Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-07-08
CHAPTER XIII

| when Silas Crafts came out Of the
church and locked the door behind
| him. If he were surprised to find Tom
waiting for him, he made no sign. Mel
| ther was there any word Of greeting
passed between them when he gather
| ed his coat tails and sat down on the
| higher step, self-restraint being a her
itage which had come down undimfn-
| ished from the Covenanter ancestors of
| both.
THE way of the transgressor is hard,
| grievously hard, Thomas. / think you
| are already finding it so, are you not?"
That doesn't mean what it used to,
| to me, Uncle Silas; nothing means the
| same any more. It's just if some
| body had hit that part of me with a
| 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 l can help it."
Have you been that all along,
| Thomas?"
| II reckon so"-monotonouSly AT
| first it was partly scare and partly be-
| cause I 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
| cretion, 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 degrade tion?"
NO." said Tom, defiantly. And
what's more, I 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 l don't allow to
| make a 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 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 sin
! 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 crorne!
| eff I can sit here and take that from
| you, it's because 1t 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 l was on
| the mountain"
There were three of you: a hard
ened, degraded boy, a woman no less
wicked and abandoned, and the devil
who tempted you"
It's lie! just happened to meet
Nan Bryerson at the spring under the
big rock. / don't have to defend my
self! If you can believe I'm that low
| down. you're welcome to-" Then, alb
| ruptly: II reckon we'd better be going
| on home; they'll be waiting dinner for
| us at the house"
| He got on his feet with that, but the
accuser was still confronting him, With
| the dark eyes glowing and monitory
finger pointed to detain him.
Not vet Thomas Gordon; there is
| a duty laid on me. l had hoped and
| prayed that l might find you repent
| ant: YOU are not repentant. Your faith
| err has a letter from Doctor Tollivar;
the doors of Beersheba are open to you
again / had hoped" The pause was
| not for effect. 1t was merely that the
man and the kinsnan in Silas Crafts
| had throttled the righteous judge. 1t
breaks my heart, Thomas, but 1 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
/ T 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
back there if it was the only place on
| earth" Then suddenly: who was II
| that told on me- Uncle Silas."
Never mind about that. 1t was one
who could have no object in misstat-
| ing the fact-which you have not de-
MED. Let us go home"
(To be continued.)