The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-09-23
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CHAPTER xTTr

II 4s4
CHAPTER XIII.
he twilight was glooming to dusl
when SIlas Crafts came out of the
church and locked the door behind
him. + he were surprised Is and Tom
waiting for him, he made no sign. Mel
tner was there any word 81 Erecting
passed between them when he Gather
ca his coat tails and sat down on the
higher step. self restraint being a her.
itage which had come down undimin-
ished from the Covenanter ancestors Of
both.
The way Of the transgressor Is hard,
| grievously hard, Thomas. Isthink you
are already finding 1t SO, are YOU not 2"
That doesn't mean what ii used to-,
to me, Uncle Silas; nothing means the
same any more. It's just as If some
body had hit that part Of me with q
club; It's all numb and dead. I'm sure
Of only one thing now: that is. that
I'm not going to be a hypocrite after
this. If can help it,
Have you been that all along,
Thomas?"
4 reckon so"-monotonously. AT
first It was partly scare and partly be-
cause knew what mother wanted But
ever since I've been big enough to
think I've been asking why, and, as
you would say, doubling
You have come to the years of dis
erection, Thomas, and you have chosen
death rather than life. If you go on
as you have begun, you will bring the
gray hairs of your father and mother
| in sorrow to the grave. Leaving your
own souls salvation out of the ques-
ton, can you go on and drag an up
right, honorable name in the dust and
| mire of degradation
NO" said Tom, deffantly. sand
what's more, / don't mean to. l don't
know what Doctor Tollivar wrote you
about me, and it doesn't make any diff
| ference now. That's over and done
with. You haven't been seeing me ev-
cry day for these three weeks without
knowing that I'm ashamed of it,"
Ashamed of the consequences, you
mean. Thomas. You are not repent
ant"
Yes. am, Uncle Silas; though may
be not in your way. don't allow to
make fool Of myself again."
tom. my boy, if any one had told
me a year ago that short twelve-
month would make you, not only an
apostate to the faith, but a shameless
liar as we'll"
Hold on, Uncle Silas. That's mighty
near a fighting word, even between
blood kin. When have you ever caught
me in lie?"
Now" Numbered the accusing
voice; this moment! You have been
giving me to understand that your sim
full rebellion at Beersheba was the
worst that could be charged against
you. Here, at your own home, when
your mother had just been spared to
you by the mercies Of the God whose
commandments you set at naught, you
have been wallowing in SHIN crome!"
IF can sit here and take that from
you, it's because it isn't So"
"Wretched boy! Out of your own
mouth you shall be convicted. Where
were you on Wednesday morning?'
Il was at home most of the time;
between 10 o'clock and noon was on
the mountain"
There were three OF you: a hard
ened, degraded boy, woman no less
wicked and abandoned, and the devil
who tempted YOU"
tits a lie! / just happened to meet
Nan Bryerson at the spring under the
big rock. I don't have to defend my
self! If you can believe I'm that low
down, you're welcome TOT" Then, alb
ruptly: Il reckon we'd better be going
on home; they'll be waiting dinner for
us at the house."
IL hof h,Vf h
accuser was still confronting him, with
the dark eyes glowing and monitory
finger pointed to detain him.
mot yet. Thomas Gordon; there Is
a duty laid on me. l had hoped and
prayed that might find you repent
ant: you are not repentant. Your faith
er has a letter from Doctor Tollivar;
the doors of Beersheba are open to you
again. l had hoped" The pause was
not for effect. It was merely that the
man and the kinsman in Silas Crafts
had throttled the righteous judge 1T
breaks my heart, Thomas. but must
saw It, You have put it out of your
power to say with the Psalmist, I will
wash mine hands in innocency: so will
I compass thine altar. 0 Lord You
must give UP all thoughts Of going
back to Beersheba."
Don't trouble yourself" said Tom.
with more bravado. Il wouldn't go
hack there IL 1t was the only place on
earth" Then suddenly: who was it
that told on me- Uncle Silas."
Never mind about that. It was one
who could have no object in misstat-
ing the fact--which you have not de-
MED. Let US go home"
Ito be continued.)