II
"Then he groan, does the Genelman."
The Parson groaned too.
Knapp lifted his face.
"Ah," said he. "And fancy me layin there listenin, just the thick of the door a-tween us."
He stared at the hands upon his knees.
"I made shift to get on my legs, but lor bless you! I couldn't stir. It was all, 'O my God, send a thunder-bolt and put him out of his pain!'
"Then he groan again.
"At that old Pipes—I'd thought he were gone—layin back in his chair, ead all anyhow:—
"'Jack,' he says usky, 'is that the Genelman?'
"'May the Lord ave mercy on im!' I cries. 'It's im. He's dyin for us, Mr.
Piper—dyin slow.'
"'So did Jesus,' says he, calm as you please.
"'But can't we do nothin, my God?' I cries.
"'Nothin,' says he, sleepy-like. 'I'm dyin; you're done. God is our ope and strength.'
"'Can't you pray, Mr. Piper?' I begs him. 'You're a good un at that. Ave a go at em,' I says. 'Maybe they'd listen to you. Sure-ly they can't set by and see a genelman like that chaw'd up in cold blood.'
"He didn't answer. But I could see his head pitch forward a bit. And I hears a kind of a mutter.
"Then he stops, and I could see he were listenin,
"'Go it, Mr. Piper,' I says. 'Go it. Pitch it in. You're workin em. Pray! pray! pray!'
"'I ave prayed,' says he. 'Here's the answer.'
"Then I sat up. And well I might. I could hear it comin meself—low and far, and all the while a-growin like a mutter o thunder. It made me shake to hear it—not being brought up religious like.
"Then there was a rushin and a roarin, and the earth shook, and h'all of a sudden h'out of the whirlwind a great voice ollaed:—
"'Tally-ho! forrad!—mush em up, boys, and no Woody quarter!'
"'Your prayer is eard, Mr. Piper,' says I. 'It's a Jedgement on em.'
"'My prayer is eard,' says pore old Pipea. 'It's the orse-dragoons.'
"Then his ead loll sideways, and he was h'off again."