, and that you have
already doomed me to death."

If Ducaine wished to anger his judges
into sudden action to vindicate the purity
of their motives, he was unsuccessful.
They all sat there, looking at him with a
placid indifference beneath which it was
impossible to discern the accun iilated
hatred of years. Somehow this appearance
of dignified impartiality was far more im-
pressive than any exhibition of anger.

282 rut: judge of the four corners.

♦•

Tlie Judge rocoguized that tliey had como
there to do soinetliing; that no amount
of *' blufTiiig " ou his part would prevent
them from acting as thoy wished.

*'I dou't admit your authority in any
way," ho said ; ** but I am in your power —
you can do what you like. It might ho
as well to remember that things will ho
made pretty hot for you if a Cxovernment
official like myself is murdered in cold
blood."

'' Thar, thar ! " returned Old Man, '' you
allers was a thoughtful man ; but don't
you worry about us, Judge. Things'll be
hot enough for most of us some day, an'
a little hotter or colder don't make much
difference. Why can't you wait till the
purceedin's is opened ? Now then, gentle-
men of the jury, you swar on thisyer Holy
Book — four of you at a time, each hold a
corner, an' then pass it on to t'others —
you'll well and truly try the issooes set
afore you, an' a true verdict render in
accordance with the facts, so help you
God."

The jury gravely kissed the Bible handed
to them by Ikey, and settled down to

" nemesis:'

283

l)iisiuess. They were practical men accus-
tomed to practical issues, and proposed to
act accordingly.

''As president of tliisycr court," said
Old Man, *'I ain't a-f,'oia' to inflame your
minds with any hifalutin' nonsense. All
Judge Lynch wants is to git down to bed-
rock facts — that's what he's for. When
the law of the land allows a man to go
unpunished. Judge Lynch takes a look inter
the business, gits his witnesses together,
an' puts in a little healthy work with a
tree an' a rope. Thar ain't no nonsense
about appealin' to thisyer court, or thatyer
court. Judge Lynch is final ; he don't
make mistakes ; and when his work's done
it's too late to alter it. Now, gentlemen,
git to work. The prisoner kin defend
himself well enulf, so you needn't trouble
your heads about that. He's chockful of
learnin'."

The jury nodded. As a rule they did
not trouble themselves to take notes of a
case. In this instance, however, they re-
garded the paper before the president with
evident satisfaction. He was putting a
ood deal of tone into the proceedings, and

(J"

¥■

284 THE V . )QE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

■,K ■

it was a pleasure to them to feel that the
dignity of Judge Lynch was safe in his
hands. As Old Man had hinted, legal
subtleties were not for them ; their work
was final and beyond appeal.

" What's the charge agin the pris'ner ? "
asked Isra'l Moss, without ceasing to chew,
and unbuttoning the neck of his now collar-
less shirt.

'^ Sev'ral," answered Old Man, gravely.
** They're mostly about one man, though—
Colonel Vankleek."

Ducaine looked up with an amused smile.
Surely the jury were not going into the
question of his relations with the late
lamented Vankleek.

"In the name of Judge Lynch," con-
tinued Old Man, "I charge this man with
r^tcfciiin' the infant child of Colonel Vankleek
of this village on the night of the eleventh
of September, 1829. In the name of Judge
Lynch, I further charge him with lyin' to
Colonel Vankleek about the sex of thisyer
infant — it bein' a girl — an' drivin' him out
of the country on the strength of it. Iii
the name of Judge Lynch, I charge him
with shootin' at the said Colonel Vankleek

" NEMESIS."

285

with intent to murder him o ^ the night cf
the dance at ToUevents's barn. In the
name of Judge Lynch, I charge him with
stealin' the title-deeds of Mrs. Vankleek's
property, though the jury needn't pay much
attention to that, 'cause I helped to steal
'em back agin from him myself. Thar's
about twenty other charges, includin' the
sedoocing of Skeeter Joe's mother, an'
leavin' Skeeter Joe to run wild till the day

of his death : but vou needn't trouble about

' t/

them neither. I rather think, thougli I
don't want to influence the jury, as these
other charges'U string him up higher'n
Nebbychanezzur," concluded Old Man,
whose Biblical knowledge was of the most
shadowy character.

The Judge — he had listened to Old Man
with amused nonchalance — winced at the
announcement of Skeeter Joe's death. He
had always meant to do something for the
lad — when he had time. But that time
had never come, and so Skeeter Joe failed
to get his chance. Ducaine suddenly
realized that the lad would have been
helpful to him in the present emergency.
Blood was thicker than water, after all, and

286 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Skeeter Joe's romantic temperament would
have found full expression in a campaign
against his father's foes.

^*As I said jest now," continued Old
Man, *^ you don't need to trouble yourselves
much about the rest of the charges. You
all know the Judge pretty well by this
time. He's had his claws into most of
us ; an' sometimes it's taken a deal of
moral 'suasion to git 'em out agin an' fill
up the holes."

The Judge smiled sarcastically as he
scraped a match on the back of his trousers
and lit a full-flavoured cigar.

** I am sorry to interrupt the flow of
eloquence from my learned brother on the
Bench," he said; **but, gentlemen of the
jury, I would remind you that assertion is
not evidence ; that you, as sensible men,
must have adequate " — puff-pnff — *^ testi-
mony before coming to any conclusion in a
case of this kind. If I am charged with
the crimes enumerated by your worthy
Judge, who is not only Judge " — puff-puff—
** but also holds a brief for the prosecution,
they must be proved. If the alleged crimes
are not proved, you will discharge me ; and,

NUMESIS:'

287

if I may venture" — puff-puff — ''to dictate
to so representative a body of citizens, you
will clear out before I make the place too
hot to hold you."

Ducaine spoke in his usual forensic
manner, with that air of quiet authority
which had never yet failed to influence a
jury even when every individual member
of it knew him to be lying. The jury,
visibly impressed, nodded approvingly ; but
Old Man waved his hand to them, with a
fair imitation of the way in which he had
seen the Judge do it on similar occasions

in open court.

" Gentlemen of the jury, an' you Isra'l
Moss in particular, you'll take your rulin'
from me, not from the pris'ner at the bar.
The evidence is here ; if it warn't, I'd go
an' git it for you. I'll jest swear on the
Bible myself, an' tell you what I know;
then we'll call Ikey to corroberate ; an'
then " — he paused, with the air of a man
who has a grand coit2J to make, but wishes
to do it quietly and without ostentation—
"why, then, we'll call Colonel Vankleek

himself."

"W-whatI" The Judge leapt to his

288 THE JUDGE OF TTtE FOUR CORNERS.

feet with an oath. Noivhe understood who
had sent him the ring.

** Pris'ner, sit down ; you don't need to
git excited," said Old Man, preparing to
administer the oath to himself with quiet
enjoyment. Then came his evidence ; how
he had been overtaken by the storm on that
memorable night when Ducaine abducted
Vankleek's child ; how he had been passed
by Ducaine, and had followed him to Mrs.
Vankleek's, and then to Vankleek's hut in
the village ; how he had kept this know-
ledge to himself, not even sharing it with
the faithful Ikey, lest that individual should
incautiously proceed to reprisals ; and how,
finally, he had strolled into the Bush on
the night of ToUevents's dance just in time
to see Ducaine fire at Colonel Vankleek
and gallop off.

" But Colonel Burr was with Mrs. Van-
kleek," urged Isra'l Moss. **You said so
yourself, jest now."

" Colonel Burr is Colonel Vankleek,"
said Old Man, quietly. **Here he is, to
speak for himself."

Ducaine half-rose from his chair as Van-
kleek came forward. For an instant the

CORNERS.

" NEMESIS."

289

two men looked each other full in the face ;
then Ducaine nodded with an amused smile.

**It's Yankleek, sure enough," he said.
'' I admit his identity now. I felt sure I
had seen him before. Any one w^ho knew
him might have guessed that, instead of
seeking redress as man to man from any
one by whom he imagined himself to have
been injured, he would have taken shelter
behind some one else. You can take his
evidence as read, gentlemen of the jury.
I cannot fight against this combination."

Old Man again motioned to Vankleek
to sit down, at the same time casting a
significant look towards Ikey, to prevent
the two men from springing at each
other,

**I onderstand. Judge," he said to
Ducaine, **you admit the truth of these
charges brought agin you. If you've any-
thing to say, let the jury have it. It's
gittin' near breakfast time, an' we've bin
up all night waitin' for you."

" Oh, very well ; I w^on't keep you any
longer than I can help." Ducaine turned
his chair round so as to face the jury. '' 1
don't know that it is worth while troubling

290 TEE JUDGE OF THE FOUB COHNEBS.

you with the facts in this case, gentlemen
of the jury," he said, as if directing them
from the bench. ** You will remember, in
considering the decision at which you may
arrive — although I do not for one instant
admit your right to try me under any
circumstances whatever — that the whole
affair is a purely personal one of private
and not public wrong, if wrong there be.
The enmity between Colonel Vankleek and
myself is the matter of a lifetime, and
should be settled by ourselves. It is not
for you to lay down the relations which
tfhould subsist between two men who have
both loved the same woman. A couple of
revolvers would make far better umpires.
Personally, as I have just said, I do not
recognize your right to interfere at all, and
I should take no part in the proceedings —
except this compulsory one — were it not
that Colonel Vankleek's pusillanimity is
worthy of this publicity. If I have injured
him in any way, there is a code beyond the
laws of the land — a code which demands an
eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth — which
recognizes that every gentleman should be
the arbiter of his personal honour, and not

" nemesis:

201

bring the matter before such a tribunal as
this. Of course, if you wish for the paltry
satisfaction of hanging me because of any
Uttle personal grievances you may have
against me, I think ifc only right to inform
you that such a proceeding would be very
illogical indeed, as the issues before you
have been most clearly defined by the
oblique-eyed old scoundrel, who calls him-
self Judge Lynch. It is a source of great
regret to me that, should your verdict
be adverse, it deprives me of any oppor-
tunity of testing his skill as a marksman.
Nothing would give me greater pleasure
than to defy the law, which I have so long
administered, and which he has so per-
sistently eluded, in order to put a bullet
into his lean old carcase. That also is
another matter of private vengeance, and
not for the public good. In any event,
gentlemen of the jury, in consideration of
your thoughtfulness in not disturbing me
all night when I was watching by the
bedside of a sick girl, it will give me great
pleasure if you will breakfast with me before
the termination of your somewhat high-
handed and illegal proceedings."

292 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR GORNEllS.

The jury were about to assent to this
proposal with cheerful alacrity, when
Vankleek came forward, and, addressing-
Old Man, asked if he might be permitted
to make a proposition to the jury.

*' Personally I ain't no objection," said
Old Man. " Bein' president of thisyer
court, I can't take no notice of any deflec-
tions on my own grit. You, bein' only
a witness, are free, if the jury wishes it,
to make any remarks afore they proceeds
to extremities."

O^d Man spoke rather disgustedly, as if
there were something in Ducaine's con-
tention that the affair should have been
settled out of court. It was a reflection
on his judgment for listening to the
Vigilance Committee instead of taking
matters into his own hands.

The jury nodded an impatient assent.
They were eager to get to business, and
then to breakfast. The possibility that
this might be his last meal on earth did
not appear to trouble Ducaine in the least.
His determined face was lit up by a smile
of contempt for Vankleek, the jury. Old
Man, and Ikey. His own inward reflection

" nemesis:*

293

was that he ought to have ''skipped"
long ago while he had the chance.

Yankleek rose from his chair and gravely
addressed the jury. '' Gentlemen, I have
heen absent from my native village for
more than twenty years. God knows that
I should never have left it, had it not heen
for the villainy of this man before you.
We were friends. Friends ! How he has
construed the meaning of friendship I
need not explain to you. I have paid
dearly enough for my own folly and
weakness. I gather that my coming back
has brought matters to a head ; that you
made up your minds you could no longer
tolerate this man among you ; that he
must be tried and punished. I was
reluctant to allow private vengeance to
take precedence of public justice ; but,
gentlemen, ever since I entered this room
I have had the intention of making a pro-
position to you. The time has now come
to make it. My vengeance should take
priority over your justice. This man,
partly through my own inexcusable
stupidity, partly through my good-nature
and credulity, has wrought me the l)ittorest

294 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COJlNEHS.

wrongs that one man can inflict upon another.
These wrongs can only be wiped out by
the death of one of iis. Throughout my
life I have too often neglected duties whicli
I should have performed; but this is an
imperative duty which I cannot — nay,
which I dare not — neglect. Under the
circumstances there is but one w^ay out of
it, and that is a duel to the death. With
your permission, gentlemen, I make the
following proposal to this man here, who
has sinned more or less against us all.
To-night will be dark, the moon scarcely
visible. I think, gentlemen, that you all
know Millette's bar-room."

The jury, who were becoming rather
impatient, brightened up at this remark.
They all knew Millette's bar-room ; several
of them almost lived there.

'* There is, as you are aware, gentlemen,
an entrance at each end. The room is about
thirty feet long and fifteen wide."

The jury nodded, many of them remem-
bering that these dimensions had not been
spacious enough to prevent their sudden
egress in moments of playful inebriation.
I propose, gentlemen," continued

" Nmih'sis:'

205

Vankleek, witli the utmost sang-froid, *' that
at nine o'clock to-night Judge Duoaine and
myself, each armed with a six-shooter, shall
enter that bar-room, he from tlio north end,
I from the south, the room itself to he in
absolute darkness. At ten o'clock, and not
before, you can also enter and see what has
happened. This plan wiil preclude any
necessity for your now giving a verdict. If
I fall. Judge Ducaine is not to be called
upon to account for the past; if he dies,
there is no more to be said."

To the jury, the plan seemed an eminently
practical one. They were quite ready to
take the responsibility of stringing Ducaine
up to the nearest tree ; but this duel in
the dark offered possibilities of a far more
exciting nature. They consulted together,
and appealed to Old Man, whose impassive
face had momentarily brightened with a
gleam of satisfaction when Vankleek made
his proposal.

" I've no objections," said Old Man
thoughtfully, " though it ain't fair on
Colonel Vankleek. The Judge is second-
best shot for twenty miles around. Thar's
only one man can beat him in gittin' the

296 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUL CORN Eli 8,

drop on anybody, an' that's me. Person-
ally, I'd rather wade in at him myself, but
Colonel Vankleek's got first call. Bein' in
the dark might even up matters a bit. If
the Judge gits the best of it, an' breaks out
agin arterwards, we can always lynch him
on his new record."

The jury, recognizing the eminent proba-
bility of again getting Ducaine into their
hands, cordially assented. Ducaine nodded
cheerfully in response to their questioning
looks.

** I haven't had any pistol-practice for
a long time, gentlemen," he said ; *^ but
nothing will give me greater pleasure. I
shall consider myself a private citizen, and
endeavour to live up to the traditions which
have made this little village renowned
throughout the Ottawa Valley. And now,
gentlemen, to breakfast. Let us save our
friend Mr. Evans the necessity for adjourn-
ing this court by doing it ourselves."

Vankleek hurriedly left the house. He
had much to do before the ^evening, and
must secure his wife and child against
Ducaine at any cost. Ikey mournfully
regarded him as lie hurried away, and

«« XT

yEMJ'Jsis:'

207

bockoucd 01(1 Mail into a corner of tlio
garden. For the first time in his Hfo he
really douhted his leader's wisdom.

*'Any one kin see Ducaine'll phig him
first go oif," he said. ** Much better have
strung up Ducaine 'ithout any fuss, an'
gone home to our own breakfast. A belly-
ful of bullets '11 be the breakfast he'll give
us some day. If Ducaine gits clear, we'll
be plugged for sure. I'd borrowed a new
coat — a reg'lar clawhammer," continued
Ikey mournfully ; ** an' thar'U be no
chance to show otY in it if we're wiped out
too."

'' What colour ? " asked Old Man.

^' Black."

** Black's a good enuff colour. What's
the matter with it for a fun'ral ? "

•* Yes, but you can't go to yer own fun'ral
in a borrowed coat."

'^Why not? If I'm spared, Ikey, I'll
have you wrapped up in it ; it shan't he
wasted."

Ikey did not seem at all grateful for
this tender thoughtfulness on the part of
Old Man.

'' Vankleek's a blamed fool f:)i fightin' at

298 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

all," he grumbled. *'Not but what we
sha'n't see some fun. I'll have to keep
clear of Miss Wilks till to-night, or she'll
git it all out of me. Vankleek's sure to be
killed, an' I've "

** You shet up. Ikey, you make me tired.
Ain't I brought you up outer the wilder-
ness, so to speak, an' made you the man
you are? "

Ikey looked at himself disparagingly.
** 'Tain't much to be proud of. I'd have
made a better job of it myself."

*' Shet up, or I'll larrup you 'ithin an
inch of your life."

*'A11 right," said Ikey. **I fires when
you fires."

Old Man grinned. '* Not to-night."

He bent down, whispered something in
Ikey's ear, and went into breakfast witli
his enemy as serenely as if they had been
bosom-friends from their youth up.

" Wal, I'm — consid'rably astonished ! "
said Ikey, a broader grin than Old Man's
spreading over his expansive features. *' I'm
— con— sid — 'rably as — ton — ished ! Kobin-
son Crusoe rin't in it with that man. An'
to think as a worm like me was saucm' him

L 'ithin an

" nemesis:'

299

when his mighty mind was a-revolvin, an'
revolvin, an' revolvin' round a thing Uke
that ! I'm con — sid'rahly astonished, that's
what I am . Con— sid— 'rahly— ast— H'm ! "

300 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNERS.

CHAPTER XVI.

A DUEL IN THE DARK.

About seven o'clock that eveuing Sadie
received a message from the Judge, request-
ing her to come down into his study, ,ns he
wanted to see her on a matter of impor-
tance. Fortunately, Janie had taken a turn
for the hetter and was now peacefully
sleeping her way back to health and strength,
after the painful ordeal through which she
had so recently passed. Sadie was a little
surprised at the receipt of this message, for
tliere had been a wild breakfast to Mr.
Justice Lynch and his friends, and as the
somewhat noisy guests had not confined
themselves to drinking tea, it had taxed all
her resources to keep them from disturbing
Janie. Had she not known of the Judge's
anxiety for Janie's welfare, she would have
felt inclined to wonder at liis seeming

A DUEL IN THE DAIiK.

:301

carelessness. Hastily placing the coverlet
more carefully round the sick girl's form,
Sadie darkened the blind by pinning a
heavy rug in front of it, to obscure the
rapidly waning light still further, and went
down to the study.

'*You wanted to see me, father?" she
asked, feeling that she must recognize the
inevitable and endeavour to make the best
of their relations.

The Judge smiled genially at her and
drew forward a chair.

*' Come in, Sadie. I'm going away to-
night, and may not be back for some time.
But I've been thinking over your position in
the event of my not returning. It has just
occurred to me that I ought not to take you
away from the friends of a lifetime without
making you some compensation. It's a
pretty rough world for a woman at the
best of times, and some of us generally
manage to make it rougher. I ought to
provide for you in some way."

Sadie held up her hand deprecatingly.
" It is very good of you to consider me ; but
I don't think we understand each other yet."

''Of course we don't. That's why I

302 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

wanted to have a talk with you." He got
up from his chair and paced restlessly about
the room. ** Sadie, why did that cursed
Irishwoman take you away from me ? " he
burst out at last. ** Things might have
been different if she hadn't mixed you two
girls up in such a stupid way. With a
strong nature like yours beside me, perhaps
I might have pulled up in time."

Sadie went to him, laying one hand on
his arm. *' Sit down and talk to me about
it. Perhaps it is the best thing, after all.
I might be able to make peace between my
mo — Mrs. Vankleek and you."

Ducaine returned to the firenlace and sat
down. *' Of course I am talking to you as
I would to myself, Sadie. For years I have
looked upon you as an enemy — an enemy I
admired, but still an enemy. Now things
may possibly happen which will necessitate
a long absence on my part. We may not
meet again for years. Of course I am not
sufidciently unreasonable to expect you to
side with me in this business between the
Vankleeks and myself. It began before
you were born ; it has marred my life ; and
things are coming to a crisis."

A DUEL IN THE DARK.

303

Sadie reflected. '* Can't matters be ar-
ranged? Why not make restitution to
Mrs. Vankleek ? " She tried to put it
delicately. *' Get rid of all these money
matters in dispute between you. You have
plenty of money, even if you are in the
right."

Ducaine waved aside the money part of
the business. He had only used it as a
means to an end without really intending
to go to extremities.

^'You don't know that Vankleek has
come back ? " he asked suddenly.

^' W-wha-at?"

** Yes ; he has come back Moreover, he
has found out that it was I who sent him
away."

*^ Wittingly?"

^' Oh yes ; I wanted him to go. When
people are in my way I generally manage
to get rid of them by some means or other."

The girl made a gesture of abhorrence.
^^ And you're not sorry? "

^' Well, not particularly as regards Van-
kleek. I don't much mind about his suffer-
ing. He was always rather an egotist, and
a very bad-tempered one too."

304 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

**Ah, but if you could have seen all
that Mrs. Vaukleek has gone through ! If
you were not utterly relentless you would
pity her. And now there is an added
misery." Sadie wildly wrung her hands.
** There's Colonel Burr. I am sure she "

The girl stopped, feeling that she had
n.0 right even to mention such a surmise
to Mrs. Vankleek's persistent suitor.

*^ Finish what you were going to say.
You feel sure that she is m love with
Colonel Burr. Well, Sadie, this alleged
Colonel Burr is Colonel Vankleek. He has
come back, after years of wandering up and
dow^n on the face of the earth, in order
to win her heart again. Goodness knows
what he has been doing in the mean time,
or how many wives he has had elsewhere.
But Ulysses has returned to his patient
Penelope and the consequent slaying of the
suitors. Only, the weapon will be a six-
shooter instead of a bow and arrows, and
of course Ulysses will fire his shot into the
heart of the persistent suitor."

He stopped, fearing that he might have
betrayed what was about to happen. A
glance at Sadie reassured him. She was
lost in perplexity.

ORDERS.

A DUEL IN THE DARK.

305

seen all
rough ! If
you would
au added
ler hands.
J she "

she had
a surmise
;or.

g to say.
love with
is alleged
He has
ug up and
, in order
ess knows
ean time,
slse where,
is patient
ing of the
be a six-
rows, and
t into the

ight have

ppen. A

She was

^* Will he reveal the truth to her soon ? "
she asked. *' Shall I — would you like me
to — to tell her ? She must know sooner or
later. It is cruel to keep her in suspense."

** You can tell her to-morrow. One more
day of weeping will not add much to the
sum total. I shall not know definitely until
to-morrow about my contemplated journey ;
but I am surrounded by enemies, and it
may be as well to keep clear of them for a
time."

" Hadn't I " — the girl paused, trying not
to feel the sacrifice she was making —
*' hadn't I better come with you ? "

^^You!"

** Yes ; you are my father."

" I am the enemy of all you love and
care for most in the world."

'* You repent — you are sorry — you will
not harm them any more. Tell me that,
father, and I shall see a little light in this
unhappy business."

The Judge pushed back her arms. "Come,
come, Sadie ; I don't repent. You should
know me better than that. I loved Mrs.
Vankleek. Another man got her. I did
my best to win her back, but failed, Tliere

306 THE JUDGE OF THE f6uR COIiNEIiS.

are a few other trifling actions in my lifo
for whicli people are anxious to call me to
account. I don't repent. How can a man
in lusty health and with a perfect digestion
repent, when he knows in his heart that if
he had succeeded, repentance would never
have entered his head ? Eepentance and
indigestion are generally synonymous terms.
You ought to know that I'm no cov/ard.
But I am surrounded by enemies who
may make things very unpleasant for mo.
Knowing this, I want to thank you for the
affection you have shown me, although it
must have gone sorely against the grain."

** It is so hard ! " the girl murmured. ^' So
hard ! All my interests in life seem to be
reversed. I don't love the others any less ;
but I want you all to be friends. I can
speak to Harry. He " She stopped.

*'He is tied hand and foot by Old Man
and Ikey. He can't detach himself from
them ; and, if he could, the result would be
the same. Old Man is the jnly fellow in
the universe of whom I am afraid. When
I have settled with Yankleek, there will
always be Old Man. He never sleeps ;
he is never at a loss for some desperate

A DUEL IN THE DaHK.

:?07

expedient ; his cunning is inexhaustible. I
ought to have made him my friend in ihe
beginning. Then everything would have
gone well with me. But he is my enemy ;
there will soon be a death-struggle between

us.

" I will go to him. I-

** My dear girl, you will not do anything
of the sort. I am only telling you all this
because I wish you to understand the
situation. It is a toss-up as to how I come
out of this affair; and, whatever happens
between Vankleek and myself, there is
always Old Man behind him ; Ikey behind
Old Man. You mustn't suppose that I am
afraid because I realize the odds against
me. But, in the event of my not returning
to-morrow, here are certain papers which
I wish to hand over to you. You are at
liberty to keep them if I cannot elude my
enemies. That is all."

Sadie dropped the papers on the floor.
A presentiment of coming misfortune seized
upon her as she gazed at tliis handsome,
vigorous man.

** I ought to hate you," she said; "but
you are my father. I cannot do it. 1 am

308 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNEBS.

not going to make terms with you. If my
lover is what I take him to be, he will wait
for me. To-night we will go away together
to some quiet place where Vankleek's ven-
geance cannot follow us. There we can begin
life anew. I will make this sacrifice if you
will consent to — to act honourably to yoiu*
fellows. You have splendid genius, father;
every one, even the people who hate you,
says that you can do anything on whicli
you set your mind."

"Except get the one thing I want.
Sadie, you are a good girl. You would
really come away with me, and give up
your lover xor a time ? "

The girl did not flinch. " He would wait
fifty years for me if need be. We love
each other; we are all the world to each
other; we haven't a thought apart from
each other. But, rather than desert you, I
will give up this heaven of mine until you
have made a fresh start in life. Of course
it will cost me something, but " — she took
him by the shoulders and gazed into his
face — " you are worth a sacrifice, father. If
one woman has been the means of wrecking
your life, another may yet save it. Let us

A DUEL IN THE DARK.

:i09

get away from all this bloodshed and
murder ; give back with one hand what
you have taken with the other, and all
will yet be well. We will slip away quietly
to-night, without any one seeing us. I can
send a messa^ge to Wilks to look after
Janie."

The Judge gently took her hands away
from his shoulders, and gazed into the girl's
flashing eyes with an expression of half-
humorous tenderness.

*' Confound it all, Sadie ! why didn't
that Irishwoman own up sooner ? We'll
talk this over again to-morrow. Take
the papers with you, and run oif to Janie
again."

Sadie picked up the papers, and Ducaine
kissed her for the first time in his life as he
drew her towards the door.

*' If I were you I wouldn't bother my
head about an old villain like me," he
said with a smile. ^' I haven't any con-
science at all, Sadie. You would soon
tire of me, and want to return to your
lover."

His hand was on the door. A vague
trouble overwhelmed her.

310 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COIiNEHS.

** If you could ouly feel sorry about it
all ! " she wliispered.

** Ah ! but I can't to-uight. And I dou'fc
feel at all humble. Wheu I am brought to
my kuees, then I may think about it. lluii
away now, there's a good girl. You havo
over-tired yourself. We will talk about
this to-morrow."

After this resolute exhibition of impeni-
tence, Ducaine kissed her again.

" I am rather proud of you already," ho
said quizzically. ** Confound that Irish-
woman ! Now, don't let me be interrupted
for the rest of the evening."

After Sadie had gone away, the Judgo
hurriedly examined his revolver, took out
the old cartridges, slipped in fresh ones,
and thrust the weapon into his hip-pocket.
Then he lit a cigar, looked round the room
with a careless nod of farewell, as if it were
within the bounds of possibility that he
might not see it again, and went out towards
the village.

Any one passing Millette's tavern that
night would have imagined that the inn-
keeper had retired to bed early ; for there
was not a light to be seen (save the feeble

.1 DUEL IX Till: DA UK.

:) 1 1

lljcker of a lauteru uudor the elm- trees in
front of the saloon), as the Judge leisurely
strolled up to a Rmall group of men who
jiwaited his approach. A little lower down,
Colonel Vankleek and Old Man lounged
about as if they were in no particular hurry,
but merely wished to kill time — or some-
thing. "When Ducaine approached the
group, and carelessly lifted his hat, Vankleek
slightly raised his in return.

'* It's about a quarter to nine, gentlemen,"
said the Judge, looking at his watch by the
dim light of the lantern. " I presume we
l)egin on the first stroke of the clock ? "

Isra'l Moss nodded. *' That's so, Judge.
Revolver all right ? "

*' Oh, I guess it's pretty well fixed," said
the Judge, indifferently. ^' What will you
take for that colt of yours— tlie bay with
the white star ? "

^Tll let you know to-morrow. Judge,"
said the phlegmatic Moss, ''if thar's any
ueedcessity."

"He will make a good roadster." The
Judge threw away his cigar. " Let me see,
I believe I take this end."

Moss motioned to Vankleek to approach.

312 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Thar's to be no hanky-panky," he said
sternly. '^ On the first stroke of nine from
the church clock, you each sHp in an' shut
the doors. We'll look back about ten to
see how you've got on. One six-shooter
each."

Vaukleek and the Judge bowed. ** Take
Colonel Vankleek round to his end, Old
Man," said Moss; "I'll look arter the
Judge."

He disappeared in the darkness with
Ducaine as Old Man took Vankleek by the
arm and led him round to the other end of
the building.

** Thar's five minutes yet," said. Old Man
to Vankleek, fumbling about with something
in his hand.

*^ What's that sickening smell?" asked
Vankleek, taking up his station at the
door. *' You know what to do if he kills
me?"

Old Man nodded. '• Oh, thisyer smellin'
stuff," he said indifferently. " Miss Wilks
give it me for my hankercher. It'll steady
your nerves. Colonel. Jest sniff an' "

Vankleek turned away with an expression
of disgust. As he did so, Old Man gripped

A DVEL IN THE DARK,

313

him with an arm of iron, crammed the hand-
kerchief into his mouth and nostrils, and
held it tightly there in an agony of im-
patience. *' If that Injun didn't lie to me,"
he muttered, **this blessed stinkweed stuff
orter to quieten him in half a minute.
Gewhillikins ! I didn't know he was as
strong as all this."

In about thirty seconds the potent fumes
of the Indian drug began to act. When
Vankleek ceased to struggle, Old Man gently
lowered him to the ground. " He'll be all
right agin in an hour or so," he muttered.
*' If I've any luck I'll be able to explain
when I come out ; if I don't come out, the
hankercher'll explain for me. Moss knows
what that stinkin' Injun itu0' is as well as
I do." He chuckled noiselessly. ** It's a
good thing I told Ikey Miss Wilks wanted
to see him, or he'd have been along too, an*
I couldn't ha' done it. That blamed clock's
a long time strikin'. They orter dock the
parson for Ah ! there it is. Now ! "

He slipped into the room, and closed the
door behind him.

Scarcely had he entered when " crack-
crack " went the revolvers ! Then, silence !

314 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Old Isra'l Moss, plilegmatically smoking
Lis pipe on a stump under the trees, waited
until the clock struck ten. *' Time's up,"
he said, shaking out the ashes. *' Now,
gentlemen of the jury, are you thar ? "

The gentlemen of the jury had heguiled
the time hy a friendly game of euchre at
Laviolette's. They now came straggling
along Avith a couple of lanterns. The bet-
ting w^as ten to one on the Judge, although
public opinion strongly favoured Vankleek.

^*Now," said Moss, ''give me a lantern,
an' I'll open the door. Come in. . . .
Hullo I . . . Well, I'm !"

The jury eagerly followed him in to where
Ducaine lay dead on the saloon floor, face
downward. Moss turned, him over and
found a small hole where the bullet had
entered betw^een the eyes. Old Man was
propped up against the wall on the left-
hand side of the saloon, breathing heavily.

*'He's given me one in th3 shoulder,
boys," he said affably, " seein' as I let him
have first shot."

'' What's thisyer foolislmess ? " demanded
Moss,'angrily. "Why did you take a hand ?
'Twasn't your fun'ral."

.;!*•"

.1 DUEL IN THE DARK,

315

'^ I've got five shots left," said Old Man,
significantly. **You knew as well as I
did Vankleek hadn't a chance. I stuff o-
cated him with Injun stinkweed. You'll
find him lyin' out thar on the grass. Bring
him in, an' give us both some whisky.
I've most bled to death whiles you was
snorin' out thar. Go an' git Doc Higginson
quick, to plug me up."

Vankleek was brought in, and Old Man's
w^ound speedily attended to.

^^ It'll heal np in a week," he said indiffer-
ently. ^* Tain't no use your raisin' a shine,
Vankleek. If he'd potted you he was
bound to have a go at me arterwards,
so I thought I might as well come first.
Whar's Ikey? Oh, thar you are. Hope
you had a good time with Miss Wilks.
Now you've bin fool enuff to hurry away
down here, you kin carry me home, Ikey.
I'm all right, you old idgeot." And, by
way of conclusively proving that there was
nothing seriously the matter with him, Old
Man fainted from loss of blood.

316 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

CHAPTEE XVII.

THE BETUEN OF ULYSSES.

When Vankleek realized what had happened,
he was not at all grateful to Old Man for
his well-meant interference. This ingrati-
tude Old Man treated with the air of one
who was humouring a spoilt child.

*' You jest thank your stars you're alive,
and he ain't," he said phlegmacically.
** Next time you gits into rows of this sort,
through your own durned foolishness, I
ain't goin' to take a hand. No, sir."

It was in vain Vankleek pointed out that
the average length of a man's life did not
admit of his making more than one or two
trips of twenty years' duration.

"I don't care about that," Old Man
answered — *^ not a cuss. You've caused
that dear lady to suffer a heap through your
durned foolishness, an' you've jest got to

THE RETURN OF ULYSSES.

317

make your peace with her. If it hadn't
bin for your wife, I wouldn't have moved
a finger in thisyer business ; but when I
think of her a-wastin' her days an' nights
all these years, sorrowin' over a headstrong
young fool as didn't know when he was
in clover — why, it makes me wish you
was Ikey, so as I could larrup the life out
of you."

The Colonel took this vigorous rebuke in
good part, and had sense enough to see that
it was deserved. Nothing could bring back
the twenty years he had wasted ; nothing
could restore the joy of youth, the strength
of early manhood, the hot and eager im-
petuosity which had once been his. He
was now more than middle-aged, a grey-
headed man, whose blood flowed calmly
and equably, instead of with the fiery speed
of twenty years ago. How was he to
explain the deception which he had
practised on Mrs. Yankleek in appearing
before her as an utter stranger, who had
still further intensified her sorrows, and
added to her perplexities by causing her
to fall in love with him ? How excuse
himself for having played upon tlie chords

318 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

of memory aud old association in a thousand
little ways which, whilst awakening her
interest in him as Colonel Burr, had deep-
ened Mrs. Vankleek's affection for the
missing hushand who had deserted her so
long ago ? As Colonel Burr, he had come
upon the scene with the avowed intention
of endeavouring to win her heart and then
reveal his identity ; trusting to her joy at
his return to make forgiveness an easy task.
For some time hefore his actual reappear-
ance at Four Corners, he had learnt of
Ducaine's action with regard to the
mortgages on Mrs. Vankleek's property ;
and the news was an additional incentive
for him to punish the Judge for his perfidy,
so as to make every reparation in his
power to Mrs. Vankleek. It is but justice
to this modern Ulysses to mention that
nothing but pride and poverty had kept
him away from Four Corners for so many
years. He could not reconcile it with his
own sense of what was due to his wife and
himself that he should return penniless,
become a pensioner upon her bounty, and
be eXjL osed to Ducaine's jeers witliout an
opportunity of resenting them.

rilE UETUnN OF ULYSSES,

319

Biit the years had gone by, one after the
other, in a vain pursuit of wealth. He
had toiled early and late ; risked his life
in every imaginable way ; turned his hands
to all professions and callings ; ever seeing
before him at the end of laborious days this
long-desired reconcihation with his wife,
which, rightly or wrongly, he considered it
impossible to attain as a poor man. At times
he admitted to himself that, if she were
disposed to forgive him at all, it would not
make the slightest difference to her whether
he appeared on the scene in rags or a
chariot. He knew how haughty was her
pride ; how strong her prejudices ; and so
toiled on, almost insensible of the passing
years, in this effort to accumulate money.
And, just as he had begun to despair, when
it seemed to him that he must end his days
as a pauper, unforgiven and unloved, one
stroke of luck had effected in twenty-four
hours more than all the persistent striving
of twenty years. He told himself that it
was luck; but in his heart he was dimly
conscious that this living of laborious days
— this faring scantily among rough asso-
ciates who valued life so lightly— -was really

320 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

the expiation which he had been doomed to
undergo for the hot-headed folly of his youth.
Then came the thought that sorrow
and neglect might have changed his wife's
heart towards him ; that she no longer cared
for his memory, or wished to be reminded
of his existence. If he were to come to
her in all the pomp of affluent circum-
stances, it would seem almost an insult ;
and so, in his perplexity, he had made
himself known to Old Man, with strict
injunctions that his secret was not to be
shared even with the faithful Ikey — a some-
what superfluous precaution; for that un-
reasoning individual was not in the habit
of troubling himself as to the why and the
wherefore of his friend's actions. ** I fires
when Old Man fires," was his motto ; and
if Old Man had told him to blow Miss
Wilks's head ofif, he would have done so
under the firm impression that when the
proper time came his friend could restore
it to its original state without an effort.
Hence, when told by Old Man to prepare
for the attack on the coach, Ikey had cheer-
fully borne his part in the affray without the
slightest curiosity as to what it all meant ;

THE IIKTURS OF ULYSSES.

321

save and except that there was a very good
prospect of making the Judge exceedingly
uncomfortable. When the fact was revealed
to him that Colonel Burr and Colonel Van-
kleek were one and the same person, he
accepted it with unquestioning faith ; and
had Old Man at any time intimated that
natural equity demanded the effacement
of Vankleek, he would have obeyed him
without a murmur, and with a thoroughness
— Ikey was very thorough when he once
got an idea into his head — which would
have caused Vankleek to fare badly.

But recent events, without lessening
Ikey's faith in Old Man's infallibility, had
somewhat confused him ; for, though on
amorous thoughts intent, he scorned to be
disloyal to Old Man, whom he strongly
suspected of cherishing similar sentiments
to his own for Miss Wilks. Once or twice
he had clumsily attempted to lead the
conversation in the direction of matrimony ;
but his ineffectual hints were easily parried
by Old Man with the simple remark that
matrimony is like some medicines, which
never work in the same way on two different
people: sometimes they have the desired

322 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUll CORNERS.

effect, and sometimes they kill the patient
whom they are intended to benefit. *' An'
the worst of it is," added Old Man, ^' till
you've swallowed the dose you don't know
how it's goin' to turn out."

The last of these conversations had taken
place on the afternoon of the day on which
the followers of Judge Lynch had paid their
unceremonious visit to Ducaine's house.
Sadie, aware of the Judge's projected
absence, was not alarmed the next morning
when she heard that he had not returned
on the previous evening. All unconscious
of his tragic end, she went down to Mrs.
Vankleek's in order to give her the latest
report about Janie's condition. Her visit
was a very short one. As she came away
from Mrs. Vankleek's she met Colonel Burr,
whose usual imperturbable air had given
place to a slightly flurried manner. He
seemed very anxious to know whether Mrs.
Vankleek had been out that morning, and
was reassured to learn that she and Miss
"Wilks were both on the premises.

'^I don't know what's the matter with
Wilks," added Sadie. ^^ She has been
crying her eyes out, and then wanting to

THE RETUUN OF ULYSSES.

323

know what colour would suit her best to
wear at a wedding. She has strong ten-
dencies towards pea-green silk, but cannot
make up her mind about it."

Vankleek laughed somewhat mechani-
cally. *^ Oh, I'll see her, and throw a little
light upon the subject. I haven't quite made
up my mind yet who is to bo the happy man.
It seems rather a toss-up. I'd better buy
her something with plenty of colour in it.
Wilks has had an eye for colour all her life.
That is why she leans to Old Man. He's
the more picturesque of the two."

Sadie laughed, nodded gaily, and went
towards the gate. Directly she reached it
Vankleek's manner changed. He nervously
hurried into the hall and laid hold of Wilks,
who happened to be passing at the moment.
"For God's sake, Wilks, run after Miss
Sadie, and see th.«t she does not hear any-
thing suddenly about her father. He was
killed last night in a duel with Old Man."

He hurriedly recounted the circumstances
under which Old Man had taken his own
place, thrust Miss Wilks through the open
doorw^ay, and watched her speeding after
Sadie with ungainly strides. Then he

324 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

crossed the ball, opened a little door on the
left, and found himself in Mrs. Vankleek's
morning-room.

It thrilled him to the heart to Hud
how little this favourite room of hers had
changed during his long absence. There
were tokens of himself scattered all round —
a hat flung carelessly on a little side-table as
if it were still waiting for him to come in and
pick it up ; a pair of gloves lay on a bracket
— moth-eaten, time-worn gloves, but of a
peculiar material affected by himself long
ago. A faded daguerreotype, almost un-
recognizable, but which he knew was meant
to be a likeness of himself, stood on the
desk. It needed no second glance to assure
him that Colonel Burr would have a hard
struggle to successfully out-rival the miss-
ing Vankleek. Would it be worth while to
make the experiment ? It seemed to him
that if he were to attempt it in this par-
ticular room, such a proceeding would be
little less than an outrage on good taste
and good feeling alike.

Almost unconsciously he sat down in a
battered old chair which still remained
where it had always been. He had once

THE BETUIiN OF ULYSSES,

326

had a peculiar trick of leaning back in tliis
chair with legs crossed and hands clasped
behind his head. Once again in this old
chair, the force of habit reasserted itself.
Mrs. Yankleek, on entering the room, was
shocked and surprised to find him there, in
an attitude which was painfully familiar to
her.

**No one told me you were here," she
said rather haughtily. *' I am not in the
habit of receiving visitors in this room. It
is sacred to the memory of my husband."
Then she stopped and looked at him
intently. '*If you don't mind. Colonel
Burr, I would rather you came into another
room." His attitude jarred upon her.

It seemed as if this man had not only
stolen her heart but was already usurping
privileges which had been sacred to another.

Burr got up from the chair. '* I beg your
pardon, Mrs. Vankleek. The fact is, I have
something rather important to say to you
this morning ; and, with your permission, it
seems to me that this is the best place for
me to say what I have to tell you."

She stopped him with a little gesture of
entreaty.

326 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

''Is it absolutely necessary that you
sLould say anything further? The last
time we met, something about you tempted
me to a momentary weakness. I was dull
and lonely — tired of shadows — tired of this
dim, grey, bveless worlds Forget it. We
all of us make mistakes for which we must
afterwards suffer. For the moment, you
caused me to forget ; there was something
about you which reminded me "

Burr moved a step nearer towards Mrs.
Vankleek ; but she put one hand behind
her, groping backward on the desk until
her fingei3 touched the faded portrait of
himself. The contact seemed to give her
strength and comfort as her fingers closed
convulsively around the frame.

'* We all have to cheat ourselves witli
shadows," he said. *' I had hoped that
you might learn to love me for myself,
though I see that, at the best, 'twould be
but stepping into a dead man's shoes. He
would always come between us ; this luxury
of grief which has robbed your cheeks of
their colour and tinged your hair with grey
is part of your being. You have forgotten
how" to smile ; and now, when T would ^ear

RNER8,

THE RETURN OF ULYSSES.

327

hat you
The last
tempted
was dull
d of this
it. We
we must
lent, you
omething

irds Mrs.
d behind
lesk until
ortrait of
give her
3rs closed

Ives with
)ped that
>r myself,
;would be
oes. He
bis luxury
3heeks of
with grey
forgotten
ould ^ear

this sombre pall of grief away, you prevent
me from mere force of habit. I offer you
love, life, sunshine, warmth "

** Ah ! " she interrupted, ** you forget how
long I have lived in the shadows. You
don't know how I sit and watch and wait
for some one who never comes, who may
never come ; some one whom I loved, and
with whom I quarrelled — foolishly quarrelled.
It is difficult to say, now, which of us was
the more foolish and absurd in our stupid
temper and pride. I sometimes think that
all the unhappiness of the world, of all the
men and women in it, comes from quarrels
about things which gradually grow into
great ones, until one forgets how small
they were at first."

*'And so," he said, taking up his hat,
** you would rather go back to your world
of shadows to dream of this brute who
pretended that he loved you ? "

*^ He was my husband."

^' Who quarrelled with you, and ill-treated

you.

>»

** I was harsh to him also."

"Who went away in search of other

loves

»)

iti ■

328 THE JUDGE OF THE IPOUR C OH NEBS.

*^ He was tlie father of my child."

** Who has left you all these years without
a sign."

She stopped him with a radiant smile.
^* Ah, no, he hasn't. Sleeping and waking
he is still with me. I hear his foot-
steps on the stairs, his voice within my
ears."

*' And so you can't escape from him even
now. Must it always he so ? "

**Yes," she answered; "it must always
be so."

*' Yet you smiled upon me, and led me
to hope."

"Mustl tell you why?''

"Yes."

" It was "—she hesitated, as if fearing to
make herself ridiculous in his eyes — " It
was because your every movement, the in-
tonations of your voice, reminded me of
him. Now I know why you brought me
out of the kingdom of dreams and shadows.
You must have met my husband and un-
consciously copied his movements, his every
trick of speech, except that your voice is
graver and thinner, and you so rarely smile.
At one time he always smiled, until he grew

THE RETURN OF ULYSSES.

329

angiy and distrustful, and went away. That
is the reason I liked you."

He came nearer and knelt at her feet.
*' Don't you know me now?" he asked,
with hands uplifted to hers.

" You ! — you ! — you have come back ? "

^* I have come back — come back to ask
you to forgive."

*' Forgive ! — Forgive ! — Forgive you all
the wasted years which can never come
back ? Where is my husband ? You are
not the man. What have you done with
him ? He had a sunny smile upon his lips.
He wasn't a grey-bearded man, solemn and
slow of speech. Where is my husband?
Give me back my husband, in all his
beautiful youth and manhood. You are an
old man."

** Yes," he answered sadly; **I am Ulysses
— an old, old man. I have wandered far and
wide, but my lost youth has remained with
you, and I come back after many years to
ask you to restore it to me."

"No, no. You are — not — my — bus !"

She swayed forward over the kneeling
figure at her feet.

Burr — let us call him Vankleek— was just

^*'

330 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

in time to catch her; to lavish tender kisses
on her lips and cheeks, upon the loosened
tresses of her hair. At the pressure of his
arms, the touch of his lips on hers, she
came back to life with the little shuddering
sigh of one who reluctantly returns from
dreams to waking.

** And you never saw our little child ?
Can you forgive yourself that ? It had
blue eyes — they took it away from me. I
lost you both for a time. Is it — is it really

you?"

**You — you know me now, dearest?
You know me now ? "

Yes, she knew ; and, womanlike, forgave
him for the mad folly of his manhood;
womanlike, she drew him to the shelter
of her tender breast, this grey-bearded,
grizzled man, her once beautiful youth ;
womanlike, she welcomed her returned
prodigal from out the dim shadows of the
bygone years, and smiled and wept, and
wept and smiled, to find the fetters with
which she had held him in the past unbroken
still, though rusted with her tears.

( 331 )

CHAPTER XVIII.

DAVID AND JONATHAN.

Three months later, Ikey and Old Man sat
in their cabin eating the last evening meal
which they were destined to share together
for some time. Ikey had made superhuman
efforts to do justice to the occasion; but
it was evident that his soul was not in the
work, for he allowed the meat to burn;
and the coffee — on the perfection of which
he was wont to pride himself — was so weak
that Old Man had to reverse their usual
rdles and attend to the making of it
himself.

** If you think, Ikey, 'cause you're goin'
to git married to-morrow, as I'm to put up
with thisyer sort of thing, you're mistaken,"
he said blandly. ^^Arter briugin' you up
all these years, I don't want to have my
spirit broke by bad food. You jest sit down

332 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

an' wade in for all you're worth. Most
likely it's the last meal you'll ever eat in
peace an' quietness this side of the grave ;
don't throw away such a chance, or you'll
sit on the ash-barrel of affliction an' be
sorry for it."

Ikey grinned sheepishly. All his gibes
about matrimony were steadily recoiling
on his own devoted head.

Old Man made some fresh coffee. ** Thar,
that ain't hogwash. Now give me that
steak. I'll show you how to cook."

Ikey handed him the meat in silence.

**You can't give yer mind to it — that's
what's the matter with you," declared Old
Man. ** I knew what 'twould be when you
took to sweepin' out the place every day,
an' layin' in all that soap. You're trans-
mogrifyin' yourself, Ikey — that's what you're
doin' ; an' it won't wash. You ain't bin
partik'larly fond of washin' yourself ever
since I've known you, and you never
will be."

Ikey sheepishly held out his plate for
more food. He found it easier to make a
pretence of eating than to talk.

"You've bin a-jeerin' at me," resumed

DAVID AND JONATHAN.

333

Old Man, giving his own steak a scientific
twist as the gravy fell through the gridiron
and sputtered on the wood ashes below.
** You've bin a-cryin', ' Go up, thou bald-
head,' so to speak, for a long time, an'
the she-bears of matrimony has got hold of
you at last." (Old Man always became a
little confused when seeking to apply Bibli-
cal legends to modern instances.) " A few
months ago this place was that cumferable,
people 'ud come miles to stay with us an'
think nothin' of curlin' 'emselves up on the
floor for the night ; until you was dum fool
enuff to go an buy that feather bed, an'
nearly chuck 'em into it. Now we've put
on style, an' got a bit of store carpet down,
an' stinkin' flowers, an' white muslin cur-
tains — white muslin curtains with blue
ribbons — in the winders, folk won't touch
us with a ten-foot pole. They've got their
suspicions, Ikey, as you're a reformed
character. It's my belief, if I wasn't
round, you'd git shot at ten times a day,
jest for paintin' that front door blue an'
white. It's a public insult to folk as
ha'n't any paint handy an' can't afford to
git married. If it was any one else you

334 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

was goin to many, they'd lynch you right
oif. Gaoler Grey told me, this arternoon,
he'd seen you buyin' yaller gloves an' a
blue tie over at Miller's store. I had to
bluff him you was gittin' 'em as a present
for me."

''1 was thinkin'," faltered Ikey, ^' of
wearin' suthiu' tasty for the weddin'."

Old Man nearly let his meat fall into the
fire.

** To think," he said, in tones of wither-
ing disgust, **you don't know better'n
that. D'you s'pose I'm a-goin' to let you
disgrace me by gittin' married in yaller
gloves ! Why, you might as well turn
yourself into a yaller dog at once."

'* Me bein' a ginger man, it did seem
sorter nat'ral," pleaded Ikey.

** Oh-h ! Maybe you was also allowin'
to git married in that butternut suit of
yours too ? " queried Old Man, with scath-
ing scorn.

*' It did seem to go with the gloves ;
an' Miss Wilks, she give me a yallor han-
kerchief to hang out of my coat pocket-
sorter keerless."

This time language failed Old Man

J) AVID AlW JONATHAN.

335

wherewith to express the intensity of his
disgust. He went on eating silently. *' If
you'd come to church rigged up like that,"
he said at last, with solemn conviction, *' the
boys 'ud have tarred and feathered you;
an' I'd have helped 'em."

"What was I to do ? " urged Ikey. " I'd
spent ail my spare cash in a dress for the
bride."

'* Which is jest like your dum foolishness,
when you heard the Colonel say he was
a-goin' to do it."

Ikey gazed doggedly into the fire. " I
ain't a-goin' to 'low no colonels to take
a hand in thisyer weddin'," he said obsti-
nately. " Whenever I gits married, I
reckons on doin' that kind of thing myself."

Old Man was too much occupied with his
own thoughts to seize this opening. He
went to the cupboard and dragged out a
bundle.

'* I was down to Hawklesbury yesterday,"
he said, '*an', knowin' the partikler kind of
man you are, I went into a little speckerla-
tion on my own account. I ain't a-goin' to
be disgraced by no yaller-glove weddin'.
You jest put down your plate an' try on
them things."

336 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COIiNEIiS.

Ikey slowly opened the bundle and took
up the black suit it contained.

** A reg'lar clawhammer ! A clawham-
mer, Old Man ! Me married in a claw-
hammer an' black britches with a stripe
down the seams ! Won't it be sliugin' on
too much style altogether ? Won't it knock
the bride all of a heap ? "

'' Wal, ain't a woman like that worth
bein' knocked all of a heap?" demanded
Old Man. *'Air you a-goin' to sink down
in that woman's eyes by wearin' yaller
gloves ? No, sir. You put on them black
britches an' clawhammer to once, or I'll
drill a hole in yer."

Ikey immediately proceeded to divest
himself of his own garments and slowly
pulled on the trousers and coat with childish
delight.

*' Thar's a white shirt with a frill, an'
white tie, an' shiney boots you could see to
shave in, if you ever did shave — which you
don't," said Old Man, producing the re-
maining contents of the bundle. *' You'd
better not try on tlieseyer lavender gloves
now, in case you busts 'em."

'* What ! " gasped Ikey. ^* Shiney boots !

DAVID AND JONATHAN.

007

Bin turniii' road-agent ? '' He could not
conceive of any man being millionaire enougli
to purchase such things under ordinary cir-
cumstances.

Old Man had spent every available dollar
to buy this expensive suit. He had even
taken over the butternut-coloured clothes
to the tailor at Hawklesbury in order
that there should be no mistake as to the
fit.

*'0h, I jest yanked 'em in," he said in-
differently. '' Now git out of 'em, an I'll
cut your hair."

Ikey docilely obeyed and resumed his own
everyday garb, too overwhelmed by the
splendour of the wedding clothes to utter
articulate thanks to Old Man, who took up
a pair of shears and began to clip at the
ginger-hued locks which straggled down
the nape of Ikey's tanned neck.

*' Better make it pretty short," diffidently
suggested Ikey, as the click of the shears
broke the stillness. ''I don't want no
scalplock as anybody could lay liold of."

In his conscientious desire to do away
with this difficulty, Old Man cut Ikey's hair
so very short that the skin show^ed througli

338 THE JUDQE OF THE FOUR CORNERS,

in several places, greatly to the future
bridegroom's discomfort.

'' I didn't want it mowed," he said testily.
'* You allers was a powerful hand with the
shears. Old Man."

'' You'll look ten years younger," re-
torted Old Man, ''when you git into them
clothes. People'U take you for a strange
parson."

''D — do you think she'll know me?"
nervously queried II:ey. ** Thar ain't no
chance of her a-goin' off with the wrong
man ? She's a powerful-minded female is
Miss Wilks."

" If," said Old Man, with sudden twinkles
in his eyes, '* you don't stop theseyer insper-
sions on Mrs. Isaac Mars ton, nee Miss
Wilks "

" What's she got to neigh for ? "

" Oh, it's a way of describin' people, that's
all. If you don't stop theseyer inspersions
on her, I'll marry her myself."

Silenced by this threat, Ikey went on
packing up the clawhammer coat. This
done, he resumed his seat by the other
side of the stove and handed his tobacco
cake to Old Man, who chopped off some

^ERS.

DAVID AND JONATHAN.

3no

future

I testily,
vith the

er," re-

to them

strange

V me?"
ain't no
e wrong
em ale is

twinkles
r insper-
lee Miss

le, that's
ipersions

lyent on
t. This
le other
tobacco
off some

fragments from the solid mass, sliced them
up, and put them in his pipe.

'' You'll git out of the way till Miss
Sadie an' Davenport is married," said Old
Man, presently. **Tlion it'll be your turn.
I've paid Miller live dollars to keep an eye
on you all day, an' give you away at the
altar. An', whatever you do, when poor
Miss Janie wishes you joy in that quiet,
gentle way of hers, an' that sorter rainy
smile, don't you go an' say any thin' about
the late Skeeter Joe, otherwise Joseph
Ducaine."

*' But whar'll you be ? " queried Ikey, in
alarm. ** Ain't you agoin' to see me
through?"

It was now Old Man's turn to be em-
barrassed by the obstinate unconsciousness
of his companion. ** Look here, Ikey, you
nat'ral born idgeot, was you allowin' as I
was to stay on in the cabin ? "

" In course. Old Man. Why not ? It's
yours, ain't it? "

*^ An' come between a man an' his wife, an'
have to wash afore meals, an' be in reg'lar ? "

Ikey was d,^: od by this sudden turn of
events.

340 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR COBNERS.

" Yon was allowin' I was snuli a dum fool
as that? " queried Old Man, almost unable
to bear the direct gaze of his simple com-
panion. '* Wal, not much. Old Layer
Simpson's got the deeds of tlie place, in

case I don'fc git back-

^^What?"

*'In case I don't git back for a whiles,"
returned Old Man, steadily.

Old Man's eyes travelled contemptuously
round the room.

*'A11 this white muslin business has
sorter unsettled me. I'm thinkin' of
rnakin' a trip to the Great Lone Lands to
git a little fresh air."

Ikey sprang to his feet. ^' What ! 'Ith-
out me. Old Man ? 'Ithout me ? "

''Of course, you pesky idgeot. You've
got to stay at home an' comfort your wife,
an' — an' clean the winders," retorted Old
Man.

''Damn the winders! " said the usually
placid Ikey. "Maybe you was allowin'
you'd go off to-night 'ithout another
word ? " He went to the door, opened it,
and walked round to the rude shanty where
Old Man's mule was waiting ready saddled.

VEBS.

DAVID AND JONATHAN.

341

um fool
unable

le com-
La'yer
liace, iu

vhiles,"

tuoiisly

5SS lias
kin' of
ands to

! 'Ith-

You've
ir wife,
ed Old

usually
lUowin'
mother
sned it,
' where
addled.

Then he came back, the muscles of his
mouth twitching, sat down by the fireplace,
and hid his head in his hands. *' I didn't
think you'd have done it. Old Man. I
didn't think you'd have done it."

Old Man affected to be busy with his
accoutrements. When he had finished
pottering about, he came up to Ikey, and
laid one hand on his shoulder.

*^ Git up, you idgeot, or I'll larrup you."

Ikey sprang up, and pushed Old Man
back against the wall with a force which
astonished him.

^* You're goin' away acause of her," he
shouted. " Acause of her ! I see it all
now, blasted fool as I was. It's me as orter
be goin' away; it's you as orter be tryin'
on theseyer store-clothes an' shiney boots."
He kicked the parcel contemptuously into
the corner, walked to the window, and
began to haul down the maslin curtains.
*' I was kind of allowin' to myself theseyer
flower-pots didn't look nat'ral by no manner
of means," he said, grinding one to pieces
beneath his heel. ^^ Ain't thar nothin'
else as I kin smash afore we starts. Old
Man ? "

342 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Old Man remained staring at Ikey with
wide-opened mouth and eyes.

*' Afore ^ve starts ? "

'* Yes," said Ikey, doggedly turning round
and facing him. *' Afore ive starts ! I've
bin a-lookin' after you an' takin' care of
you all my life. You'd be lost 'ithout me,
precious quick. I'll jest go an' saddle my
old mare, an' we'll git away cumferably
afore mornin'."

The stupendous nature of Ikey's delusion
that Old Man was a helpless infant, who
required incessant watchfulness to prevent
his devious feet from straying, so completely
nonplussed Old Man that he allowed Ikey
to move towards the door with the avowed
intention of saddling his own mare. Then
he reached out a long arm, caught Ikey by
the collar of his coat, and replaced him on
the stool. *'D'3'ou think ?" he inquired —
" D'you think if you was under the yearth
or in the heavens above the yearth, or in the
air atween the heavens an' the yearth, as you
could hide your trail from her ? Brace up,
Ikey ! Brace up ! You might travel to the
Great Lone Lands — an' slie'd be thar, sittin'
on a stump waitin' for you ; you might git

DAVID AND JONATHAN.

34.3

a month's start for California— an' she'd be
the first person to meet you when you got
thar. She's a wonderful woman, Ikey ; you
orter be proud of her — dum proud."

He flung his arm round Ikey's neck in
a careless, haphazard kind of way. Ikey
gripped and held it hard.

** When you've quite done pawin' me
about," Old Man presently resumed, in his
customary cheerful manner — "When you've
quite done makin' a partikler fool of your-
self, Mr. Isaac Marston, I'll trouble you to
have the kindness to bring round that thar
mule, an' help me load up. I'll be back agin
in a year or two."

Without a word, Ikey w^alked, as if in a
dream, towards the door, w^ent round to the
shanty at the back, and presently returned
w4th the mule.

Old Man sprang lightly into the saddle.
'' You pesky idgeot, what are you a-howlin'
about ? " he asked, affecting to busy himself
with the reins.

Ikey suddenly reached up, caught Old
Man in his arms, and gave him a convulsive
hug.

The mule slowly started off as if reluctant
to depart.

344 THE JUDGE OF THE FOUR CORNERS.

Ikey stood staring blindly after Old Man's
retreating form as long as it was in sight ;
then went back to the hut, and sat down by
his desolate hearth. The night was very
g^ey.

THE END.

i'KINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED,
LONDON AND BECCLES.

80 6-

ERS.

Man's

sight ;

3wn by

;S very