The Marshall republican., 1906-08-03

you'll perhaps be warm enough" Bits
voice had unconsciously passed Into o
sternor tone. Iii was on bis feet and
OF the door.
This here interview Is private and
CONFIDENTIAL" said Bill to bis partner.
Exactly" said III. opening the door.
At this the young fellow. who was a
strapping six footer, but soft and
1nbby. drew back and refused TO go.
He rms too late. Bits grip was on his
collar md out they went into the snow.
and behind them III closed the door.
In vain the young fellow struggled to
wrench himself free from the hands
that had him by the shoulder and the
back OF the neck. I took II all in from
the window. He might have been a
boy for all the effect his ~plungings had
upon the long. slnewy arms that
gripped him 40 6ercely. After n min
utc's furious struggle the young Eel.
low stood quiet. when Bill suddenly
shifted his grip from the shoulder TO
the seat OF his buckskin trousers. Then
began n series OF evolutions before the
house. up and down. forward and
back. which the unfortunate victim,
with hands wildly clutching at empty
air, was quite powerless e resist TIL
he was brought up, painting and gasp.
Ing. subdued. to n standstlll.
"Tll larn you agnostics and several
other kinds OF tricks" said Bill In n
terrible voice. his drawl l%engthenlng
pcrceptibly. Come round here, will
you. and shove your blanked second.
handed trash down our tbroatsf" Bill
paused TO get words: then. bursting out
In rising wrath;
There amt no sootable words for
sich conduct. by the iivin' JENNY
He suddenly swung his prisoner on his
feet. lifted him bodily and held him
over his head Mt arms length. "I've a
notion to-
"Don't! Don't! For heavens sake."
cried the struggling wretch. "Ill stop
IL! ! wlll!'
BIN at onc lower d him and set him
on his feet.
"Ali right! Shake" he said. holding
out his hand. which the other took
with caution.
IL was n remarkably sudden CONVEX.
sion and lasting In It's effects. There
was no more agnosticism IN the little
group that gathered around the Pilot
for the nightly reading.
The interest In the reading kept
growing night by night.
"Seems rs II the Pilot was glttin' In
his work" said Bill 10 me. and looking
nt the grave, eager faces l agreed. He
was getting In his work with Bill. too:
though perhaps BIZ did not know Il.
] remember M night. when the others
had gone. the Pilot was reading 20 US
the parable OF the talents and Bin was
particularly interested In the servant
who failed In his duty.
"ornery cuss. ehY" he remarked.
"And gall, too, eh? Served him blamed
well right. In my oplnion."
But when the practical bearing OF
the parable became clear to him, after
long silence. he said slowly:
well, that there seems 10 indicate
that It's about time for me to get a
rustic on Then. after another silence.
he said hesitatlngly: This here church
buildin' business now. do you think
that II perhaps count. mebbe? guess
not. ehi faint much, OF course, any.
way" Poor Bin. he was like a child.
and the Pilot handled him with q
mothers touch.
what are you best at, Billg"
Bronco Dustin and cattle" said
Bill wonderingly. That's my line"
swell, Bin. my line Is preaching Just
now. and plotting, you know" The
Pilots smile was like q sunbeam on a
rainy day, for there were tears In his
eyes and voice. "And we have Just got
to be faithful. You see what he says:
Wei done. good and faithful servant.
Thou hast been faithful"
Bill was puzzled.
Faithful" he repeated. docs that
mean with the cattle. perhapsf"
"Yes, that's just IL. Bill. and with
everything else that comes YOU way
And Bill never forgot that lesson. for
l heard him. with a kind OF quiet en-
thusiasm. giving II to Hi as q great
find. Now, ! call that n fair DEAL" he
said to his friend. "Giyes every man
a show. No cards up the sleeve"
That's So" was HIS thoughtful re-
ply distributes the trumps."
Somehow Bill came to be regarded
as an authority upon questions OF re-
ligion and morals. No one eyer ac-
cused him OF ''gettin' religion" Hc
went about his work In his slow. quiet
way. but he was always sharing his
discoveries with "the boys" And tf
any . puzzled him with subtleties he
never rested till he lad him face to
face with the Pilot, And 80 II came
that these two drew to each other with
more than ~brotherly affection. When
Bill got into difficulty with problems
that have yexed the souls Of men far
wiser than he, the Pilot would either
disentangle the knots or would turn his
mind to the verities that stood out
sure and clear. and Bill would be con-
tent.
eTbat's good enough for me.a he