The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-05-18
CHAPTER v.
EJRaT

W$6&dD nerves are steadtest. hut
was determined to try to have the
baseball match postponed. There could
be no difficulty. One day was as much
Of n holiday as another to these easy
going fellows. But the Duke, when !
suggested a change in the day, simply
raised his eyebrows an eighth Of an
incl and said:
Cant see why tie day should be
changed" Bruce stormcd and swore
all sorts of destruction upon himself
IL he was going to change his style of
life for any man. The others followed
~ )ukc's lead.
t Sunday WINS a day OF incon.
gr, IS. The old and the new, the
east nd the west, the re%verential past
and the iconoclastic present were
jumbling themselves together in Devil.
dering confusion. The baseball match
was played with much yigor and pro.
family. The expression on the Pilots
face as he stood watching for awhile
was n curious mixture of interest, sur.
prise, doubt and pain. He was read
justing himself. He was 80 made "a
to be extremely sensitive to his sur.
II !. He took OH color quickly.
The indifference to, the audacioua
disregard OF all he had hitherto consiG-
cred sacred and essential was discon.
certing. They were all so dead sure.
How did he know they were wrong1
1t was his first near view of practical,
living skepticism. Skepticism In q
book did not disturb him; he could put
down words against 1t. But here 1t
was alive, cheerful. attractive, indeed
fascinating; for these men in their
western garb and with their western
swing had captured his imagination.
lie was In n fierce struggle, and IN q
few minutes I saw him disappear into
the coulee.
Meantime the match went uproar-
iously on to q finish, with the result
that the champions Of Home had ITO
stand the pain Killer" their defeat be-
ing due chiefly to the work Of BIT and
Bronco Bill as pitcher and catcher.
The celebration was in full swing, or,
as Hi put it, "the boys were takiu'
their pizen good an calm" when In
walked the Pilot. His face was still
troubled and his lips were drawn and
blue, as If he We're In pain. A eilence
fell OH the men as he walked in
through the crowd NJ up to the bar.
He stood n moment hesitattpg, looking
round upon the faces, flushed and hot,
that were now turned toward him in
and 1t pulled him together. He faced
about toward old Latour and asked
him In q high, clear voice;
as this the room you said we might
haye?"
The Frenchman shrugged his shout.
dcrs and said:
"Therc Is not any more"
The lad paused for an instant, but
only for an instant. Then. lifting a
pile Of hymn books he had near him
on the counter, he said In n grave,
sweet voice and with the culver Of a
smile about his lips:
Gentlemen, Mr.. Latour has allowed
me this room for n religious service.
1t will give me great pleasure IL you
Will all join" and Immediately ne
handed n book to Bronco Bill, who,
surprised, took it as IL he did not know
what to do with 1t. The others fol-
lowed Bronco's lead till he came to
Bruce, who refused, saying roughly;
"No, 1 don't want IT.; I've no use for
it!'
The missionary flushed and drew
back as If he had been struck. hut i'm
mediately, as IL unconsciodEskN the
Duke, who was stdSnd
stretched out his hapdh
q courteous bow,
should be glad OF 0Nn +.
"Thank YOU" rcbfH
ply as he handed hiffSn
men seated themselves UPON -
that ran round the room or NttlNad
against the counter, and most of4thefff
took Off their hats. Just then in came
Muir, and behind him his little wife.
In an instant the Duke was on his
feet, and every hat came Off.
The missionary stood up Mt the bar
and announced the hymn, Jesus,
Lover Of My Soul" The silence that
followed was broken by the sound Of
n horse galloping. A buckskin bronco
shot past the window, md in q few
moments there appeared at the door
the Old Timer. He was about to stride
In when the unusual sight of q row
of mcn sitting solemnly with hymn
books in their hands held him fast Mt
the door. He gaZed In an amazed,
helpless way upon the men, then Mt the
missionary, then back at the men, and
stood. speeches.. Suddenly there was
n high, shriIl, boyish laugh, and the
men turned to see the missionary In q
AT of laughter. 1t certainly was a
shock to any lingering ideas of religious
propriety they might have about them;
but the contrast between his frank,
laughing face and the amazed and dis
gusted face Of the shaggy old man in
the doorway was too much for them,
and n by one they gave way to roars
of laughter. The Old Timer, however,
kept his face unmoved, strobe ND to
the bar and nodded to old Latour, who
served him his drink, which he took
at a gulp.
'Here, old mani" called out Bill. "Get
into the game; here's your deckp offer
ing him his book. But the missionary
was before him, and with very beautt-
full grace he handed the Old Timer a
book and pointed him to a seat.
I shall never forget that service. As
a religious affair 1t was a dead fail
ure, but somehow I think the Pilot, as
HI approvingly said, "got In his funny
work." and 1t was not wholly a de-
feat. The first hymn was sung chiefly
by the missionary and Mrs. Muir,