The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-07-09

and fiourishfHg like the green bay tree,
nevertheless, / passed and they ~cr,
not, and the place thereof knew them
no more"
As he passed through the gate VII.
lis saw a man sitting On the piazza
of the house. who, rising to his feet
looked for q minute or two at the al.
the house. 1t was quite a long dis
lance down t h path. to the gate. but
he felt certain that the man was Ed
ward Long. having plainly recognized
| him, even at that distance. .
His knock at the door was answered
by Mrs. Long herself, wis invited her
| visitor into the paxlor n asked bin
to be seated. She was probably thirty
five years old; and. although past sbe
bloom. of youth, she: had a gentle. at
! ~tractive face and an air of refinement,
There was an expression of anxiety in
her eyes Wills thought. as he sa4be
Il have called to sec your husband,
madam" He is not"-she said hest
tatingly, her face sli ghtly flushing
''tnat is-he is not well enougEa to SEE
Nothing ma'am. except to self LIN,
if [ can, a Bible or two. and tD-dis-
tribute a few tracts" opening. his
;satctreI and displaying then
!, Mrs Long tooEk Bible, turned over
the leaves ~nervousIy and hastily; and,
-:-- - 49, fo&& -~1l rrs+l s~-
desire to propitiGte the coIportetH':
Yes, these are excellent Bibfes; | viii
take two, and Will bring you tie
money She passed into an innea'
roem, and returned with the noun
The visitor could ffn6 no excuse for
prolonging his stay, and left tie house
the woman follow ng him to the
front door, and responding to his
words of farewell wi5lE a silent incii-'
ma tom of the head.
""The night of the Gay of the dinLer
at theAeampmeeting.' said John Willis
to himself, as he wafked on up the
road, that man unCosomed himself
of h is crime to his wife 1t sits heavy
her soul today, and is expressed
in the sorrow and anXlsy on her fGce.
She knew wherefore [ crossed tLat
and was OH her GHard
that She should be involved in the
fate OF a1murderer; but liz who takejh
the sWOrd shall perish by the swori.'
Twelve hours later john Willis raJ
left that part Of the country. and was
his way, as fast as the railway
could Cary Him, to his: Old home in
Alabama. Late in the 5alr he returned
accompanied by an officer of his state
and county; 5ut the IctrIbution which
he sought for q crime committed had
been ia Nen Dy the Almighty into His
own ha ads.
A faw weeks before .tip arrival Of
the cotporteur, Edward Long. while
seeing the raising OF = earn. was
struck violently to the~eH~th by a
heavy falling beam, anulrecalved both
exte rnal and internal. injuries, Of
viii oh he was slowly ding
LohaWIflis was shOct"i 2uG aS,aSt
when he learned that tae man whom
he was pursuing to the criminals dock
would soon be out of has. reach. out Of
the reach of human justice. For the
no omen his vengeful passion was re-
hukeI and abashed before Gods de-
cree ard Gods might. But aftei a
littis he reflected that ne had a solemn
negorable duty to perform-a duty to
thegmemory of his brother, to the la"
of the land. to himself. Armed with
a warrant for the arrest OF Edward
Lang from a local magistrate, and &C
c~ompanied by the LATER and the Ala
hama officer, he rode II 8 carriage to
tide house of the dying
AS objection vas made to the IN
trance of the party and, after a shert
wait, by Edward longs own request,
sthey were admitted to his room. He
was propped up in Ded, hagSard, end
ciated, and evidently near the last
pangs-of dissolutioh but conscious and
composed.
'Sit sown," he said, feebly, stead
tasty fixing his dim eyes On Wits
Then by a great effort making his
Fo1SCd DOlO1C, &c III l. Have IA
time or strength left. and be quick
with my story John Willis, it w.e as
if one had risen from the dead when
yoa confronted and recognized me At
the camp-meetlns, and felt that ptin-
ishment had overtaken my crime. |
killed your brother, Henry willis. 1t
Is useless 0 to e%xtenuate the deed;
you would not believe my defsnse. udt
| am beyond all human tribunals. and
must stand only at a higher bar. Your
brother and | were fishing that fatal
day ON Rush creek. and got into a viO-
lent auarrel-about what is O mate
rial here. Seated at opposite ends Of
the boat. we continued Our bitter abuse
Of each other, until Henry. jumping to
bsc foot camo ar me- with n drawn