Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1889-07-10

E1I1 fWho6e guOSt hO Nyas) that he could
hdt stay--that he had merely secured
N additional months vacation, BY per
mission of his vestry III Chicago, and
that he would have 20 start for home
very
The villagers were Ill agog, ana were
0ager TOR the next Sabbath 10 come
round. Even although rich old farmer
Griggs va robbed 81 sl, 900 by tho
m~yatsrions burglar during the week,
the American clergyman still aroused
the most interest, and for the first tins
ID ! generation the old oak pews we're
completely filed when the second Sun-
day morning service commenced. The
preacher was more eloquent than ever,
and the Earl Of Colby aud xll
his neighbors were more intent
than yer upon pursuading Mr..
Denling to stay.
II was 8 o'clock on q lovely Sabbath
evening IN September. The bell call
ing 70 eyensOng had ceased ringing and
the score Of little white-stoled boys, led
by the music Of the organ, were march
ing mp the aisle Of the old church singing
> professional hymn. In their rear
walked the Reverend Paul Deming,
whose hne. open ~countenance and splen-
did physique would have been re-
marked in . much larger crowd. Az
he walked with solemn tread, his hands
clasping the prayer book and his eyes
fixed upward, he was the observed OF
all observers.
Mingled with the villagers were two
0&v.n = ~x,w III (frm as,nn Ie4.-> A. Al Eel
Of Colby q the detective from Scotland
Yard, the other wa . stranger to every
one in the congregation-the Earl put.
ting him down, mentally, ~ one Who
strolled over from one of the outlying
villages 10 hear the new preacher, while
the detective from London dreamed OF
burglars and kept his eye on the little
gray-haired man SO that he might know
him again.
Throughout the solemn eventide the
service proceeded--the busy service (for
the preacher) Of an Anglican Ritualistic
church.
Just before the sermon the preacher
for the first time caught q glimpse Of
the gray-hnired stranger, and q curious
CULVER passed over his features. It was
only momentarily, however. He fum-
bled q little under his surplice, then
laid upon the desk before him a small
article which flashed once in the lamp
light and at once proceeded to announce
his text. It was o strange sermon,
Astounding in the most remarkable
eloquence which, in all the seven
centuries Of its existence had
ever resounded through the walls
and aisles OF the old church. Ger
tainly the people who were there never
forgot it in all their after lives.
The sermon was ended, and the peo-
pie stood still waiting for the benedic-
ton. The minister also stood as
he had finished the sermon, only that
his head was slightly bent while he
leaned against the desk. For three
minutes the people waited-three min
utes which, in that solemn stiffness,
seemed like three hours.
Then the quiet stranger walked
quickly up to the pulpit, and laid his
hand on the preachers shoulder. He
mnttered these words:
dead, by Heaven! Cheated at the
lasti"
The Rev. Paul Deming was indeed
dead, and the article that had flashed
and which now lay upon the desk was
o Smith and Wesson revolver.
my Lord" said the little stranger
to the Earl, . few moments later, "my
name is Sharp-of Pinkerton and Com
pany, Chicago. The nan who died in
yonder pulpit Of heart disease was
known across the water as Cute Car
naby-the cleverest fraud and burglar
in the world. He has worked the
clergyman racket for years; between
Won and me. he robbed your house and
the church