Page:Hugh Pendexter--Tiberius Smith.djvu/148

 that mace their brothers and presume upon their loot. Oh, woe unto Slouchy Williams and his sin. As the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so shall Slouchy Williams melt away if he doesn't repent of his evil ways. Woe unto you, Slouchy! Woe! woe! woe!' "Then he gasped and tried another; but, bless you, sir! they were all loaded for the sinful, and Slouchy staggered to his feet crying that he had had enough.

"‘No,' contradicted Tib, gravely, 'I've taken your stamps and you must take the goods. I appeal to the gentlemen present.'

"Ruddy Mac got wise in a second, and with a glad gleam in his sombre eye he thoughtlessly hitched his belt around front and observed, 'Of course, no one here would hurt ye. Slouch, but just listen to the machine. That's all: listen!'

"And Williams sank back in his seat and heard the whole programme. He took it all at one sitting, and two hours later we saw him throwing whiskey-bottles and cards into the creek. He even asked if it would be all right to retain his pipe and tobacco. Tib told him it was perfectly correct to do this.

"‘Jest as ye say, Mr. Smith. I feel like makin' a sacrifice, an' I'll heave th' pipe after th' other sin traps if ye say so.'

"So it wasn't a flaw, after all, and Red Ant became the cleanest and most upright camp in all the