substitute for a prophet of the Lord.

"You were right," I said. "I have read the 11th chapter of Ist Kings,
and I have spent such a night as I pray God I shall never spend again.

"I thought you would," he replied. "I've had the same experience
myself."

"The Grove?" I said.

"Ay, the wud," was the answer in broad Scots.

I wanted to see how much he understood. "Mr. Lawson's family is from
the Scottish Border?"

"Ay. I understand they come off Borthwick Water side," he replied, but
I saw by his eyes that he knew what I meant.

"Mr. Lawson is my oldest friend," I went on, "and I am going to take
measures to cure him. For what I am going to do I take the sole
responsibility. I will make that plain to your master. But if I am to
succeed I want your help. Will you give it me? It sounds like madness
and you are a sensible man and may like to keep out of it. I leave it
to your discretion."

Jobson looked me straight in the face. "Have no fear for me," he said;
"there is an unholy thing in that place, and if I have the strength in
me I will destroy it. He has been a good master to me, and, forbye I
am a believing Christian. So say on, sir."

There was no mistaking the air. I had found my Tishbite.

"I want men," I said, "--as many as we can get."

Jobson mused. "The Kaffirs will no' gang near the place, but there's
some thirty white men on the tobacco farm. They'll do your will, if
you give them an indemnity in writing."

"Good," said I. "Then we will take our instructions from the only
authority which meets the case. We will follow the example of King
Josiah. I turned up the 23rd chapter of end Kings, and read--

"And the high places that were before Jerusalem, which were on the
right hand of the Mount of Corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel
had builded for Ashtaroth the abomination of the Zidonians ... did the
king defile.

"And he brake in Pieces the images, and cut down the groves, and
filled their places with the bones of men....'

"Moreover the altar that was at Beth-el, and the high place which
Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that
altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, and
stamped it small to powder, and burned the grove."

Jobson nodded. "It'll need dinnymite. But I've plenty of yon down at
the workshops. I'll be off to collect the lads."

Before nine the men had assembled at Jobson's house. They were