gone he
can hardly stand!" The letter, with its striking news, made little or no
impression on him just then; it merely furnished the clue he had sought.
The judge was off somewhere marketing his prospects.

After a time Mahaffy went up-stairs, and, without removing his clothes,
threw himself on the bed. He was worn down to the point of exhaustion,
yet he could not sleep, though the deep silence warned him that day was
not far off. What if--but he would not let the thought shape itself in
his mind. He had witnessed the judge's skill with the pistol, and he had
even a certain irrational faith in that gentleman's destiny. He prayed
God that Fentress might die quickly and decently with the judge's bullet
through his brain. Over and over in savage supplication he muttered his
prayer that Fentress might die.

He began to watch for the coming of the dawn, but before the darkness
lifted he had risen from the bed and gone downstairs, where he made
himself a cup of wretched coffee. Then he blew out his candle and
watched the gray light spread. He was impatient now to be off, and fully
an hour before the sun, set out for Boggs', a tall, gaunt figure in the
shadowy uncertainty of that October morning. He was the first to reach
the place of meeting, but he had scarcely entered the meadow when
Fentress rode up, attended by Tom Ware. They dismounted, and the colonel
lifted his hat. Mahaffy barely acknowledged the salute; he was in no
mood for courtesies that meant nothing. Ware was clearly of the same
mind.

There was an awkward pause, then Fentress and Ware spoke together in
a low tone. The planter's speech was broken and hoarse, and his heavy,
bloodshot eyes were the eyes of a haunted man; this was all a part of
Fentress' scheme to face the world, and Ware still believed that the
fires Hicks had kindled had served his desperate need.

When the first long shadows stole out from the edge of the woods
Fentress turned to Mahaffy, whose glance was directed toward the distant
corner of the field, where he knew his friend must first appear.

"Why are we waiting, sir?" he demanded, his tone cold and formal.

"Something has occurred to detain Price," answered Mahaffy.

The colonel and Ware exchanged looks. Again they spoke together, while
Mahaffy watched the road. Ten minutes slipped by in this manner, and
once more Fentress addressed Mahaffy.

"Do you know what could have detained him?" he inquired, the ghost of a
smile curling hi