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

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 ehaffed him he
sworc deeply and with such threats
that they left him alone.
1t did not help Savin either to have
Nixon stride in through the crowd
drinking at his bar and give him words
OF warning.
1T is not your fault. Slavin," he said
in 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 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
looking crowd OF men behind him. All
business at NixOn's shack expressed ap-
proval 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.
II was not what he said SO much as
the manner Of awful sOlemnity he car
ried. GeOrdie was struggling consci-
entOusly 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 terrors. 1t was the Sec
ond day after the funeral that Geordie
and | were walking toward Savin's.
There was great shout OF laughter as
we drew near.
Geordie stopped short and, saying,
well juist gang in Il meenute,' pass.
ed through the crowd and up. to the
bar.
Michael Slavin." began Gcordic, and
the men stared in dead silence, with
their glasses in their hands-''Michael
Slavin, | promised the lad Id bear ye
nae i'll wull, but juiSt leave We tae the
ALMIGHTY. an ! want tac tell yc that
I'm kccpin' ma wur-r-d. But" and here
he raised his hand, and his voice be-
ClEr prcternaturally solemn, his bluid
is upon yer hans Do We 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 1t O
ye an yer hoose."
They told me that Slavin shivered 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',le over her husband.
Hes L. one bear" she confided to
Mrs. MAY. to whom she was showing
her baby of Il year old. Hes not KEGS
me one t. IS day. He's mos lawful
bad. He. t even look at de baby"
And t., 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 tink 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
every day, every day. pray In sainte
Verge ct tous les saints for him"
You must pray to your Father In
heaven for him"
All, oui. weel 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 he,
courage, for at the weeks end her
baby fell dangerously III. Slayin's anX.
iety and fear We're not relieved much
by the reports the men brought him
from time Z time Of Geordic's ominous
forcbol.ugs. for Geordie had no doubt
that the Avenger Of blood was hot
upon S,av!n'S trail, and as the sickness
grew he became confirmed in this con
victiOn. While he could not be said tc
find satisfaction in Slavn's impending
aihiction. he could hardly hide his com,
pacency in the promptness OF Provi
dence in vindicating his theory of retri
button.
But GeOrdies complacency was some
what rude!y shocked by Mr.. Craig's
answer "a this theory one day.
You read your Bible to little profit
Il seems to me, Geordie, or perhaps
you have never read the Masters
teaching about the tower Of Sloan
Better read that and take that warn
ing 10 yourself
Geordle gazed after Mr.. Craig as be
turned away and muttered:
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 blasgheemious
Hcrod cu' sic Ike. Mon, but he's a hot
heidcd laddie an lacks discreemeena
ton"