Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-05

Let him GO" said the priest.
Slavin hesitated.
LET him go! Quickw said the priest
again, and Slavin. with a snarl, let 20
his hold and stood sullenly facing the
priest.
Father Goulct regarded him steadily
for some sec'.ds and then asked:
what would you do?'
His voice was gentle enough, even
sweet, but there was something in it
that chilled my marrow.
"What would you do?" he repeated.
"He murdered my child" growled
Savin.
"Ah! HowT
'He was drunk and poisoned him"
"Ah! Who gave him drink? Who
made him drunkard two years ago?
Who has wrecked his life?"
There was no answer. and the even
toned voice went relentlessly on
"Who Is the murderer of your child
now"
Slavin groaned and shuddered.
GO" And the voice grew stern.
"Repcnt of your sin and add not an
other"
Slavn turned bis eyes upon the mo-
tionlcss figure on the ground and then
upon the priest
Father Goulct took one step toward
him and. stretching out his hand and
pointing with his finger, said:
"Gow
And Slavln slowly backed away and
went into his house. It was an ex-
traordnary scene, and it is often with
me now-the dark figure on the ground
the slight erect form of the priest with
Dutstretched arm and niger, ana STA
yin backing away fear and fury tug
Cling in his face.
1t was near thing for the doctor
however, and two minutes more Of
that grip would have done for him.
AS it was, we had the greatest difficult
ty in reviving him.
What the priest did with Slavin aft
er getting him inside | know lot-thar
has always been a mystery to ne--but
when we were passing the. saloon that
night after taking Mrs. Mavor home
we saw a light and heard strange
sounds within. Entering, we found
another whisky raid in progress, Sa-
vim himself being the raider. We stood
some moments watching him KNOCKING
In the heads Of casks and enptving
bottles. thought he had gone mad
and approached him cautiously.
Hello, Slavin." called out. What
does this mean?"
He paused in his strange work, and
saw that his face, though resoute,
was quiet enough.
| 1T means I'm done with the bust.
ness, l am" he said in a determined
voice. I'll help no more TO kill any
man. or" in lower tone, any mans
| baby"
The priests words had struck home.
Thank God, Slavin" said Craig, Of
fering his hand. You are much too
| good man for the business"
Good or bad, I'm done with It." he
| replied, going on with his work.
You are throwing away good mon
ey, Savin," l said as the head of
cask crashed in.
Its myself that knows il, for the
price of whisky has gone up in town
! this week." he answered, giving me a
look out of tbs corner Of his eye. Be
| dad, it was a rare clever job" refer
ring to our Black Rock hotel affair.
Put won't you be sorry for this?"
asked Craig.
"Belille l will, end that's why I'm
doing it before I'm sorry for it," he re-
| piled, with a delightful bull
Look here, Slavin," said Craig ear
nestly, "if | can be of use TO you in any
way, count on me"
Its good to me the both OF you
have been, and I'll not forget it to
YOU" he replied, with ike earnestness.
AS we told Mrs. Mavor that night,
for Craig thought it too good to keep,
her eyes seemed to grow deeper and
the light in them to glow more intense
as she listened TO Craig pouring out
bis tale. Then she gave him her hand
and said:
You have your man at last"
"What MANI"
"The man you have been waiting
for"
"Slavin?'
"Why not?"
81 never thought Of IT,"
mo more did he or any Of us" Then.
after a pause, she added gently, He
has been sent to us"
do you know, believe you are
right" Craig said slowly and then add
ed. But YOU always are"
II fear not" she answered, but ]
thought she liked TO hear his words.
The whole town WAS astounded next
morning when Slavin went to work in
the mines, and its astonishment only
deepened as the days went on and he
stuck TO his work. Before three weeks
had gone the league had bought and
remodeled the saloon and had secured
SlaVin ms resident manager.
The evening of the reopening OF Sla-
wins saloon. as ii was still called, was
long remembered in Black Rock. 1t
was the occasion of the first appear
ance Of the League Minstrel and Ora
matte troupe in what was described as
hair lifting tragedy, with appropri-
ate musical selections" Then there
was grand supper, with speeches and
great enthusiasm, which reached it's
climax when Nixon rose TO propose the
toast of the evening, Our saloon" His
speech was simply quiet, manly ac-
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