The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-06-29

questions Father Walsh put squarely to him
self again and again; none realized better
than he that crisis impended. In the bear
ing of the men he could read the struggle
Ziegler and his henchmen were sullenly
mutinous, but they were in the minority,
strange to relate. And stranger still, Lewis,
the gambler, led the cohorts which ranged
themselves on the priests side. He found an
able assistant in Pink Perry. On the Tues
day preceding the opening, the split became
SO wide that actual conflict between the forces
for righteousness and the followers Of Mann
mon was imminent. AS for Doghole, any in
I ahabitant OF that blot on earth's surface who
Adared to show himself within five miles Of the
town, took his life in his hands.
Al Father Walsh came and went, and none
could have guessed from his demeanor that
he sensed the strain, so boyish was his en-
thusiasm. He supervised the placing Of the
cross on the tower, trembling as the men
made it fast, and then he Strengthened, his
chubby face grave with high resolve. AT that
moment he grew in stature before the eyes of
the onlookers; glimpsing the unquenchable
spirit that burned in his eyes, they forgot that
he was FIVE feet five and plump, that he was
too tolerant Of backsliders, and consequently
of nature soft A radiance transhgured him,
the same indomitable zeal that drove the
Jesuits through wilderness and torture in
quest for souls.
Wednesday broke with soft sunshine and
velvet breeze The old-timers stood with
feet wide apart in the middle Of the road, and,
cooking an eye, recalled just such day in
1850, and augured fair weather for the Sab
bath, with a touch Of heat. At five o'clock, a
brigade of clouds massed on the hills, and at
six deluge drove down on Deadeye, sending
the inhabitants scurrying to sealed protection.
Long forks OF lightning licked hungrily from
the black press and the valley quaked to the
thunder. A huge cottonwood, the towns
sole natural shade, @as rent at stroke and fell
with shsiel aaoss the yard Of Ziegler's
place. At this onaen the knowing shook their
heads.
Came s rider from Doghole, drenched,
heavy with m!.d and exhausted, his horse
steaming in fron; at The porch with dropping
head and Believing nostrils and one foreleg
crippled Where was the priest? They led
him across, through the binding sheets OF
rain, to the Eating House Black Hans was
dying, smashed to pieces in a cage at the
mines. and he feared to face the beyond un-
shriven. He adjurcd Father Walsh. by I'll
the VOWS Of his Priesthood, to come to him.
,Ehis message the iloghole man delivered,
standing awkwaSdy on the thrcsholS, the
water seeping from bis clothes TO the .oor
"Cet me horsS," said Walsh 10 Riotan,
and he mcycd to con :. s.icker
"Sure, father. yon cam ue goin' the night
us yol7 deaiii Il p'ouid he, 80 not a boss is
:hcrc IA towr. Ifs 5,rro !. huh!
1Zieglcr has o..e. sgurryl' He was al
rsssy epii erqeiopel ;c .'ss oi;slin, Riordan
E.sw oa. bis s.,td.
n i ,inetnsi. psjss. You could not get
ti.,e. sftbes. Az pesides Black
HaH ne viii gc to he'll anyway"
R;md@g 2l=aast, niads bold by genuine
csntsTa
sRiiseegir sriaimed the priest sharply,
sld ths e;nt erased, abashed.
"1'hst he:s n Ziegler's is bronc, Father
ynsss. Hall aitch hard, . interjected ore of
iAs WoSS ridco choked the doorway.
~ cannot hcip t. Hurryl"
"What can't you bsle2 What viii pitch
hard2 Were are you going2" It was
Lewis, who slouldered his way into the room.
II rido tonight for SOUL" said Father
Walsh.
The gambler peeses into the piisat's face