The Irish standard., 1905-12-16
CHAPTER XIX.
THOU SHALT NOT STEAL"


Old Cy Walker once said, "If the
devil should hang Il f'pcnny bit DER
the middle O. hell. Dave Curtis wouldn't
rest till he got It," and while a scarcely
Iuotahle expression, it best illustrates
the man.
Na had dcep-set. cold, gray eyes,
never knowing a shade Of tenderness:
his hawk nose betrayed the miser as
his rctrcaing forehead did the egotist,
and his bloodless handclasp was as
chill as a pump-handle in winter. He
was ST. thin the wind could almost
blow through him; his self-conceit was
abnormal and he was miserly mean.
On the back wall of the tall pulpit
from which the Reverend Jones each
Sunday explained Gods plan of saliva
ton. with occasional descriptions of
the city with jasper walls and pearly
gate, as we'll rs the other place-were
the Ten Commandments. David had
to read them once a week at least, and
the Thou shalt not stcal,' as the years
rolled on, seemed to smite him more
and more. Often he would resolve not
to read II, and then it gave him no
peace until he did. Ii was like mag
net, and ont of the entire ten the one
that drew his eyes first. And then, bis
solitary, unsccial. and selfish life
worked its inevitable result. He grew
more s,lpeistitiOus, and the fear that
AMI might return in body or spirit
haunted him at night. He saw him in
his dreams, imagined him peeping into
the house when "A board creaked. and.
waking in the dead of night, he read.
Thou shalt not steal" glowing in tht
darkness. He grew timid, dared not &c,
alone to dark rooms for fear of meet
ing AMI, and as his mind became dis
eascd from brooding over the super
natural, the ghost faint increased.
And now, in the midst OF all thesr,
fears, came the desire to escape them
1t followed the call from stranger
who sought to buy his most valued
possession, the Mizzy power--in fact,
a sequence To that. In spite of his con-
ccit, David realized he had but few
friends. aud now to turn his possessions
into cold cash and establish himself
elsewhere seemed wise. He had, ia
his business dealings, visited Riverton
often. and there received more or less
consideration as the wealthiest resident
OF Grcrnvnle-an homage very sweet
to him. He would escape the sight of
Old Cy, Aunt Comfort, Angie, and other
rcproacles, and best of all, as he i'm
agined, escape the haunting fear of
AMI
Then cam" Martin with his astonish-
ing proposal to buy the Mizzy falls,
end, during that sharp Dargain-driving,
To inS!nuale facts and dangers that
gave David cold chills. 1t had resulted
in his securing $1,000, and also all ad-
dition to his stock of worriment al
most nnbaarabe. 1t was proposal
and payment, also, that David, shrewG
villain that he was, could not fathom.
He had heard On all sides that Martin
had returned to Greenvale wealthy. He.
knew OF his youthful attachment to
Angie, and his now open and pointed
attentions which undoubtedly meant
marriage; and as if this combination
OF danger was not sufficient, this bold
young man who carried a big roll OF
money as if it were a handkerchief
had limited of Angles legal rights.
against his. that could most likely be-
sustained Ivy law! And now, the more
David pondercd over this business.
transaction, the more sure he was that
it meant lawsuit later on. He had
the $4,000 fast enough, he had signed
an agreement which in law was almost
as good as a warranty deed: and vet
before "a hours had passed, so sure was,
he that he had walked into trap, that
ne would have gladly paid twice $4,000;
for the return of that agreement.
His punishment had only just begun.
/. no Ee -ontjrued.1 =