Tom has lived a wicked life;
but God is merciful, an' he has put away all my sins. I ax pardon of
all I hev hurt, an' forgive ary who has harmed me." Then his mind began
to wander, and he thought himself in the church where he had found
peace in his soul. "You'uns is right, Preacher Very, whisky makin',
sellin' an' drinkin' is wrong; and I'll quit it for good frum dis night
on. O dat sweet music, how good it makes me feel!

'Jesus, Lover of my soul,
Let me to thy bosom fly.
Safe into the haven guide,
O receive my soul at last.'

"Hush! Dey air singin' ag'in, an' how her sweet voice leads all de rest:

'Other--refuge--have--I--none;
Hangs--my--helpless--soul--on--thee.'

"Dat--is--my--prayer--my--only--hope. Long--Tom
will--go--home--home--to--God--on--dat--prayer."

He straightened his tall form on the grassy slope under the kindly
shadow of the mighty oak. A look of peace and pure content came into
his face, as though he were glad to have his discharge; he gave one
look through the leafy top of the tree, as if beholding some form in
the upper air, then slowly closed his eyes. A shiver ran through his
frame, a gargle in his throat, a gasp from his lips, and all was over.

In low reverent tones John Larkin said: "Blessed are the dead which die
in the Lord."

Again the captain of the moonshiners, Sam Wiles, was taken to the
county jail. This time he did not escape. In process of time he and the
other prisoners were tried for the illicit distilling of whisky, were
found guilty, and sentenced to the penitentiary at Frankfort for a term
of years. The charge of murder was not pressed against them. So they
pass from this history.

CHAPTER XXIV.

"I Thee Wed."

The golden month of September saw Viola much improved in health. Her
wound had healed nicely, thanks to her strong constitution and to the
care she had received from the physician and nurse. Now she was rapidly
convalescing, and as the fine autumn days went by she was able to ride
in her carriage, and even visit the mission school, though unable to
teach her class of girls.

By Christmas time the roses had indeed reappeared in her cheeks, and
her step was almost as elastic as ever. June found her fully restored
to health. This month was to be forever memorable to her, for her
wedding to Jasper Very was set for the eighteenth day.

The whole plantation was in a fever of excitement quite a while before
the event was to tran