The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1906-03-16

and you shall hear a preachment." Dr.
rectly after they heard (they could not
see, because the hedge was too high
and too thick) how the two quarreled.
kind. At last they they heard the pas
tor cry, II will beat thee. dog, until
thou liest dead at my feet!" Where
upon there were sounds as of blows,
and then they heard Niels calling the
pastor rogue and a hangman. To
this the pastor made no reply; but
they heard two blows, and they saw
the iron blade of a spade and part
of the handle swing twice above the
hedgerow, but in whose hands they
could not discern. After this all was
quiet in the garden. and, somewhat
alarmed and excited, the widow and
her daughter hurried on their ray.
Larsen disposed that on the even
ing OF the day following that of the
| disappearance of Niels, as he was re-
| and was passing along the footpath
| which TANKS the southern side Of the
pastors garden, he heard from within
| the garden the sound Of some one
digging the earth. AT first he was
rather startled; but seeing that it was
clear moonlight, he determined to find
out who it was that was working in
the garden at that late hour; where
| upon he slipped off his wooden shoes,
climbed up the hedge. and parted the
| tops of the hazel bushes so as to en-
able himself to see. Then he saw the
pastor in the green dressing gown he
usually wore, and with a white night
| cap on his head, busted in leveling
the earth with spade; but more than
| this he did not see, for the pastor
turned suddenly round as if some
| sound had struck his ear, and witness
| being afraid of detection, let himself
down, and ran away.
When the witnesses had thus dis
| posed, Morten demanded that the par
son should be arrested. Wishing to
avoid such scandal if possible, the
| ren's, proposed that they should go to-
| gether to the parsonage, where they
would probably receive a satisfactory
explanation of the facts deposed to.
! Morten consented to this, and the par
| ~ set out. On approaching the house
they saw Soren coming to meet them
when Morten ran forward, and
bluntly accused him Of numbering his
brother, adding that he was come with
the magistrate to make search for the
body. The pastor made no reply, but
courteously greeting the magistra tie,
gave directions % the farm servants,
who now gathered round, to aid by
all the means in their power the
search about TO be made. Morten led
the way into the garden, and after
to a certain spot and called upon the
men to dig there The men fell to
work, and Morten Joined them. work
ing with show of frantic eagerness.
! When they had dug to a little depth
the ground proved So hard that ii was
evident ii had not been broken up for
a long while. Soren had looked on,
quite at ease. and now he said to Nor
! ten, "Slanderer. what have you got for
your pains?" Instead of replying. Nor
| ten turned to Larsen, and asked him
| where it was that he had seen the
parson digging. Larson pointed to a
heap of cabbage stalks, dried haulms,
and other refuse, and said he thought
that was the place. The rubbish was
soon removed, and the men began dig
not dug long, when one of them cried
out, Heaven preserve u.s." and as all
| present crowded TO look, the crown of
a hat was visible above the earth.
THAT is Niers hat cried Morten, Il
| know it well-here is security we
shall find him! Dig Away" he shout
ed with fierce energy. and was almost
as eagerly obeyed Soon an arm ap-
peared, and in a few minutes the en-
( tire corpse was disinterred. There
( could be no doubt that it was the
missing man. The face could not be
recognized, for decomposition had
commenced, and the features had beer
injured by blows; but all his clothes.
! even unto his shirt with his name on
! it, were identified by his fellow ser
/ wants; even leaden ring in the left
ear of the corpse was recognized as
! one which Niels had worn for years.
There was no alternative but to ar
] rest the pastor on the spot-indeed,
he willingly surrendered himself, mere
ly protesting his innocence. Appear
ances are against me-" he said sure
! ly this must be the work OF Satan
and his ministry; but He still lives
/ who will at his pleasure make my in
nocence manifest. Take me to pris-
] on. in solitude and chains will