Wood said that there was never a sermon preached in Riverdale that
had the effect that the death of this wicked man had, and it reminded
her of a verse in the Bible: "He made a pit and he digged it, and is
fallen into the ditch which he made." Mrs. Wood said that her husband
had written about the finding of Mr. Barron's body to his English
relatives, and had received a letter from them in which they seemed
relieved to hear that he was dead. They thanked Mr. Wood for his plain
speaking in telling them of their relative's misdeeds, and said that
from all they knew of Mr. Barron's past conduct, his influence would be
for evil and not for good, in any place that he choose to live in. They
were having their money sent from Boston to Mr. Wood, and they wished
him to expend it in the way he thought best fitted to counteract the
evil effects of their namesake's doings in Riverdale.

When this money came, it amounted to some hundreds of dollars. Mr. Wood
would have nothing to do with it. He handed it over to the Band of
Mercy, and they formed what they called the "Barron Fund," which they
drew upon when they wanted money for buying and circulating humane
literature. Mrs. Wood said that the fund was being added to, and the
children were sending all over the State leaflets and little books which
preached the gospel of kindness to God's lower creation. A stranger
picking one of them up, and seeing the name of the wicked Englishman
printed on the title-page, would think that he was a friend and
benefactor to the Riverdale people--the very opposite of what he gloried
in being.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXIX

A TALK ABOUT SHEEP

Miss Laura was very much interested in the sheep on Dingley Farm. There
was a flock in the orchard near the house that she often went to see.
She always carried roots and vegetables to them, turnips particularly,
for they were very fond of them; but they would not come to her to get
them, for they did not know her voice. They only lifted their heads and
stared at her when she called them. But when they heard Mr. Wood's
voice, they ran to the fence, bleating with pleasure, and trying to push
their noses through to get the carrot or turnip, or whatever he was
handing to them. He called them his little Southdowns, and he said he
loved his sheep, for they were the most gentle and inoffensive creatures
that he had on his farm.

One day when he came into the kitchen