“Don’t forget, papa, that you have also the distinguished assistance of the eminent Mr. David RoBards.”
“Umm—ah—yes! Yes, yes, of course, of course!”
But lesser alarms were lost in greater. And when RoBards went to the post office he found there a letter from his farmer:
Mr. D. RoBards esqe.
Las nite in the big storm here youre chimbley was strok by litening and the seller wall all broke wat shall I do about it or will you get a mason from the sitty with respects as ever youre obed. servt.
J. Albeson
P S. Too cows was also strok by litening and a toolup tree.
J. A.
The letter was itself a lightning stroke in RoBards’ peace. Time and security had almost walled up Jud Lasher’s memory in oblivion. And now he seemed to see the body disclosed by a thunderbolt from heaven splitting apart the stones to show it grinning and malevolent.
After the first shock he realized that the body could not have been revealed or Albeson would have mentioned it. This gave him one deep breath of relief.