The daily Alaskan., 1911-09-01

 I said. cr0ssln mcsef with ono hand while iasbed me horse with tbe otb- CT.
 But iu spite Of me whip and me spurs and ue prayers the iend behind me, seemin Co be pushed on by the windstorm, kept gainin on me, tn at last 1 could hear him runnln' me neck and neck, for dlvil a bii of him ! could gee for the biacknpss The divH hes power over the Iighmiu', for. although there was thunder. not a fash came bright enough Co show him to me plain. Once one brighter than the rest gave me a glimpse of him but he was not like Satan at an. He wore Q dress like woman. black as the night and a long cloak stood out be hind hlm in the wind and. worst of all. he was slowly gainin on me I howled to the saint to give me horse wind and strength, but lt did no good. and 1 was thinklu that he. knowiu l was bound to be too late had gone on to prevent the loss of the plate himself. Anyway the divl kept gain in and gaIuin drawin on before me tin at last | could hear the claterin' far ahead
 About that time, lookin' up in tbe sky, [ saw a rift in the clouds and the moon. with a little stat beside It. mebbe for protection or companion ship in the big heavens lookin' as serene as a saint just out oi purgatory But all about rolled the black clouds. now and then lightiu' up like big Are flies. some of em sendln low roars Ike a sullen army tbuts been beaten aud moyin' away In the distance. And somehow it set me to thlnkln that after all the forces Of good had beaten the forces of evil
 It was at that time that saw some thing shinin' in the moonlight just over the withers of me horse. Putin me hand down near where it was, what did | feel but a little cross. , tried to take it away, but somethin held it Runnin' me hand up to the horn of me saddle, l found hangIn' to it a string of beads. took it of, and it was a rosary.
 Then changed me mind, not be levin it was the divil that had been ridin' beside noe. but St. Patrick him self. who ln passin' had bung the rosary to my saddle horn Co tell me that be was himself goln' Co save his own and that needn't trouble me self about the matter
 After this 1 rested me horse a bit, he blowln' Ike Q porpolse. Then I went on at an easier pace By this ume half the west was quiet like and glitterin' with stars, and the moon. Eight was soft on the wet hills and trees In the east the black clouds were rolliu away and no sign left of the storm except water runnin' be- side the road and the streams roarln' and boilin down under the bridges. And what made me feel better than I might ut somebody-for l wasn't sure it was St Patrick or the dlvll- attln' ahead of ne ln the race was the moonlight on the drops of water hangln' on the trees and the fences like tiny diamonds. went on ull, lookin' ahead. saw a high buildin' an lit up. It beiu the middle of the night ! won dered what new miracle was on foot, but when | came nearer ! cried out;
 "Bedad, It's the church."
 Thinkin' the robbers were there, I pushed ahead, wouderin' what the beg gars would be doIn' ughtln up their sacrilege, but hopiu' Go scare 'em on before they could sit away with tho plate. l galoped up to the front door. leapt from me horse and was goin' in but for the door bein locked l ran around to the door In the rear, where the priests are used to gOin' in, and found it open. Runnin' In. was ready to cry, "Avast ye robbers" when stood still. speeches..
 There was Father Conover at the altar reciting the Litauy.
 I went tn. crossed meself, bendin' me knee at the same time. and when the father had finished be saw me stsndin' before hlm.
 "If you've come for the plate" be said, you'll have to pass over me body to get it-"
 "Fatherm cried Don't ye know me? Pm Mike Mulcaheyw
 And what are ye doin bereT
 q come to save the plate"
 "Ye're too late. I'm here ahead of ye"
 And how do ye think to save the plate by llghun' up the church and sayin' the LitanyY
 "Tm hopin that if they come to take 1t, seein' me here at the altar, they'll fall on their knees Instead of commithn' a sacrilege.
 How dld ye git bereT
 "One Of them that weakened came to me and told me what was brewin'. 1 borrowed a horse and set on. pass iu one of tbe beggars on the road
 "Oh, father. it was me ye passed At arst thought ye were Satan, then I thought ye were St Patrick"
 And what made ye think me St PatrickT
 Because I found this rosary hang in to me saddle horn"