Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-03-08


ably asserts itself with greater force
after it is resurrected. This was certain
ly the case with strong Dick Bradley,
the blacksmith. He had been noted for
his profanity among people where
even the children lisp in oaths. He had
been famed as a fighter in a community
where the ability to fight is regarded as
the highest and noblest attribute of
manhood, and where the desperate who
has killed his man or men is envied as
the wild Indians envy the warrior who
has taken the most scalps.
1t was generally believed that the
blacksmith's religion, while making
him safer and so a more desirable
neighbor, had entirely unnamed him,
and that even so arrant braggart as
Het Magoone could safely treat him
with contempt and set him at defiance.
But strong Dick Bradley's religion, or
at least that part of it that had Curbed
his tongue and his arm, went up and
vanished in the smoke of the meeting
house, and for four terrible years both
had full swing.
While Bradley's religion had received
so severe a check the effect of this at
tack was to turn his earnest mission
feelings into a blind fanaticism that
was to find delight in contlagrations and
a soothing comfort in blood Father
Peters, who had just been praying by
the blacksmith's side, and now stood
holding his arm while they watched the
play of the flames destroying the mis-
sion, forgot his own danger and his own
loss as he noted the old, black scowl OH
the face and the devilish light flashing
up in the deep gray eyes of strong Dick
Bradley.
eff Jesus Christ won't perfect the
place we uns hez fixed up snug TO- him,
that's his look out Hit'll be id
long time afoah he hez another so good
a show in these hills. But, by the great
Eternal, the men ez hez did this'll have
to pay the insurance in blood Hold
thar! Het Magoone, God cuss yo' TO-
dog and a coward! I've got somethin
to say afoah yo' uns ride off,
The last sentence was addressed to
mount the horse on which he had come
The people who had been praying
and the people who had been shouting
about the fire and Het Magoone himself
were startled by the blacksmith voice
and manner. All saw that the Christian
blacksmith had gone, and that the strong
and savage Dick Bradley of few years
before had come back. Magoone obeyed
the summons, for he knew, as did all
his supporters, that the first sign of dis
obedience would have been the signal
for bullet in his heart.
Het Magoone had 40 men with him.
All were armed with rifles and pistols.
The very fact that they carried these
weapons showed that they were pre-
pared for fight and expected one.
Physically it is safe to say there was
not a downright coward in the lot.
Well led, there was not man of them,
not even the brutal, staggering Het
Magoone, who could not have been held
in line against overwhelming numbers
till the last one fell i'll his tracks, and
who could not have been carried on in
an assault though certain that not one
could return, but at sight of strong Dick
Bradley, and at the sound of his voice,
the strongest trembled and became, for
the time, more obedient than if not so
weak as a child.
Ignoring the fact, if indeed he was
aware of it, that Father Peters was
clinging to his arm, the blacksmith
strobe right through the crowd about
the church until he stood face to face
with Het Magoone. The clergyman's
daughter, to whom am indebted for an
account of what preceded this and what
is to follow, followed her father, fearing
for his safety. Although as true and
brave woman as ever lived and quite
as self possessed as if she had spent all
her life in the best society, Ella Peters
was paralyzed with alarm when she
saw the change that had come over the
man who hitherto had been more gem
tie than girl to her and hers.
''Het Magoone, yo' KEN har today to
raise HI! Don't lie, yo' dog, and say
yo' didn't! WAL, yo've riz hit, and
now, by the great Eternal, I'll send yo'
tharp'
The blacksmith raised his arm, and
giant though Magoone was he lowered
over him. The horse kept tho now
cowed desperate from retreating, and
he did not dare to touch his rifle or one
of the many pistols belted to his waist.
AT this juncture Father Peters threw
himself between the two men. His hat
was off, and the wind blew his white
hair about his bare, thin face. He was
the one man who did not fear strong
Dick-mad Dick Bradley.
''In God name, Brother Bradley! In
Gods name, have patience! Oh, my
prayers and my lessons, my son, have
you forgotten them? Wait! Waiti
Prayers and patiencel Prayers and pa
tienceW and he threw his thin arms
about the raised arm of the giant and it
fell-with a sob.
GIVE obeyed yo' too long," groaned
the blacksmith, 'to brak' off all a-sud-
dentlike. But, Father Peters, yo' mout's
well have let me did today what I'll be
'bleeged TO- to do tomorrer or next
day" Then, addressing Magoone:
"Het, way back when me and yo'
wuz boys, yer father sneaked upon my
father NOV 1oxu,, 7 o,lo,, ,nl l-;IA