The morning news., 1894-04-22

attention. leil him | wish 10 see him at
once, and that it may be to his interest
not 10 mention to any one his coming
here"
Full Of wise wonder and visions of
honor and prefernent, the old coffin
maker was ushered into the library of
Bishops court at noon OF the second day
after the visit of Densie Quillian. The
( bishop stood over him, against the fire.
place, as he had done when the storm
beaten girl had sat in the same chair.
"Cronk," he began quietly and almost
ruminatively, hardly knowing himself in
what direction his questionings would
lead, did YOU ever get a letter from a
/ phvunodderee?"
The cOffin-maker was no more as
founded by the nature of the question
than was the bishop at its extraordinary
effect.
, The cunning, wariness and lurking
( eager bravaCp of his hard old face left it
| quickly as though he had received a blow.
He tried to answer, but he could not.
His hands clutched the arms of his chair,
and he seemed to have aged a score of
years while the bishops question was
being asked
About Ballakilley, Cronk?" The
good bishop knew just where TO prod him
now
"Oh, aye, sir, - he stammered, hoarsely,
at last. Then with desperate burst of
dogged assertion: Its mine Th' place
be mine. Galley Quillan had my good
money. I'll ha' Ballakilly. Nabuddyll
fend it from me!' Here heI STRUCK the
chair arm so savagely that a drop of
blood spurted from finger end.
will you make solemn oath that the
debt is iustl"
II ha' done it already" he whined, pet
! ulantly, lin Deemster coort"
"Cronk, there is another oath you must
take bpfnPn n haVp Rallnxi11nu ~
The old man scrambled out of his chair
and made for the door, as if pursued.
Come back here instantly" COM
manded the bishop, sternly
He returned warily for few feet and
| stood there waving his head from side
pantingly swing its head behind the bars
of its cage.
You know the oath, l meant"
The head swayed more rapidly. Its
jaws fell apart. Though they spoke
no word, the bishop knew he was under
stood.
81 viii be at year shop OF midnight on
the fourth night from this. will come
and go so that no one in St. Maughold's
shall know of what you are to do. We
will go together to Galley Quillian's grave.
Cronk, you know the rest!"
"Ill not dot! I'll not do't Its no
longer Manx law. Ballakiliey be mine!"
he doggedly and defantly retorted, his
quivering claw of a hand instinctively
seeking the door.
Bishop Powys advanced upon him
gravely, grandly, with open, upraised
hand
Down upon your knees, wretch and
pray" He tumbled upon all fours grovel-
ingly. Promise me instantly that you
will do this thing I command, or, swear
IL upon my holy Office, 1 will make those
helpless women's cause my own!'
"pll TAX oath on Quillian's grave! I'll
TAX th' oath! Oh, ha pity on one that's
but strivin' for hrs own!'
The bishop lifted the cringing miser to
his feet, turned his face to the door, and
bade him remember the night and the
hour and to go.
Towards midnight of the fourth sue
ceeding night the village ours of st.
Maughold fell into clamorous frenzy at
the approach of slowly driven carriage
| Wheels but shortly all was still 1t was
| soundful sobbing night by fits and
starts; night when the -boughs,
whispering for time, of a sudden lash
and sough and cry, and as suddenly sink
away to quavering plants and then to
tremulous hush and softly restless silence.
Two figures soon emerged from Johnny
Bill Cronk's lightless shop. One carried a
darkened lantern and the other parcel
shaped like a book. The figures moved
cautiously along the struggling village
street to st. Maughold's churchyard gate
Its bolt was softly drawn when the two
entered the forbidding place. leaving the
gate slightly ajar. They picked their way
under the great cross of St. Maughold
past tombs as old as King Orrey's day,
underneath Runic crosses whose mystic
ries can never be fully revealed and over
the moldering bones of jarls and kings
and saints, 10 remote spot beneath the
outreaching branches of dark and shud-
dering views.
Here be aw grave, your worship" at
last said Johnny Bill Cronk, shiveringly,
half hiding his dim lantern in the rank
dead grass in the hollow at the grave
side. Without further ado he stretched
himself at full length upon the mound,
with his face toward the starless sky,
and reached up for the parcel his com
panion carried
1t was Bible, and the bishop of Sudor
and Man bent forward and placed it upon
the proStrate coffin makers breast.
Touch your hands to the headstone
above your head"
"Oh, aye, your worship"
Johnny Bill Cronk, heed well the
warning! Do you fully and prayerfully
understand the solemn and awful nature
of the oath against the dead debtor you
are about to take?"
"Oh, aye. Make haste and h. it o'er'
your worship"
The bishop heard a low gurgle and
chuckle OF laughter breaking the stiffness
of the fearsome place.
''Eo yoI realize the terrible and endless
penalties upon your soul for an untrue
oath against the deadH
''Oh, aye. an I'll ha my debit"
"Ha, ha, ha!" came mockingly from be-
J hind the headstone. The villain is lying
} TO his bishop. This" the voice seemed
to issue from the tomb itself-''is the
grave of Billy Chalse who did die in the
miser's debt. Galley Quillian lies under
} the third mound to the right.
J The phynodderee's two soverelgns are
upon its headstone?-ha, ha, hap
The diabolical voice seemed beside
them, beneath them, above them, while
} the branches of the yew-trees again be-
gan their wild tossings and wailings.
"Oh, Lord what's thatl" gasped
= Cronk, frenziedly, springing from the
mound and falling, halt palsied with fear,
into the bishops ready arms.
, Il think its the phynodderee. You'll
have to settle with him, too. Cronlx ~
: quietly reioined the bishop, taking a firm
twist in the miser's collar, and with the
disengaged hand gathering up the lantern
and the Bible.
He dragged the piteously pleading per
Jurer to the mound the voice had indi-