Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-21
THE SAGE BRUSH PARSON
BY A. B. WARD.
Copyright. isos. by Little. Brown Company,


behind the bar, 1.-The parsons give us a first
rate song and dance, and we want to do
the square thing. Who'll pass the hat?"
The cowboy with the kindly eyes volun-
,eered and went from group to group with
ms sombrero. not even sighting the card
| tapies. When he emptied the hat upon the
discs rolled out
Them are good for FIVE dollars and three
anu one, said Lou when Vaughan would
nave pushed aside the discs Don't We
s anOw poker chlps7' He smiled commiser-
atihgiy. The innocence of the youth touched
MIN. IF you'd like to sleep here tontgbt',
ne began, Hospitality
| - Why. yes. thank you" said Vaughan
keep these wild beasts on the leash curh
coheroi them. They would not resume their
| orgies, he thought while ne. the narson
was was SO near. He toli Henley. and Henley
.oiu the Judge. and the two left. not seeing
their way clear to undeceiving him
Lou led the way upstairs. Here as be-
low, there was one huge room. 1t was d.
ylued by muslin curtains strung on wires.
| into one of the commandments Vaueha, foi
lowed his guide. 1t contained three beds
IN one or them a drunken miner snored
h., , On the outside of the second a cow
Joy was sleeping with his boots on Vaughan
SAT down on the edge OF the third and wait
| ed Till he should be alone
oSIore tne saloonkeeper had descended the
STAIRS oediam again broke loose ten times
as violent. ten times as Reckless oF o,,so
9uences as before. The fiddle soueaked the
oahcers shuffied and stamped dice rnttlet
| bam S n.f., the roulette wheel whirled it's
FL os,tnS, Ioul talk, the calls of the gam
plers' shriil laughter more horrible Than
res OF pain penetrated the thin floor
sa,a was an angry ejaculation answered
saFaEey- A gambler had been cauyht
cheating. Some one called sharniv aI.enu
out! Ihere was long sobbine Sigh and
something fell heavily 9'si OH"
him ned do there were hurried directions. Lay
rake him upstairsr' And n,ans 81.
climbed up stumbIingiy. manly ieet
he Strs nan met them. Take him In here
Nc directed. Put him on my bed ;;
IL was the cowboy with the kInd,,, o,-o.,
az ie had knife wound in his side The
| doctor came running io
Bring basin of watar o,a ,,..,,
ordered. His quick glance trayo1aS ne
hin, 1ipatea races and bleared eyes around
| ~ IN ne came to Vaughan. "You'U have
'oeleip me-, he said briefly '
vaughan caught at the bednost Th ,.-.
was growing dark. He snatched at one ne
| snie toWels the barkeeper was fetehIno,
tipped il In the pitcher of iced water and
| wrapped 1t about his neck N
Ills hand was steadier than tho s,,r,ao.
i.o". between them they bandaeed The
| "ouna ana stopped the flow OF blood
| tor. iuieu the doc-
| Vaughan. And yours?,
a.. AGdison hope we shall meet again"
They shook hands and parted. Vaughan
| Grew the one chair to the window -
| looked down into the street A bonfire had
80 hihaied: The flames cracked and
IoareG' and danced with the shadows In
! the glare Vaughan saw a miner asleen In
chalr by the door OF the saloon some
one else had seen him. another miner
| cnuckling like fiend over what he was
LOU. 70 40 In his hand he held a short
! round stick. to the end of which a string
! was attached. He laid IL under the chair
ana set a match to ii. The dynamite ex
| pioded downward with a loud report. The
ralxA
| put terrified. The dancers ran ont ana
screamed with him. then ran back to drink
| ana dance once more.
ana these were the men and women for
| whom Christ died. thought the watcher
| by the window. He'll seemed to him 10
yaWn before their willful feet as real as
the bonfire in the street. Who would save
| them? Who would save this wounded how
sobbng and signing In his sleep?
10 Clement Vaughan there was but one
answer, The cry of the young Isaiah rose
TO .o ms lips -, Here am I, send met!
on thine altar" he prayed.
Dawn was beginning, the clear. cool,
| bright Nevada dawn 1t bathed him where
ne stood, amounting him with its white fire:
| brow, lips and pleading hands. And a
| great peace filled him. the peace of one
| whose prayer is heard, whose sacrifice is
| accepted
| the horses around to the door of the saloon
| They walked away into the freshness OF
| the morning, lifting their heads as they
| drank 1t in. No questions were asked. no
| condolences were vouchsafed until the little
| Galena settlement came in view Then
| Vaughan said briefly, Frank, / feel that
have been called to dc work here, among
| these people.
Better write to Della before YOU decide
| that matter" Frank replied.
Mary was standing in the doorway watch-
| ing for them. They threw their brides TO
the Indian who helped Frank In his stable
| and went on up the steps
Mary hardly saw her husband. She was
| studying Clements face 1t was the face
OF old man, lined and scanned.
| He stretched out his hands to her with
| a pathetic gesture. She caught them and
| clasped them to her. You have de-
| cded-"
ITO do the work, Mary he said simply,
| and she calculated:
| Thank God!
| Better write to Della first said Frank,
| passing on into the house.
I'm going to write 10 her tonight" said
| Vaughan.
| Della was his wife.
| Go be continued tomorrow