The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-10-04
The Preacher S Grip.
By w. H. WITHROW.
81 e.
INNA

lypse concerning the finally impeni-
tent: Without in the blackness of
darkness forever, are dogs, and sor-
cerers, and whatsoever loveth and
maketh lie, and with tears in his
voice he exhorted his hearers to heed
the solemn warnings Of God and to
flee from his present and eternal
wrath. His words came home with
strange power and not a few of the
ruf1ans companions who had come
to scott remained to pray"
An hour later Lawrence was making
his way home from his first service at
the Four Corners Schoolhouse. A
great gladness flied his soul and he
needed not the wild and wintry winds
nor the drifting clouds that were scud-
ding rapidly across the sky. Through
their riffs the moon shone brightly.
Just as he reached a bridge across a
ravine two figures glided out of the
shadows Of the trees, accompanied by
two dogs Lawrence at once recog-
nfZed them as jim Larkins and Phin
Crowle and their invariable compan-
iCns-we might almost say comrades
Bull and Tige
"Now, Mr.. Preacher" growled Lar
kins, 81 said I'd be even with yer yet,
and blest if it isn't goin to be ter
night" Only "blest" was not exactly
the word he used, but one of opposite
meaning.
Il have no cause of quarrel with
you" said Lawrence. Il forgive you
all about that little incident at the
schoolhouse,"
But l amt forguv yer, nor Bull
neither, and we've got yer where we
want yer Stem, Bull! Stem, Tige!"
Ominous growlings and snarlings
followed, but just then a rift in the
cloud emitted bright CLEAN of moon
light which, reflected by the snow, re-
vealed the group with almost the light
of day Both dogs seemed to recog-
nize the man with the emphatic boots
with which they had so recently made
unpleasant acquaintance, and skunk
behind their respective owners.
Curse 'em! l never knowed 'em to
do like that afore, Yere not afraid,
be yer? Ere, Bull, stem. Tige, seize
holt
wen have to wade in, Phin."
II have no quarrel with either of
you, and don't want to have" said
Lawrence.
ooh, ye're a coward, be yer? On
yer own ground in the schoolhouse
yer wuz bold enough, but here yer
sings another tune. Ye've got ter fight
and one or other of us goes over that
bridge" and he pointed to the deep
shadows in the ravine.
Not I, if can help it, nor you
either, so far as l am concerned" re-
piled Lawrence, calmly.
Take that, will yer?" said Larkins,
and he hit him buffet on the cheek.
Il never struck a man yet" said
Lawrence, "and l don't intend to; but
don't object to passive resistance"
and he skilfully wacded off blow after
blow of Larkins' furious onset.
why don't we pitch in, Phin? Give
it i'm heavy"
mot l." said Phin, It's no fun hit
tin man that won't hit back. ri
stand by and see fair play"
Curse i'm an yer too It's not fair
play want, but his blood, an III nave
it, fair play or foul" and he made a
mad rush at Lawrence which would
have swept him over the undefended
edge of the bridge, had he not been
quick as a weasel.
Larkins, with another rush, got in
side Lawrence's guard and flung his
long arms around the slim student
preacher with a grasp like a beacon
strictor's. The ground was icy. Law
renee was in real peril of being hurl-
ed over the bridge side into the ra-
vine whose bottom was studded with