The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-05-25

iE1NSaSN} to do but to loaf about the
Gg Stopping Place, drinking old
Latour's bad whisky and making him.
self n nuisance. In vain the Pilot
tried to win him with loans of books
and magazines and other kindly cour-
tesies. He would be decent for a day
and then would break forth In violent
augmentation against religion and all
who held to it. He sorely missed the
Duke, who was away south on one Of
his periodic Journeys, Of which no one
knew anything or cared to ask. The
Dukes presence always steadied Bruce
and took the rasp out Of his
1t was rather Il relief to all that he
was absent from the next fortnightly
service, though Moore declared he was
ashamed to confess this relief.
81 can't touch him." he said to me
after he service. "He Is far too clever.
But" and his voice was full Of pain,
I'D give something to help him."
IF he doesn't quit his nonsense" l
replied, "he'll soon be past helping.
He doesn't go u of his range, his few
cattle wander everywhere, his shack
Ia In n Dcastly state and he himself Is
going to pieces, miserable fool that he
is." For it did seem n shame that a
fellow should so throw himself away
for nothing.
"You are hard" said Moore, with his
eyes upon me.
Hard? Isn't 1t true?" l answered
hotly. "Then, there's his mother at
home"
eyes, but eau he help 1t? Is 1t all
htS fn,ltg ~ lAN ,nrls4I IA Ill,
eyes still looking into me.
Ellis fault? Whose fault, then?"
"What of the Noble Seven? Have
they anything TO do with this?" His
voice was quiet, but there was an ar.
resting intensity in it.
"Wcll," | said, rather weakly, "a
man ought to look after himself"
"Ycs-and his brother IL little" Then
he added: What have any OF you
Gonp;to foip him? The Duke could
have pulled him up Il year & IL lie
had been willing to deny himself Il lit
tie, and so with all of you. You all do
just what pleases YOU regardless of any
other, and so you help one another
down.
1 could not find anything just then to
say, though nfterward many things
came to me-. For, though his voice was
quiet and low, his eyes were glowing
and his face was alight with the fire
that burned within, and L felt like one
convicted of n crime. This was GER
tainly a new doctrine for the west, an
uncomfortable doctrine to practice, in
tcrfcring seriously with personal lib
erty, but. in the Pilots way of viewing
things, difficult to escape. There would
be no end to ones responsibility. I
refused to think It out,
Within q fortnight we were think
Ing 1t out with some i%ntentness. The
Noble Seven were to have a great
blowout Mt the Hill brothers ranch.
The Duke had got home from his
southern trip n little more weary look
Ing and II little more cynical In his
smile. The blowout" was to be held
on permit Sunday, the alternate to the
preaching Sunday, WHICH was q con-
ccssion to tho Pilot, secured chiefly
through the influence of HI and his
baseball nine. Ut was something to
have created the situation involved In
the distinction between preaching and
permit Sundays. HI put 1t rather
graphically. "The devil takes his
innin's one Sunday and the Pilot the
next" adding emphatical!y, "He hain't
one much scorin' yit, but my moneys
OH the Pilot, you bet!' Bill was moro
cautious and preferred to wait develop
ments. And developments were rapid.
The Hill brothers meet was upusu-
ally successful from a social point Of
view. Several permits had been requi-
sitloned, and whisky and beer abound
ed. Races all day and poker all night
and drinks OF various brews both day
and night, with varying impromptu
diversions, such as shooting the hprns
of wandering steers, were the social
amenities INDUCED In by the Noble
Company. On Monday evening I rode
ont TO the RANCH, urged by Moore, who
was anxious that some one should
lock Bfter Bruce.
II don't belong to them" he SAID;
"you do. They won't resent your CONF
ing"
Nc. did tliey. They were sitting at
ten md welcomed me with a shout,
Hello. old domiEe!p yelled Bruoe.
"Wi'ere's yons preacher friendY"
W . ~