Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-02-10
her bucket and was gone before ne
could find . word wherewith to match
CHAPTER XIII.

St1A1 L Ell ALL.
The twilight was glooming to dusl
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. Nei-
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 undimin-
ished from the Covenanter ancestors of
both
The way of the transgressor is hard.
grievously hard. Thomas. l 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 as if some
body had hit that part of me with
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"
Il reckon so"-monotonously. "At
first it was partly scare, and partly be-
cause l 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-
! tinO or and drag
right honorable name in the dust and
| mire. of degradation?
mo-" said Tom, defiantly. And
what's more, don't mean to. l don't
know what Doctor Tollivar wrote you
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. I don't allow to
make a fool of myself again."
| Tom, my boy, if any one had told
me a year ago that a 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 a 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 crorhe!"
"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?"
II was at home most of the time 3;
between 10 o'clock and noon I 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! 1 just happened to meet
Nan Bryerson at the spring under the
big rock. l 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."
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 yet, Thomas Gordon; there Is
a duty laid on me. 1 had hoped and
prayed that I might find you repent
| anti, you are not repentant Your faith
err has a letter from Doctor, Tollivar;
the doors of Beersheba are open to you
again. I had hoped" The pause was
not for effect. 1t was merely that the
man and the kinsman in Silas Crafts
had throttled the righteous judge. III
breaks my heart, Thomas, but l must
say it. You have put it out of your
| power to say with the Psalmist, will
wash mine hands in innocency: so will
1 compass thine altar o Lord You
must give up all thoughts of going
! back to Beersheba."
Don't trouble yourself" said Tom
with more bravado. Il wouldn't g
back there if it was the only place or
earth" Then suddenly: who was il
that told on me, Uncle Silas."
Never mind about that 1t was ono
who could have no object in misstat.
ing the fact-which you have not de.
MED. Let us go home"
Go be continued.)