that old busted jug in the morning. Godfrey, I must
'a' been flustered!" He shrilled in uncontrollable glee at the
recollection. And then again, later and far more gravely:

"I'm a-gittin' more religious every livin' day. I'm gittin' more
religious jest from standin' around and kinda watchin' how things is
made to work out right, jest when you've about decided that the Lord
ain't payin' as much attention to details as he might."

He knew that there had to be a light in the windows of the Tavern
office; he knew that he had to be in time. That was the finger of a
Something behind the whole day's developments which was directing it
all so masterfully. And because he was so certain of it all--because
he was positive that he was the agent who had been selected to mete
out justice at last--he found himself possessed of a greater courage
than he had ever known before as he clambered down from his seat and
mounted the worn steps.

A rush of chill air swept the group about the sprawling stove as
he opened the door and made each member lift his head, each after a
fashion that was startlingly indicative of the man himself. For
Judge Maynard wheeled sharply as the cold blast struck him--wheeled
with head flung back challengingly, and a harsh rebuke in every
feature--while old Dave Shepard turned and merely shivered. He just
shivered and flinched a little from the draft, appealingly. The
rest registered an ascending scale of emotions betwixt and between.

Just as he knew he would find them they sat. Judge Maynard had the
floor; and it was an easy thing to read that he had all but reached
the crisis of his recital. Any man could have read that merely from
the protest in the faces of the rest. And yet Old Jerry simply stood
there and swept the group with serene and dangerous geniality.

"Evenin', folks," he saluted them mildly.

His mildness was like a match to the fuse. Judge Maynard pounded his
fat knee with a fatter fist, and exploded thunderously:

"Shut that door!" he roared. "Shut that door!"

Old Jerry complied with amazing alacrity. The very panels shivered
with the force of the swing that slammed it close. The Judge should
have known right there--he should have read the writing on the
wall--and yet he failed to do that thing. Instead, he turned back once
more to his audience--back to his interrupted tale, and left Old Jerry
standing there before the door, ignored.

"As I was sayin'." He cleared his throat. "As I was