The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-07-17

But the more he drank the fiercer and
gloomier he became, and when the men
drinking with him ehaffed him he
swore deeply and with such threats
that they left him alone.
II did not help Slavin either TO have
Nixon stride in through the crowd
drinking at his bar and give him words
OF warming.
at is not your fault. Slavin." he said
in n slow, cool voice. that you and
your precious crew didn't send me 10
my death too. You've won your bet.
but | want to say that next time,
though you are seven to one or ten
times that. when any OF you boys Of
fer me Il drink I'll take you to mean
fight, and I'll not disappoint you, and
some one will be killed" And. SO say
ing. he strode out again, leaving mean
who had not been concerned in the
business at Nixon's shack expressed ap-
proval Of his position and hoped he
would see it through.
But the impression Of NlxOn's words
upon Slavin was as nothing compared
with that made by Geordie Crawford.
1t was not what he said so much as
the manner of awful solemnity he car
ried. GeOrdie was struggling consci-
entiously to keep his promise to mot
be ard on the boys" and found consid-
cradle relief In remembering that he
had agreed 'tO leave them tae the Al
MIGHTY" But the manner OF leaving
them was so solemnly awful that |
could not wonder that Slavin's super
stitlous Irish nature supplied him with
supernatural tcrrors. 1t was the sec
ond day after the funeral that Gcordie
and | were walking toward Slavin's.
There was Il great shout of laughter as
we drew near.
Georde stopped short and, saying,
"Ws'll juist gang in meenute," pass.
ed through the crowd and up to the
bar.
michael Slavin," began Gcordie, and
the men stared in dead silence, with
their glasses in their Michael
Slavin, promised the lad Id bear ye
nae i'll wull, but juSt leave ye tae the
ALMIGHTY. an / want tac tell ye that
I'm kccpin' ma wurr-d. But" and here
he raised his hand, and his voice be-
calap pretcrnaturally solemn, his bluid
is upon yer hans. DO ye no see it:'
His voice rose sharply, and as he
pointed Slavin instinctively glanced at
his hands, and Geordie added:
"Aye, an the Lord will require II O.
ye an yer hoose."
They told me that Slavin shlvered as
if taken with ague after Gcordie went
out, and, though he laughed and swore,
he did not stop drinking till he sank in
a drunken stupor and had to be car
ried to bed. His little French Canadian
wife could not understand the change
] that had r',Ie over her husband.
| Hes H.. one bear" she confided to
Mrs Nav. to whom she was showing
her baby of a year old. Hes not KEGS
me one tn Is day. He's mos lawful
bad. He t even look at de baby"
And IT,, seemed sufficient proof that
someth: was seriously wrong, for
she went on to say:
Hes tink more for dat leel baby dan
for de whole worl. He's tnk more for
dat baby dan for me-" But she shrug-
ged her pretty little shoulders in depre-
cation Of her speech.
"You must pray for him." said Mrs.
Mavor "and all will come right"
"Ah, madame" she replied earnestly,
'evcry day, every day. pray Ia sainte
Verge ct tous les saints for him"
You must pray to your Father in
heaven for him."
"Ah, oui. wee pray" And Mrs.
Mavor sent her away bright with
smiles and with new hope and courage
in her heart.
She had very soon need Of all her
courage, for at the weeks end her
baby fell dangerously i'll, Slayin's anX-
icty and fear Were not relieved much
by the reports the men brought him
from time t. time of GeordiC'S OminOuS
fOrcbodiugs, for Gcordie had no doubt
that the Avenger of blood was hot
upon Slavin's trail, and as the sickness
grew he became confirmed in this con-
victon. While he could not be said to
find satisfaction in Slavin's impending
atiiiction, he could hardly hide his COM
placenCy in the prOmptness OF Provi-
dence in vindicatng his theory of retri-
button.
But Geordie's compacency was some
what rudely shocked by Mr.. Craig's
answer to this theory one day.
You read your Bible to little profit,
1t seems to me. Goordie, or perhaps
you have never read the Masters
teaching about the tower Of Sloan.
Better read that and take that warn
ing TO yourself"
GeOrdie gazed after Mr.. Craig as he
turned away and muttcred:
The toOr o. Sloan, is it? Aye,
ken fine aloOt the tOor o Sloan an
aboOt the toor o Babel as weel, an
I've read. too, about the blaspheCmiOus
Icrod an sic like Mon, but he's hot
heidcd laddie an lacks discreemeena-
ton"