ning
danger to the Meeting House.

"They done it," returned O'Brien calmly, his eyes riveted upon the
leaning tree.

Mike thrust his hands into the tops of his trousers.

"It sure was time to quit," he said with satisfaction.

The saloonkeeper's only comment was to rub his hands in a sort of
malicious glee. Then in a moment, he pointed at the straining guide.
"It's got way," he cried. "Look, she's spinning. The rope. She'll part
in half a tick. Get it? Say, might as well try to hold a house with
pure rubber, as a new rope. It's got such a spring. It's give the old
tree way. Now it's----. Gee!"

His final exclamation came as a terrific rending and cracking, far
louder than heavy gunshots, came from the base of the tree. There was
a vision of the lumbermen running clear. The next instant the
straining guide parted with a report that echoed far down the valley.
Then, caught by the other restraining guide, the whole tree swung
around, pivoting on its base, and fell with a roar of splitting and
rending, and a mighty final boom, along the whole length of the roof
of the Meeting House.

All O'Brien had anticipated had come to pass. Furthermore, the mush of
"vegetables" surrounding the house was more than fulfilled. The vast
trunk cut its way through the building, everything, like a knife
passing through butter, and finally came to rest upon the ruined
flooring inside.

With the final crash an awful silence prevailed. Not a voice was
raised among the onlookers. The old superstitions were fully stirring.
Was this the beginning of some further disaster to come? Was this the
work of that old-time curse? Was this only a part of the evil
connected with that tree? It was not the destruction of the house
alone that filled them with awe. It was the character of the house
that had been destroyed.

But in a moment the spell was broken, and O'Brien was the first to
help to break it. The tree had fallen. It lay there quite still, like
some great, dead, evil giant. Now his callous mind demanded to know
the full extent of the damage done.

He left his post, followed closely by his companions, and ran down
toward the wrecked building. With his movement a rush came from other
directions among the spectators, and, in the twinkling of an eye, the
ruined Meeting House was swarmed with an eager, curious throng of men
and women clambering over the wreckage.

What a gladdening result for the sensation-loving minds of the
callous! O'Br