The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-08-07
CHAPTER xxx.
THE DEVILS BOWL.

2 +
Il THE DEVILS BOWL, 5i
&. It was OVID Bob. There could be no
fnlistaking. III the wide world there was
but one OVID Bob O. Kenmuir The silver
moon CLEANED down on the dark head and
rough gray coat, and lit tho white escut. "a
chcon on his chest. iF3 1s1S b Il 5g
And In the darkness James Moore was
lying with Ills face pressed downward
that he might not see, 5,5
Isl Once he #ralSed himself on his arms;
his eyes we're shut and face upliTled, like z
ngblind man praying 4 II Q pa sed IA weary
hand across his brow: Ills head dropped
again: and hemoaned and moancd like a
man In everlasting pal rs4s 81 ;3
E Then the darkness lifted q moment. ana
he stole a furtivc glance. like a murder.
3ers at the gailoT's-tree, at the scene In
front. sa3 4, 5sas {iSg5s ssa s32fss
the moonlight ths hum pbackcd boulder;
lthe.dead sheep: and that gray figure #
beautiful, mottonless, damned for all eter- 81
nifty. @ AZ
a The Master turned his face and Looked
at Andrew, n dumb, pftifu cnticaty In
his eyes; but In the boys white. horror
stricken countenance was no & comfort.
Then his head ilolled do wn "a gam, and the !:
strong man was whimperlng. '5EsSa2s
He! he! he! Scuse ma laffin. hfr.g
Nfoore--he! he! he =! u SIS
h a little man. all wet and shrnnk sat
hunching onsa mound above them, rock
ding his sshrvcled form to and fro In &C.
agony OF his mcrrincnt. sl9s5 H 81
5S. Yegrasktl--he! he! Ste rngue--he! he ~
and he shook his fist waggish!y a the #u1l-ii
conscious gray log. Il II 81 Q We y.e,s arithers
grudge for this--ye've asteecipated m e. -
and he3leant back and nook this way md
that In convulsiye mirth. 81 es
ss The man below him rose heavily to his &
feet, and tunlbled towsr I'd 4 he srn0cker, his
greatBfgure swaying from siderto side
as though In blind Sdelirium. moaning still Z:
a 8 he went. - Asd there was tina on his y
face which no man can mistake. Boy
that he was, Andrew knew II.
Feythcr. feythcr! M do.ee not!'.B hos
pleaded. ]. running after his father and u
Having impoten hands on him. e
s But the strong man hook him off like 4
a. fly and rolled on. \ sEaying and groan-a#
ing, with that awf uIS cx preston plain to NJ
see In the moonlight. N 8 Az S
n IN front; the little man sduatted In the
rain bowed double still: asd took no q
thought to & flee. Il BE- s5s SS 5t n;
Come on. James Moore! Come on
he laughed. malignant Joy In his voice; f
and something cleaned 81 bright In his
right hand and was hid a ga I've bin
wa tim this +a5 weary while moo. Come 4
on, Ell Sa !. sg al 81 .S5 y ;sBS
~ Then had there heen done something
worse than sheep-murde ar In the dreadful III
Bof sthe Devils Bowl upon
that night: but a sud den, there SO und wv
ed n I he splash :nf a mar foot " fallin n
heavily behind; a. hand like n falling tree (
smote the Master IN he shoulder ia nd a$
vol &c reared aboyegthe noise OF the storm:
Il; Mr.. Moore ! Look. man ! look
The Master fried to III AXE off tina de-
taining grasp: but II pinned him where he i
was. immovable. 2is y s' is
ook. tell yo' cried that great e
voice aga In. $s
a hand pushed past him and pointed;
and suddenly he turned. ignoring the fig
9ure$ at his side. and look ed. n
~ The wind had dropped \ suddenly as II 4
had risen:t the little man on he mound &
had ceased to chuckle I; a ndrew.s sons Y
were hushcd and In the background the
$hnddled flock edged closer he world y
hung balanced on the pin point Of the
moment. Every eye wa 8 IN the one dis Il
rection. ~
With dull uncomprehending gaze James +
Moore stared as hidden. There was the 3
gray5dog naked int the moonlight. needless
tstill OF any witnesses; there the nlyrder-
ed sheep lying within and without that 4
distorted shade; and there the humpbac k-a
ed boulder
s@f iel SStareQ IN the SldnONt 5dIlu SUI
stared Then ~ started as though truck.
,rhe shadow OF the boulder had moved s
sNIotionlcss,g with head shot forWar I'd and 4
bullying eyes, he gnzed 35,
Ay,s &ay;s he was sure OF TIA huge b
dim outline sSof a lion couchant, in the
Very thickcst OF the bla clness.
Atathat he was seized wi tn such a pnl-
sy OF trembling that he must have fallen
but for the strong arm about his waist.
tryrn
Ing figure: till at lesgth they plainly could 4
discern the line OF arching loins, the crest
thick as "a stations, the massive. Wagging &
head. b No mistake this time There no Il
lay In tile deepest black. gigantic, revell-
Ing In his horrId debauch--,tthe Black
killer! ss I7i3
And they watched him at his feast.
Now he burroWed into the spongy flesh {;
now turned to laps.th dark pool which
sglittered In the moonlight at his side like I.
claret in a silver cup Now VI fling his !
head, he snapped rrltably at the raj NJ 4
drops. and the moon caught his wicked,
rolling eye and the red shreds Of flesng3
dripping from his Jaw. And again, "a ising
I4his great ml,zzle yasS IL about to howl. he
I5let the delicious nectar ricklc do WI MS
throat and SraYish his palate.
n So he went on, all unsnspicio VI
noddIng In slow-moutlled gluttony. q no !
In the stiffness, q etween the clasns ~ g
wind. they c6uld hear the snac kng q
Willie lille ali the limo the gray dog stood {
before him, motionless,i as though g aryed
in stone. I, q,
AT last, as the murderer rolled , ,,
tgrea head from side to side. Sc So " thai s5#
still8f,gure. ri At the 81 gllt he leapt back
dlsmayed, Then With deep, I, e i;
roa that shook waters q ne i' Tarn
he was up and across his ,yictinl WIN /
fangs barred, his Goa standing erect IN 4
Ne t, rigid sfurows fom topknot 70 \ tall
5s So the two stood FL &c J. to face, With 4
perhaps a yard % { raj nj pierced = air be-
tween them, u: i7 5S q @ a,
The wind hushed It's signing to listen
The moon stared dow n, te and dumb
Away at the hack the sheen edged closer.
While save for the eyer lasting thund i
or the rain, there was utter illness
"a An age 1t seemed, tn ely wal ted SO 2 hen
Ia Syoice e, elea vet low and far IA VA ks
a bugle In a distant city. broke the sll- 4
ence. y n Elk |8 t5 u IN II III w