The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-09-07

ltlAS 10 TO- 4 OH LlegleT S ASSISTANT, QuSI-
ing the roulette wheel and table, covered them
surreptitiously with cloth and stole out to
ask the boss, in a whisper, for further orders
Evidently the priest was in no haste. They
eyed him unoomfortably, their faces impas-
sive, while Tom stood in the narrow doorway
opening from the bar to the back room, chew
ing on a cigar and wondering what Walsh's
purpose might be- The long, Whitfield rail
ing was deserted, and would be deserted as
long as he remained Ziegler glowered at the
priest and bit savagely on his weed
Can't anyl1ody tell story 2" asked Father
Walsh His smile was so spontaneous that
Deadege caught itself grinning in sympathy
Hous there was tellin' one when you come
in, remarked Pink.
done told all mine, . cut in Hous, plainly
uneasy.
The company sniggered, their memory
barking back over Mr. Saunders repertow.
How would you like me to tell you one ~
inquired the priest, and his air was serious
now
at all depends returned Deadeye eau
tiously. eff il amt"
No, it's good story, an interesting story
and true one, spoke up Walsh. Some of
you perhaps have read il. .
He launched into the miracle of the multi
tide and the loilves and fishes. As he told it,
not man there recognized the Biblical story,
If indeed they had ever heard 1t, but they
fdgeted in vast discomfort when the little
mans voice sank reverently and his face
glowed at mention of the Christ But when
he reached the climax, how the thousands
were fed to safety and there remained so
great surplus, Mr.. Perry Strengthened and
evinced the liseliest interest. Now, Pink
was something Of mathematician, and this
plainly was impossible He entered into
long dispute with the priest, the ingenious
Walsh waxing warm in the controversy, set
ting forth his arguments simply and in spirit
of equality with his opponent What he said
was quite comprehensible-no only Pink,
but Lewis and half the sitters were debating
the various miracles Of the Old Testament
within ten minutes There was nothing
dogmatie about the teacher; he claimed no
monopoly of spiritual light, no lien on ever
lasting reward; but he met these men as one
Of them, a fellow mortal seeking the path to
salvation
There was no gambling in Deadeye that
day. Neither did they indulge in any of the
customary amusements. The population
stayed in Mr.. lie gler's back room, perspiring
freely over the manifold mysteries Of the
Written Word, listening in stupefaction to the
phlegmatic Lewis's unexpected flow Of Ian
.guage and the rich, kindly tones of the priest
as he made answer and set the gambler right.
The shadows fell, and they crossed to the
Eating House, bearing Walsh with them, and
after the usual perfunctory gobbling of. the
frontier, went into session again at Ziegler's
at the precise point where they had broken off.
Tom himself became so enthralled that he
gave over gloomy computations of what the
days loss of business would total, and
threshed out the Elijah episcde with persist
ent attention to the law Of probability
Eleven O'Clock . exclaimed Father Walsh
swapping his watch in surprise " Mr. Zieg-
! Ter, would you find out what the gentlemen
win have %
He was going Il buy them drink Rbl
quite 8 minute Sasy sat stunned, unable Il
grasp this anomaly. Here's how" theJ
nodded with dignity DRINK replied tht
J priest, employing the formula Of Deadeye
Why, he was one of them! In the week tha
, followed, Father Walsh and the subjects hl
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