Show dav fsr lorry olix OIIN HARDING was waa not cot a mild man mail neither was waa he be inclined to be superstitious ious As a rule lie he had small email belief in ill signs presentiments pre sentiments or hunches but just now al aa this was different for lie ho had seen certain signs that one ona rt ct hla his shouts had been stolen etolen had bad i r presentiment that a certain c worthy known ns as I 1 joe had ie the foul deed and possessed n buich bui ch that he ha was about to horsewhip joe until he any pig critter that was ever lifted over a fence on a moonless moon leas night so being a man mail of deeds as well as thoughts lie he took down his trusty bull whip and started swamp vard towards the abode of his victim 0 to o be now shiftless joe woo was not reckoned among the of john Ilar dings community and when one is told that there were but people in that district he ha wilt will understand that the statement has a well ell defined meaning lie ile lived alone at the edge of tile the ug big swamp in ill summer ahn it was not too hot trapping in wanter when it was not too cold sleeping and loafing the year around lie he was aas avoided by tho the entire hard hardworking working hard praying settlement it was a long tramp from the home of harddng to the miserable cabin of the trapper and by the time tho the former had arrived there ills hla righteous wrath t the slothful sinful being whom lie ho sought as aa grim and unrelenting my afy house housa is the tha house of prayer but yo have made it a den ot thieves lie he quoted sternly then ho he raised his hie flat and smote upon tho the wretched door such a blow as moses of old might have struck when he split the rock and bade the waters gush forth from within a squeaky voice bade him enter and through the narro borway he be crowded ho he gl geald aLd around the cluttered place from one corner a thin figure arose and stood wringing ringing before the mighty one tear fear thickly spreading his face as ho he noted tho the formidable alip tightly ChIt Ched in tho ilia equally formidable hand good goo morning mr hording harding happy new year he be said fawningly it Is a bad morning for you and it la is going to bo be an all unhappy beginning of the new year he retorted steal my shoat will yuu you the smaller man up his hands with a protesting gesture no as quick denial leaped to ills hla lips but harding silenced allen ced him with it a roar don lying to your Ode thievery you sheep killing cur one falser word rom your lips and your punishment shall be doubled you thought you were cunning but in several placed I 1 found the ilia mark of that club foot of yours while ii a were making oft off with my good pori par ow what have lave you to say nothing except tint that I 1 did not steal As a bear str strikes fles did tho the heavy arm ot of the invader shoot out the hand gripping th the ethla abin shoulder like a trap 1 I warned you it if you ped lied your our punishment should be doubled has not tho ilia good lord commanded thou not steal thank your stars that you did not live in those days for you would have bave been stoned to death rather bless your low luck that you ou have fallen into the hands of a compassionate man with a hiss tile the lash fell and a shuddering scream burst from the lips of the cringing one but from then on no found escaped them until at last re leared leaped from the ir 13 i grip joo joe lell fell limply upon the frozen ground sternly gazing down upon his victim for a moment Il aidIng turned away it was tile the just punishment of a rogue by a just roan man lie he muttered to his conscience F from roin a shapeless writhing heap the fallen ono one arose ills his small eyes glinting with the deadly glare of a prodded serpent whip me you black devil you ou usurer you yon foreclosed tore fore closer of widows mortgages you dodger of taxes you you the voice rose to an inarticulate tic scream of rage by the eternal ill kill you for that yes murder you in cold blood then the first 4 41 I 1 14 z t ril ill kill you for that yes av mild lid outburst of passion passed and into tho the red eyes a look of cunning banning c crept the cunning that outwitted wary wild boasts beasts and took them in his snares I 1 llo ile passed rapidly through the brush I 1 until lio lie camo came to a hollow log from which lu ha drew an ancient gun which lie ho had bud stolen and hidden there years ears b before tore none nona know knew that he possessed it and he chuckled at ills own cunning as aa lie ho plotted his bis details lie knew that Ilard logs family was away anway and that john would attend n k that night and return home alone after services nothing would be easier than to raise a window of ills his doob house during his absence and upon till return kill him at its his own threshold and leaving the weapon behind him lleo flee joe was known to never curry carry a weapon and the leaving of 0 this tire anre arm ami behind together w with ath the forcible entry of the place would throw tile tho crime upon mysterious tramps or bur bill glara 60 s darkness felt fell lie he prowled forth assur assured id himself that harding hid had gone then prying open tho ilia window entered and eat bat waiting malting by tho the low burning lamp until tho the sound of distant wheels roa readied clied lite his ears cars ile ho had not loaded his weapon yet let having reasoned that should he bu be caught bo be foe tile the act with rin nn unloaded gun lie ho would be deemed guilty of a far less ottense offense than should it be loaded but now tho the time had come from ills his pocket ho he drew some pow der and poured it into the i yawning awning muzzle laying the bullet upon tho the ta ble next lie ho must have hae some paper wadding adding tor for both powder and ball and a book lay close at hand without looking at its cover coer he tore forth a handful of leaves and selecting one laid tile the others aside as he raised the first piece preparatory to crumpling it up anil and ramming it home upon the powder As he did so BO the words upon tile the leaf caught hla hie oye eye and slowly lie he read thou shall not kill ills his hand band trembled and his face grow grew gray gra then in ili the night without lie ho headid tho the beat of at hoofs before tho the birn barn coupled with tho the loud command to whoa and with a goal lie he clutched another sheet before his eyes ces swam the words likewise I 1 say unto you sou thero there la is jo y in the presence of the angels of 0 god cod over one sinner that teth slowly tho the gun slipped clipped from ills hla liand hand ills his form relaxed and ho he bank gailli into a chair his head falling upon tho table flo five minutes later john hording fresh from un tin harnessing his team throwing open 1 9 door started back bach in feir fear and amazement then softly ho he approached the man who was now shuddering as ho he had beneath ilia whip laid tile the gun isido and gazed at the mutilated bible upon the floor lie he saw the lie dropped pages gathered them up tip read them then slowly understood der stood for tile the second time that day hard ings land hand fell upon the shoulder ot of tile the other but this time it was with a parents gentleness brother Broth cr pinner lie ho whispered husk ny lly |