"Please--you won't let him take me away, judge I want to stop
with you!" cried Hannibal. He slipped from his chair, and
passing about the table, siezed the judge by the hand. The judge
was visibly affected.

"No!" he roared, with a great oath. "He shan't have you--I'll
see him in the farthest corner of hell first! Is he kin to you?"

"No," said Hannibal.

"Took you to raise, did he--and abused you--infernal hypocrite!"
cried the judge with righteous wrath.

"He tried to get me away from my Uncle Bob. He's been following
us since we crossed the mountains."

"Where is your Uncle Bob?"

"He's dead." And the child began to weep bitterly. Much
puzzled, the judge regarded him in silence for a moment, then
bent and lifted him into his lap.

"There, my son--" he said soothingly. "Now you tell me when he
died, and all about it."

"He were killed. It were only yesterday, and I can't forget him!
I don't want to--but it hurts--it hurts terrible!" Hannibal
buried his head in the judge's shoulder and sobbed aloud.
Presently his small hands stole about the judge's neck, and that