The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-03-01
CHAPTER TX.
A STRANGE CONVERSION.

A bThANGB CONVERSION
Paul Elchard, sunny-eyed and debonair,
rode into the leafy growth about the mouth
Of Eagle canyon that fine morning without
. thought Of danger. Perhaps Treau's
eyes, following him fondly from the mount
ain bench beyond the village, ired his
spirit unconsciously, or perhaps II was the
sweetness Of love alone, which, pushing all
III from before him and loosening all fear
from about his heart, sent smile to hover
about his lips. The sky was very high and
blue, with here and there flock Of white
clouds floating In the pure ether or resting
upon the mountain tops; the valley, lined
with many hucs Of brown and green, hung
like great map Of light and color between
the mighty ranges, and the vast ground
seemed to murnur with the soft noise Of
happy insects. Perhaps It was this beauty
Of earth in conjunction with love that lighted
his face and stamped shining spirit there.
So much, however, of influence do human
sophistries and systems weave about us, 80
like invisible dogs are their exactions set
upon US, driving US into their nets with fear,
that even natures hold upon the helm Of
action Is often lost. Even there, while one
rode forward with soul responding to the
happy humor of the morning, another, re-
sponsive to credal system, was creeping
ping, with pulse-beats strident and uneven,
the unseen dogs that bit and bayed him on
to evil
Suddenly the underground became thin,
then opened out upon the road. He stopped !;
over top Of tho tangle he could see the un-
suspecting horseman riding forward with
face lifted and evidently with song upon
his lips; but the heart of the man who
watched beat so loud he could not hear.
Drops Of sweat were falling from his chin,
his great chest seemed to labor for air, and
his hand that held a long-barreled revolver
shook as with palsy.
Should he do the deed when the man rode
across the openinga Commit murderl
Orson Beam a slkulking animal athirst for
blooda Orson Beam, who had preached Q
wrong -forgiving, enemy-loving Christ to
humanity, to take the life from happy, in
nocent fellowmana Yes, nut why was this
man happyi All, why was he happya And
was 10 innocentl Who was this stranger
that he should be mindful Of himl Who
that he should ride so jocund and joyous
through land won from the wilderness by
. people he had denouncedi
Like lightning these reflections fed across
his brain. The horseman was entering the
opening! Instantly all the pulses Of his
body seemed to stop; he lifted the revolver
in both hands; it was motionless as q rock.
The rider took of his hat, turned his face
toward him with eyes lifted toward the
mountain side; he took quick aim at the
white forehead; strange clearness Of eye
and ear came over him; he could see the
delicate grain Of the fair skin, and the muir
INJURED song that came across the fresh lip
of "a
touched the trigger; a crash to his strain
ing senses like thunder seemed to shake the
world; the horse leaped into the air, the
singer reeled round and sank forward,
then with the next leap of the horse fell
backwards limp and lifcless among the
roadside brambles.
But what of Orson Beami For Tm0ment
he stood stupefied by horror, with the little
pun Of revolver smoke melting upward
among the leaves The revulsion of mood
was % swift it stunned him like q heavy
blow. He stared before him with dull,
animal look On instant, glanced at the re-
volver In his hand, turned 1t over curious
ly, then suddenly started back against the
tangle with eyes alive and wide, with arms
outspread, and his heart, which had seemed
to forget its function through the last few
moments, booming heavily in his bosom.
What did he see before hint Not the
deed he had done, not its effect upon hu-
man body, but his own soul, ood-blotched,
reeking, horriblei 1t seemed to stand apart
from him, yet it was himself utterly
changed and frightful with deformity.
For only little space he stood and stared
ct It, pressing himself back against the
shrubbery, then the weapon dropped un-
consciously from his hand, and with cry
Of terror he fled through the wood. His
blood seemed on fire. Where was his horsel
It was up there toward the mouth Of the
canyon among the shad-bushesi No, he had