Part 19 (2/2)
”Should say I was,” Miles drawled forth. ”Never got into such a mess in all my life. Skated down river Sunday evening and was caught in that blasted snowstorm, and so am footing it back.”
”Dear me, that's hard luck,” and Farrington sat down upon a soap-box.
”Anyway, I'm mighty glad to see ye. Hope things are goin' well at the Corner. Much election talk, eh?”
”Considerable. The air's been full of it lately, but I guess Sunday's doings will give the folks a new subject for awhile. 'Twas certainly a stunner!”
”Why, what do ye mean, Miles? n.o.body killed, I hope.”
”What! Haven't you heard anything?”
”No, how could I with the storm blockin' the roads.”
”Sure. I never thought of that. But I supposed the parson let it out.”
”The parson!” and Farrington's eyes opened wide with amazement. ”What in the devil has he to do with it? He was brought home night afore last with his shoulder out of jint.”
”Whew! You don't say so! Well, I declare!”
”Tell me what ye mean, man,” exclaimed Farrington, moving impatiently on his seat. ”Let's have the yarn.”
”Ha-ha! It was a corker! Just think of it; a funeral procession moving slowly across the river, with Tim Fraser and Parson John racing by like a whirlwind. I never saw anything like it, ha-ha!” and Miles leaning back laughed loud and long at the recollection.
Farrington was all attention now. A gleam of delight shone in his eyes, and a faint sigh of relief escaped his lips. He controlled his eagerness, however, for he wished to draw Miles out, and learn the whole story.
”Ye don't mean to tell me,” he remarked, ”that the parson was racin' on Sunday? Surely ye must be mistaken!”
”I'm a liar then,” calmly replied the other, gazing thoughtfully down at his boots. ”Yes, I'm a liar, and a fool! Why, didn't I see the whole thing with my own eyes? And didn't all the people of Craig's Corner see it, too?
Ask them, they'll tell you the same.”
”I don't doubt yer word, Miles, but it's so unusual. The parson never did anything like that before, did he?”
”Not to my knowledge. But he's mighty fond of a horse, and a fast one at that, so I guess when Tim Fraser clipped up he couldn't resist the temptation.”
”Did he explain about it? Did he tell how it happened?”
”He didn't say much. I heard him tell some people that he never let the devil get ahead of him, and he was bound he wouldn't do it that time.”
”Ho-ho! That's what he said? Nothing more?”
”No, not that I heard. I came away after that, so nothing new has reached me since, except what you tell me. Is he badly injured?”
”I don't know. Guess he'll come out all right; he generally does.”
”He looked very well on Sunday. I'm really sorry he's met with this accident.”
”Mebbe it had something to do with the race,” suggested Farrington.
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