Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-04-03

CHAPTER XIV.
Prier Consults Rev. John Kane

very early in the morning, earlier than
most of the residents of BoomVille'
much earlier than those who would
shovel off the walks and make pedes-
trianism easier couple of hours or SO
later. Mr.. Prier pushed his way en-
ergetically through the snow. He en-
loved it. The slight physical exercise
remiired. slight to one so full of Vigor
as he was, stimulated his brain to ac-
tivity. Out in the open air. pushlhs
his way through the deep-piled drifts
filling his lungs with the rich air-cold'
dense. and full Of the spicy strength OF
the pine woods through which 1t mad
roared and raved the whole night long
he could think, think. think. And
YOU will not forget that this gentle
man had come up from Boston 10
Boomville on purpose to think; you
will remember that Mrs. Constance
Craig was his half -sister-that he had
loved her-and that for ten years her
death had been the one unexplained
mystery of all the puzzles and problems
to which he had given his time and MS
energies.
He had made up his mind to call
upon Rev. John Kane, and nave
a conversation with him. He had not
vet made up his mind what he meant
TO say. or what he desired to have the
clergyman say: he had not determined
lust what he hoped to find out-indeed
he was not certain that he had any
homes at all in the matter: he did not
know why he had selected Rev. John
Kane rather than some other OF the
several spiritual teachers in charge OF
the several churches in BoomVllle.
He had resolved to see clergyman
and ask him some questions of a gen.
elal nature-because the most insult
ing letter he had ever received had
suggested it: he was going to let cir
cumstances determine just what should
be said and done, just what sought and
found-because he was in the dark, de-
cidedlv in the dark, and this was to be
an experiment in the direction. of light
he was going to see Rev John Kane
because his impulses led him in that
direction-such impulses as had led him
to walk up and down in front of Don
aid BaTon's house the night the old
man died.
He had reasoned about the matter,
OF course. How could he help II? p?
Knowing. as he did. that there are
times when reason is a deluSiOn and
snare. times when one will find that
way best down which blind instinct
silently and persistently point, times
when air and woods and waters-and
the stars in the sky-all seem whisper
ing a hint of a lesson Of unreasoning
and supernatural directness, hint OF
a lesson which can never go beyond
hint while man is hindered and ham,
pered by the possession of an inStru-
mentality so gross as the human body
for the execution of his desires and
purposes, and so material as a brain
for the knowledge of them-knowing
all this. he had, nevertheless. reasoned
about the matter.
On the one hand was the fact that
Rev. John Kane had married Elsie
Barron to Gilbert Sem, and that so far
as that event was connected-nearly
or remotely-with the solution Of the
problem so near his heart, Rev. John
Kane was the man who must be meant
by the letter, if any particular Boom
vile clergyman was meant at all. Rev.
John Kane had buried Donald Barron,
will remember that the relations exist
ing between the detective and the
daughter of Donald Barron had rem
dered it ineXpedient for the former
gentleman to attend the funeral of the
latter) Walter Aldrich was a regular
attendant at the church in charge of
Rev John Kane.
And so far, of course, the argument
was clearly in favor of an application
to Mr.. Kane-a request that he would
give his opinion on the subject of aid,
difficulties. sinners and remOrse.
On the other side of the question
was the fact that Gilbert Sem had
been a regular attendant at another
church: the fact that Rev. John Kane
had been resident of Boomville for
less than a year; and the fact that the
clergyman who had confirmed Elsie
Barron in her young girlhood-who had
baptized her in her infancy-whO had
performed the last rites over her moth
er-whO had ofTiciated when Donald
Barron had taken upon himself the
solemn vows and obligations of matri-
mony-was lying under the SHOWS anC
sOdS. not far from the dead BarrOns
and that his lips of wisdom and eN-
perience were closed for ever
John Kane, young and more thor
oughly versed in the theories of theol-
ogy than in the practical experiences
of life, had taken the place of the old
gray-haired wise and experienced mar
who had laid his burden down To go tC
his reward John Kane had lived ir
Buomville less than year. Why
should Prier consult John Kane? Why
ter put it into the mind of the detec-
tive To do so, unless, indeed, ii was his
purpose to still more puzzle and annoy
him. and to throw Justice further from
the track leading knowledgeward
What did John Kane know which was
worth Prier'S time TO learn?
And yet-Priers impulses led hin
toward Mr. Kane. and he had deter
mined to follow his impulses.
Mr.. ]. B. Prier would. in the humble
opinion of the writer, have made al
excellent general. His foes WouIt
likely have found his fortificatlon'
good. and his defense vigorous-if the!
ever found him other than the aggres'
sive attacking party. In charge.
can fancy his actions almost sublime
the men he led would never have beer
lead in retrCat-and think they Woul'
scarcely have left Prier To engage il