The Marshall republican., 1906-04-27
CHAPTER V.


sHnhF fHNANA INV. -
be no difficulty. one day was as much
Of n holiday as another 60 these easy
going fellows. hut tile Duke. when |
suggested n change IA tie day. simply
raised lis eyebrows nn eighth ~ an
inch and said:
Cant SEE why the dry should he
changed" bruce stormed and swore
oil sorts ~ destruction upon himself
~ he was going 10 change his style OF
life for any man. The others followed
the Dukes lead.
That Sunday was n day Of incon.
grultles. The old aud tile new. the
east aud the west. the rcvcrcntial past
and the lconoclustic present were
jumbling Themselves together In hcwil.
dering confusion. The baseball match
was played with much vlgor aud pro.
family. The expression on the Tilrts
face rs he stood watching for awhile
was "A curious mixture 81 interest. sur.
prise. doubt aud pain. H. wis r al
justing himself. lie was 30 mad, ~
10 bc extremely sensitive a. hiE sur
roundings. lie took on co.or al ky.
The utter indifference 10. thu auduclo =
disregard Of all hc had hitherto cUnsid.
cred sacred aud essential va dlsron.
ccrting. They were all 10 dad SUR.
How did hc know they wcrc wrOng1
10 was his first ncar yl'w OF practical.
living skeptirism. Skcpticlsm In n
book did not disturb him: Ia could put
down words against II. liut h'rc IL
aHHsa a Mo-. .l..nEFaNI UNNENHglNu iulNaI
fascinating; for these mn if their
western gnrb aud with their western
swing had captured his Imagination.
, lie was In u fierce %sirugRl'. and Ia n
few minutes I saw Inn disappear In o
the coulce.
Meantime the match went upronr.
lously on 60 n finish. with the result
that the champions OF Home had TO
stand the pain KILLER their d feat hc.
Ing due chiefly 10 the work OF III aud
Bronco Biil M pitcher aud catcher.
The celebration was IN full swing. or.
n Ill put II, tile boys were inkin'
their pizcn good an calm" when In
walked the Pilot. Ills face was sllll
troubled and his lips were drawn aud
w. w ~ Nv "NAf W. pam ~ NAAfAAh'
fell on the men rs hc walked In
through the crowd aud up 10 the bar.
lie stood a moment %hesltntlng: looking
round upon the faces. flushed ana hot.
that Were nov turned toward him In
curious defiance. lie noticed the look.
and II pulled him together. lie faced
about toward old Lntour and asked
him In u high, clear voice:
"Is this the % you said We might
hnVef''
The Frenchman shrugged his shout.
ders and said:
"Tlerc In not any more"
The lad paused for an Instant. but
only for m instant. Then. lifting n
pile OF hymn books he had near him
on the counter. he said In n grave.
sweet voice ana with the CULVER OF n
smile about his lips:
Gentlemen. Mr.. Latour has allowed
me this room for n religious service.
II Will give me great pleasure II you
Will all join" and Immediately he
handed n book 10 Bronco Bill, who.
surprised, took II rs u he did not know
what 10 do with II. The others FOL.
lowed Bronco's lend tin he came to
Bruce, who refused, saying roughly:
mo. ! don't want Il: I've no use for
IT.
The missionary flushed and drew
back as II he had been struck, but i'm.
mcdlately, rs II unconsclously. the
Luke who was standing near,
stretched out his hand and said. with
II courteous bow, Il thank you, l
should be glad OF one"
THANK YOU" replied the Pilot sim
ply al he handed hlm n book. The
men seated themselves upon II bench
that ran round the room or leaned mp
against the counter. and most OF them
O OF 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 OF.
The missionary stood up at the bar
and announced the hymn, Jesus,
Lover Of My Soul" The silence that
followed was broken by the sound OF
a horse %galloping. A buckskin bronco
shot past the window, and In n few
moments there appeared at the door
the Old Timer. He was about to stride
I'm when the unusual sight of n row
of men sitting solemnly with hymn
Looks In their hands held him fast al
the door. He gazed In an amazed
helpless way upon the men, then At til,
missionary. then back at the men, and
stood s~peechless. Suddenly there wa'
a high. shrill. boyish laugh. and til,
men turned to see the missionary In q
at OF laughter. II certainly was .
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 II
the doorway was too much for them
and one by u they gave way TO roar
Of LAUGHTER. The Old Timer. however