Morris tribune., 1902-06-14

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whisky as he had never drunk before
But the more he drank the fiercer and
gloomier he became, and when the men
drinking with him chaffed him he
sWc"e deeply and with such threats
that they left him alone
1t did not help Slavin either to have
| Nixon stride in through the crowd
drinking at his bar and give him words
Of warning.
ut is not your fault, Slavin," he said
| in slow, cool voice, that you and
| your precious crew didn't send me to
my death too. You've won your bet.
but l want to say that next time,
though you are seven to one or ten
times that, when any of you boys Of
fer me 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 strobe out again, leaving a mean
looking crowd of men behind him. All
who had not been concerned in the
business at Nixon's shack expressed ap-
prevail of his position and hoped he
would see it through.
But the impression of NiXon's words
upon Slavin was as nothing compared
with that made by Geordie Crawford
It 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 I
could not wonder that SIavins super
stitious Irish nature supplied him with
supernatural terrOrs. 1t was the Sec
Ond day after the funeral that Geordie
and were walking toward Slavin's
There was a great shout of laughter as
we drew near.
Geordie stopped short and, saying,
well just gang in meenute," pass
ed through the crowd and up to the
bar.
michael Slavin," began Geordie, and
the men stared in dead silence, with
their glasses in their hands-"Michael
Slavin, promised the lad I'd bear We
nae i'll Wull, but juist leave ye tae the
an l want tae tell ye that
I'm keepin' ma Wur-rd. But" and here
he raised his hand, and his voice be-
came Dreternaturally solemn, his bluid
is upon yer hans. Do ye no see it?'
His voice rose sharply, and as be |
pointed Slavin instinctively glanced at |
his hands, and Geordie added
AYE, an the Lord will require it O. |
ye an yer hoose."
They told me that Slavin shivered rs |
if taken with ague after Geordie 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 come over her husband.
"He's like one bear" she confded to
Mrs Mavor. to whom she was showing
her baby of a year old. He's not KEGS
me one tam dis day. He's mos lawful
bad. He's rot even look at de baby"
And this seemed sufficient proof that
was seriously wrong, for
she went on to say:
Hes tiIk more for dat ieel baby dan
for de whole worl He's tink more for
lat 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,
every 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, l weel pray" And Mrs.
Mavor sent her away bright with
smiles and with new hope and courage
n her heart.
She had very soon need Of all her
for at the weeks end her
oaby fell dangerously i'll. Slavin's anX-
ETY. and fear were not relieved much
~ the reports the men brought him
rom time to time of Geordie's ominous
'orebodings. for Geordie had no doubt
hat the Avenger of blood was hot
lpon Slavin's trail. and as the sickness
rev he became confirmed in this con-
fiction. While he could not be said to
ind satisfaction in Slavin's impending
he could hardly hide his COM
)lacency in the promptness Of Provi-
Ience in indicating his theory of retri-
'ution.
But Geordie's complacency was some
What rudely shocked by Mr.. Craig's
nswer to this theory one day.
You read your Bible to little profit,
seems to me, Geordie. or perhaps
'ou have never read the Masters
eaching about the tower Of Sloan.
Better read that and take that warn
lg to yourself"
Geordie gazed after Mr.. Craig as he
urned away and muttered:
'"The toor O. Sloan, is it? Aye, l
en- fine ABBOTT the toor O. Sloan an
boot the toor O. Babel as weel, an {
We read, too, about the blaspheemious {
[erod an sic like. Mon. but he's hot /
eided laddie an lacks discreemeena- l
on" r
What about Herod, Geordie?" /
Ska6 1