Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-02-04
LEWIsBURG, WEST VIRGINIA

bolt. A tall man with dark bear,
ana heaVy eyebrows stepped in ou
OF the storm. His garments wer,
dripping, and he seemed utterly ex
hausted.
"Can you take me in overnight ?,
ne asked, huskily. 81 have lost my
way, and both my horse and mysel
are worn out. l will pay literally
tor any kind of a lodging"
" All right! Come in !" said Her
rick, heartily; and whistled for the
choreboy to look after the horse anC
wagon.
In half hours time the stranger
VINO had exchanged his wet gar
ments for dry ones, was sitting with
the others about the blazing fire.
The two men looked at the new
conner curiously. In the eyes of the
mountaineers the stranger was &
man of fashion-a city dude, appar.
ently-his clothing being cut un.
known in that region.
A slight pause of embarrassment,
iell on the group. Then Herrick
said, good-humoredly:
Z" was tellin' my pard here a
story bout Parson Fuller knowed
twenty year back, an how he was
robbed an most murdered by char
he he'd eddicated, an Ryder was
asking mo what the ParsOn done
about at"
The strangers face contracted -
1.-The parson was robbed by a man ?''
he asked, briefly.
" More'n that! This chap he he'd
put to school, an eddicated, an
brung up like his own son, writ bad
thing In tho papers bout the parson,
though nobody knowed at the time
who done it; an the chap broke in
one night an stole the years salary
the parson he'd jest drawed, an he
left the old man for dead in the mid
die Of the floor"
"I jest hope the chap swung for
il" ~ growled Ryder, vindictiveIy.
"They didn't ketch him fer long
time," continued Herrick, cam
when they finally got him, he owned
up to everything, even the bad things
he writ in the papers. AM then
they brought him before the parson."
Am he got good long term, /
reckon" said Ryder.
The stranger gazed intently at the
| fire.
mo-" said Herrick, "that was
the queer part OF il. ParSon Fuller
had always been so down on evil
doers, preachin' hell-fire an brim-
stone from the pulpit, thet folks
lowed he Oughter give Wiggins-
that was the chaps name-an awful
rakin' down; but he jest looked at
him IN a mild, gentle kind Of way,
an said, 'Silas, | guess you've been
punished enough already. | don't
Care to punish you. May the Lord
haV" mercy on you"
"What did the man Virgins say 2"
asked the stranger, with interest.
Wiggins, he jest fell down in a
heap and groveled in the earth,"
continued Herrick, "ar' the parson
helped him to get up, an told him
to go an do better; an bless me, If
he wasn't the maxim Of Wiggins.-
1t made decent man of him, and
he jest worshipped the parson, an
behaved himself the rest of his life.
When folks blamed the parson for
not havin' him punished accordin' to
law, he would say, 'Our Lord tells
us to be merciful even as our Father
is mercit'ul, IAN guess it worked all
right in that case !"
Ryder's face, on which the bril-
liant freight fell, was working con-
vulsively. He clenched his fists
4. no h,I
revenge in that hang-dog fashion,"
he muttered. eff owed a man n
grudge like that I'd have his life,
blamed if | wouldn't - He drew
out a couple of pistols and hunting
knife from his belt. "See them
firearms ?" he said, grimly. "I've
carried them for twenty years jest
to get even with the man who robbed
me of everything l had in the
world-the gal | was goin to marry,
and the rocks left me by my dad
I've been waitin' fer twenty year to
find that man and get even with him.
It'll go hard with him when / come
up with nim?"
Mat Herrick's face paled little.
He was a peace-loving man, and he
deprecated the bloody instincts Of
his guest. He gaZed into the fire alb
sently, and said half to himself,
1.-THE parson used TO say, IF you
forgive not men their trespasses, nei.
ther will your Father forgive your
tres passes.'"
Ryder apparently gave no heed to
this interjectiOn. He was STOPPING
down aud carefully handling his pis-
tolls. He looked up suddenly, and
his eye caught the deep glance Of the
stranger who had pushed his chair
somewhat back into the shadow.
"Jest let me find my man." he
said, savagely, "an' l'll show him
the kind of forgiveness | believe in J"
The stranger rose quietly and
came nearer the fire. "Eou have
found him, Jonas Haskell; he is
here ="
In utter amaZement Ryder sprang
to his feet. The pistols fell unheeded
to the floor. He stared at the black
bearded man before him as if he
doubted the evidence of his senses:
"You, Mark Balcom, here to-
night, in my power at last ~
"Yes," said the stranger; 81 have
been seeking you fifteen years. l
have travelled from the Atlantic to
the Pacific in search of you. But
you have always eluded me; your
different names - your disguises -
baffied me. For fifteen years have
tried to restore to you what was