om that she was quite as she has always been."

"Well, what do you want to see Hicks for? What do you expect to learn
from him?"

"I don't like his insistence on the idea that Miss Malroy is mentally
unbalanced. It's a question of some delicacy--the law, sir, fully
recognizes that. It seems to me he is overanxious to account for her
disappearance in a manner that can compromise no one."

Here they were interrupted by the opening of the door, and big Steve
admitted Carrington and the two men of whom the sheriff had spoken.

"A shocking condition of affairs, Mr. Carrington!" said the judge by way
of greeting.

"Yes," said Carrington shortly.

"You left these parts some time ago, I believe?" continued the judge.

"The day before Norton was shot. I had started home for Kentucky.
I heard of his death when I reached Randolph on the second bluff,"
explained Carrington, from whose cheeks the weather-beaten bloom had
faded. He rested his hand on the edge of the desk and turned to the men
who had followed him into the room. "This is the gentleman you wish
to see," he said, and stepped to one of the windows; it overlooked the
terraces where he had said good-by to Betty scarcely a week before.

The two men had paused by the door. They now advanced. One was gaunt
and haggard, his face disfigured by a great red scar, the other was a
shockheaded individual who moved with a shambling gait. Both carried
rifles and both were dressed in coarse homespun.

"Morning, sir," said the man with the scar. "Yancy's my name, and this
gentleman 'lows he'd rather be known now as Mr. Cavendish."

The judge started to his feet.

"Bob Yancy?" he cried.

"Yes, sir, that's me." The judge passed nimbly around the desk and shook
the Scratch Hiller warmly by the hand. "Where's my nevvy, sir--what's
all this about him and Miss Betty?" Yancy's soft drawl was suddenly
eager.

"Please God we'll recover him soon!" said the judge.

By the window Carrington moved impatiently. No harm could come to the
boy, but Betty--a shudder went through him.

"They've stolen him." Yancy spoke with conviction. "I reckon they've
started back to No'th Carolina with him--only that don't explain what's
come of Miss Betty, does it?" and he dropped rather helplessly into a
chair.

"Bob are just getting off a sick bed. He's been powerful porely in
consequence of having his head laid open and then being throwed into
the Elk River, where I fished him out," explained Ca