The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-07-04
CHAPTER xYI-Continued.

-
Was | helping even nov to make pub
lie Steinhardt's crime? Was | not
standing asserting by while terrible
vengeance was threatened on the for
eigneB in the deep, slow Lancashire
speech2 l felt helpless in the crisis; |
permitted myself to be borne along
whittier it might carry me.
In very few minutes the canvas
packages, dropping almost to pieces,
were out of the ground and laid in
silence on hand barrow. In silence
the improvised bier was taken up be-
tween two men, and as it was carried
away attended by the lanterns the
crowd, as by instinct, formed in process
sion behind. was surprised to find
myself in front OF this strange funeral
procession and close to the bier. Thus
in silence we marched away from the
ruined mill through the tortuoTs and
treacherous ways which led to the vii
lage.
"He's got an experiment on hand to-
night, they say" remarked one in a
low voice.
"Ay," said another; "and there's a
night shift on of five or six.
As we entered upon the paved main
street of the village, the regular clank
of the clogs Of our procession was suffi-
cient of itself to attract attention.
But though it was very late, the streets
were alive with people, not noisy, as
might have been expected on wake
night, but earnest and occupied. 1t
was a novel, but true, "Timperley
Wakes" for the whole population
seemed astir. Our procession created
little or no surprise; it appeared to
have been expected. We were greeted
with no speech or cries. but heard
now and then fearful whispers of "Who
is it?" and "They cannot tell yet. "
Many Of the crowd fell into the process
sion as it slowly passed up the street.
There was no tavern open at that late
hour to which the bier could be taken
for examination, so it was carried to
the door Of the public hall-which was
soon opened, lit up, and full Of people,
as it had been earlier in the evening.
have no clear recollection Of what
followed. Iappealed to them not to
open the packages; knew who it was.
But got only the obstinate, but re-
spectful answer, "Yea, parson, but we
num-" The packages were opened ;
but know only had horrible vision
of CHASTITY head with black hair and
beard.
GOOD Id" i heard more than one
exclaim. otis tn master?"
His men had recognized Mr.. Lacroix.
Hurried and fierce consultations were
held, to which l was not invited, and
upon which did not force myself. In
a few minutes the whole crowd, except
p few who remained to watch over the
CHASTITY remains, marched out of the
hall as if with settled purpose. ac-
companied them with no purpose at all
Of my own; my will seemed absorbed
in that OF the crowd. We were on our
way down the village street, when /
was startled by the church bell begin
ming to toll: some venturesome spirit
had forced his way into the tower.
To explain what followed l must
mention here that for some weeks many
of the work people, the younger folk
especially, had been under the inhu-
ence of those hysterical, revivalistic
teachings which have always taken
such hold of the ignorant and the half
educated. A contingent of the Saliva.
tion Army had held the village foi
some time, preaching fire and sword, !,
the terrible justice Of God, and the
pains Of everlasting torment to the un-
believing. This kind Of doctrine accord
ed we'll with the grim, tenacious Lanca-
shire character, and the army had won
a good many recruits among the viii
lagers. These we're we'll represented in
the crowd / accompanied.
Before / quite knew where we were
we had halted at the gates of the chem
ical works. Without word the fore
most of the crowd knocked. There
was, OF course, no answer, and they
knocked again. While we waited lis
tened mechanically to the talk which
those about me began in their slow
fashion to indulge in.
"God Almighty" said one, "is ter
rible to a wicked man like him"
"Yea," said another, "and wicked
he isl You mind what Muster Free
man told us that time; it's the likes
OF Steenhardt has made us such sinners
as we are, and has made our place what
it isl An he connot do wi'Out muir
dering his partner, poor mani"
"He'll ha' his proper death for it,
sure as Gods true" said a third.
"Yea, "said the first, ''and Gods
wrath will not wait for a terrible sin.
ner like himl"
In little while there was the sound
of bolts being drawn, and the watch.
man appeared at the side gate. When
he saw the crowd he would have shut
it again, but he was prevented. Sew
eral entered that way and opened wide
the great gates. The crowd entered
without commotion. and marched ahead
as il it knew its destination. From a
shed filled with glowing vapors, came
half dozen workmen-the night shift,
supposed They met their comrades
and demanded what was to do. They
were answered by the man who had
insisted TO me that the packages must
be examined.
whats to dor" he said. "Yo' do
not know2 We nun ha' that murder.
ing villain. Steenhardt, out; yea, but
We mum What's he done2 He's been
and murdered horribly poor Master
Lacroiks-Yo' shall hear a about it.
And now, by the vengeance of God
Almighty on the wicked which cannot
wait, he nun be done for this night as
he did for his partnerw
"For Gods sakem l exclaimed.
"Don't think of such thing! 1t will
be murder, as certainly as his crime
was"
But my remonstrance was not heed
ed; l was put aside respectfully, but
firmly. The crowd pressed on toward
the laboratory. They had not advanced
far in that direction, when an explosion
burst upon the air, stunned us all, and
threw the foremost to the ground.
Many ran away, others went forward
with these last, Il did not take long
TO discover that the explosion had come
from the laboratory, from the broken
roof of which rose strange vapors. A
little work and removal of debris and