Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1878-08-01

conscious of the inconGruity of his
speech to his thought. It's quick
deal, but can see that it might end
as he says, IL the feeling was right"
For a moment nothing was said.
The trapper stood looking steadfast-
ly at the young man on the moss, as
he lay with his quiet face turned up
to the sky, to whose color had already
come the first shade of the awful
whiseness.
Up the mountain a rife cracked.
Neither stirred. A red squirrel ran
out upon the limb. twenty feet above
the gamblers head, and shook The
silence into fragments with his cha
tering; then sat gazing with startled
eyes at the two men underneath.
"Can you pray, old man?" asked
the gambler, quietly.
Sarsinly," answered the trapper.
"Can you pray in words?" asked
the gambler again.
For a moment the :rapper hesita-
ted. Then he said: "I can't say that
1 can. No, sartinly can't say that /
could undertake it with reasonable
chance of gitt'n' through; leastwise,
it wouldn't be in a way to help a man
any"
rs there any way, old man, in which
We can go par.ners?" asked tho
gambler, The vocabulary OF whose
profession still clung to him In the
solemn counseling.
"I was thinkin' Of that" answered
the trapper; "yis, I was thinkin' Ell
we couldn't sorter jine works, and
each help the other by doin' his own
part himself. Yis," continued the old
man, after a moments's reflection,
"the plans good un-ye pray fo-
yerself, and I'll pray for myself-and
ef / can git in anything that seems
likely to do ye saryice, ye can count
ont it, as ye can on a grooved barrel" "
"Aad now, boy" said the trapper,
with a sweetly solemn enthusiasm,
such as faith might give to a suppl
eating saint,-with lighted his fea-
lures until his countenance fairly
shone with light which came out of
it, rather than upon it from the sun
overhead" boy, remember that
the Lord is Lord Of the woods, as well
as OF the cities, and that he heareth
the prayin' OF the poor hunter under
the pines, as we'll az the great preach
ers in the pulpits, and that when sins
be heavy, and dsath be nigh, His ear
and His heart both are open."
The trapper knelt on the moss at
the gamblers feet. he clasped the
fingers on his great hands until they
interlaced, and lifted his wrinkled
face upward. He said not a word
but the strongly chisled lips, scanned
with age, moved and twitched now
and then, and as the silent prayer
went on, two great tears leave the
protection of the closed lids, and roll
down the rugged cheek. The gamb-
ler also closed his eyes; then his
hands quietly stole one into the other
and, avoiding the bloody stain, rested
on his breast; and thus, the old man
who had lived beyond the limit ol
mans day, and the young one, cut
down at the threshold of mature life
the one kneeling on the MOSES
with his face lifted to heaven, the
other lying on the MOSES, with his
face turned toward the same sky
without word or uttered Speech
prayed to the Divine Mercy which
beyond the heaven and the sky saw
the two men underneath the pines
and met, we may not doubt, with
needed answer the silent upgoiDe
prayer.
The two opened their eyes nearly
at the same instant. They looked
for moment at each other, and ther
the gambler feebly lifted his hand
and put 1t into the broad palm OF the
trapper. Not word was said. Nc
word was needed. Sometimes mel
understand each other better than by
talking. Then the gambler picked
the diamond stud from the spo
where it rested, slipped the solitaire
from his finger, and said, as he hand
ed them to the trapper:
There's a girl in Montreal tina
will like these. You will find her pic
ture inside my vest, when you bur,
me. Her address is inside the pictur,
case. You will take them to her
John Norton?"
"She shall have them from my owl
hand" answered the trapper, gravely
"You needn't disturb the picture
John Norton" said the gambler. ''It'
just as well. perhaps, to let it III
where it is; it's been there eigh
years. You understand what I mean
old man?"
"I understand" answered the trap
per. solemnly; d" the picture shall sta,
where it is."
"The pistols" resumed the gamb
ler, and he glanced at the one lyinI
on the moss, II give to you. Youl
find them true, You will accep
them?"
The trapper bowed his head. 1t !
doubtful il he could speak. For sev
eral minutes there was silence. Th
end was evidently nigh. The trappe
took the gamblers hand, as II 1t ha