CHAPTERXVIII
ThePryorMystery“AndnowoldDodson，turningpale，Yieldstohisfate——soendsmytale。“
Itdidn’ttakemelongtoseewhyShelleylikedRobertPaget。HewasoneoftheverymostlikeablepersonsIeverhadseen。Weweresittingundertheappletree，growingbetterfriendseveryminute，whenweheardasmash，sowelookedup，anditwasthesoundmadebyRangerasMr。Pryorlandedfromtakingourmeadowfence。Hehadriddenthroughthepasture，andwascomingdownthecreekbank。Hewasaspectacletobehold。AmileawayyoucouldseethatThomashadtoldhimhehadseenRobert，andwherehewas。FatherhadbeenmistakeninthinkingMr。Pryorwouldgotothehouse。Hehadlosthishat，hiswhitehairwasflying，hishorsewasinalather，andheseemedtobetalkingtohimself。Roberttookonegoodlook。“YeGods！“hecried。
“Therehecomesnow，achatteringmadman！“
“TheStation，“Ipanted。“Upthatravine！Rollbackthestoneandpullthedoorshutafteryou。Quick！“
Henevercouldhavebeeninside，beforeMr。Pryor’shorsewasravingalongtheembankmentbesidethefence。
“Whereishe？“hecried。“Thomassawhimhere！“
Ididn’tthinkhishorsecouldtakethefenceatthetopofthehill，butitlookedasifheintendedtryingtomakeit，andI
hadtostophimifIcould。
“Sawwho？“Iaskedwithclickingteeth。
“Atall，slenderman，withahandsomeface，andtheheartofadevil。“
“Yes，therewasamanherelikethatintheface。Ididn’tseehisheart，“Isaid。
“Whichway？“ravedMr。Pryor。“Whichway？Isheatyourhouse？“
ThenIsawthathehadthereinsinhislefthand，andabigrevolverinhisright。Sotherewasnomistakeaboutwhetherhe’dreallyshoot。Butthatgunprovokedme。Peoplehavenobusinesstobecarelesswiththosethings。They’redangerous！
“Hedidn’tdowhatyouthinkhedid，“Icried，“andhecanprovehedidn’t，ifyou’llstopcavorting，andlistentoreason。“
Mr。Pryorleanedoverthefence，darkpurplelikeabeetnow。
“Youtellmewhereheis，orI’llchokeitoutofyou，“hesaid。
Iguesshemeantit。Itookonelonglookathislean，clawlikefingers，andputbothhandsaroundmyneck。
“HeknewThomassawhim。Hewentthatway，“Isaid，wavingofftowardthenorth。
“Hah！strikingforpetticoats，asusual！“hecried，andawayhewentinthedirectionofhishouse。ThenIflewfortheStation。
“Comefromthere，quick！“Icried。“I’vesenthimbacktohishouse，butwhenhefindsyou’renotthere，hewillcomehereagain。Hurry，andI’llputyouinthewoodshedloft。He’dneverthinkoflookingthere。“
Hecameoutandwestartedtowardthehouse，goingprettyfast。
AlmosttothebackgatewemetShelley。
“Doesmotherknow？“Iasked。
“Ijusttoldher，“shesaid。
“Father，“Icried，goinginthebackdining-roomdoor。“Mr。
PryorwasdowninthemeadowonRanger。ThomasdidseeRobert，andhisfatherishuntinghimwithagun。Wesawhimcoming，soIhidRobertintheStationandsentMr。Pryorbackhome——IguessItoldhimalie，father，oratleastpartofone，Isaidhewent`thatway，’andhedid，butnotsofarasImadehisfatherthink；sohestartedbackhome，butwhenhegetsthereanddoesn’tfindRoberthe’llcomehereagain，madderthanever。Ohfather，he’llcomeagain，andhe’scrazy，father！Clear，ravingcrazy！Iknowhe’llcomeagain！“
“Yes，“saidfathercalmly。“Ithinkitveryprobablethathewillcomeagain。“
Thenhestartedaroundshuttingandlatchingwindows，closingandlockingthedoors，andhecarefullyloadedhisgun，andleaneditagainstthefrontcasing。Thenheputonhisglasses，andbeganexaminingthepaperstheyhadbroughtoutagain。Robertstoodbesidehim，andexplainedandshowedhim。
“Youseewithmeoutoftheway，theEnglishlawwouldgiveeverythingtomycousin，“hesaid，andheexplaineditalloveragain。
“Andtothinkhowhealwaysposedforaperfectsaint！“criedthePrincess。“OhIhopethedevilknowshowtomakehimpayforwhatallofushavesuffered！“
“Child！Child！“criedmother。
“Ican’thelpit！“saidthePrincess。“Letmetellyou，Mr。
Stanton。“
ThenSHEtoldeverythingalloveragain，butitwasevenmoreinterestingthanthewayRobertexplainedit，becausewhatshesaidwasabouthowithadbeenwithherandhermother。
“Itmadefatherwhatheis，“shesaid。“HewouldhavekilledRobert，ifourfriendshadn’thelpedhimaway。Hewillnow，ifheisn’tstopped。Itellyouhewill！Hesoldeverythinghecouldlegallycontrol，forwhatanyonechosetogivehim，andfledherestrickeninpride，heartbroken，insanewithanger，thecreatureyouknow。Inaminutehe’llbebackagain。Ohwhatarewegoingtodo？“
Fatherwaslayingoutthepapersthathewantedtouseverycarefully。
“Theseconstitutealltheproofanycourtwouldrequire，“hesaidtoRobert。“Ifhereturns，allofyoukeepfromsight。Thisismyhouse；I’llmanagewhocomeshere，inmyownway。“
“Butyoumustbeallowedtotakenorisk！“criedRobert。“I
cawn’tconsenttoyouahfacingdangerforme。“
“Therewillbenorisk，“saidfather。“Thereisnoreasonwhyheshouldwanttoinjureme。Asthemasterofthishouse，Iamaccustomedtobeingobeyed。Ifhecomes，stepintotheparlourthere，untilIcallyou。“
HewasbusywiththepaperswhenhesawMr。Pryorcoming。I
wonderedifhewouldjumptheyardfenceandridedownmother’sflowers，buthelefthishorseatthehitchingrack，andpoundedonthefrontdoor。
“Didanyofyounoticewhetherhewasdisplayingarevolver？“
askedfather。
“Yesfather！Yes！“Icried。“Andhe’sshakingsoI’mafraidhe’llmakeitgo，whenhedoesn’tintendto。“
Fatherpickedupandlevelledhisrifleonthefrontdoor。
“Leon，“hesaid，“you’reprettyagile。Openthisdoor，keepyourselfbehindit，andsteparoundintheparlour。Therestofyougetout，andstayoutofrange。“
Thosenearesthurriedintotheparlour。Candace，May，andI
crouchedinthefrontstairway，butthingsweresoexcitingwejusthadtokeepthedooropenatinycracksowecouldseeplainasanything。TherehadbeennothingforMrs。Freshetttodoallafternoon，soshehadgoneovertovisitanhourwithAmandaDeam。NowMr。PryorprobablythoughtfatherwouldmeethimwiththeBibleinhishand，andreadapassageaboutlovingyourneighbourasyourself。I’llbetanythingyoucanmentionthatheneverexpectedtofindhimselflookingstraightdownthebarrelofashiningbigriflewhenthatdoorswungopen。Itsurprisedhimso，hestaggered，andhisarmwavered。Ifhehadshotandhitanythingthen，itwouldhavebeenanaccident。
“Gotyouovertheheart，“saidfather，inpreciselythesamevoicehealwayssaid，“Thisisafinedaywearehaving。““Nowwhyareyoucominghereinsuchashape？“Thiswasalittlecross。“I’mnotthemantocringebeforeyou！“Thiswasquiteboastful。“You’llgetbulletforbullet，ifyouattempttoinvademyhousewithagun。“Thispingedasiffathershotwordsinsteadofbullets。
“Iwantmydaughtertocomehome，“saidMr。Pryor。“Andifyou’reshelteringthethiefsheistryingtohide，yieldhimup，ifyouwouldsaveyourself。“
“Well，I’mnotanxiousaboutdying，withthefamilyIhaveonmyhands，neighbour，“saidfather，hisrifleholdingwithoutawaver，“butunlessyouputawaythatweapon，andlistentoreason，youcannotentermyhouse。Calmyourself，man，andhearwhatthereistobesaid！Examinetheproof，thatisherewaitingtobeofferedtoyou。“
“Onceandbutonce，sendthemout，orI’llenteroveryou！“criedMr。Pryor。
“Sorry，“saidfather，“butifonlyamuscleofyourtriggerfingermoves，youfallbeforeIdo。I’vethebestrange，andthemostsuitableimplementforthework。“
“Implementforthework！“Well，whatdoyouthinkoffather？
Anyonewhocouldnotsee，tohaveheardhim，wouldhavethoughthewastalkingaboutahoe。Wesawashadowbeforeweknewwhatmadeit；then，alittleatatime，wonderingly，herjollyfaceabewildereddaze，hermouthslowlyopening，Mrs。Freshett，half-
bentandpeering，stoopedunderMr。Pryor’sarmandlookedinourdoor。Shehadcomebacktohelpgetsupper，andbecausethekitchenwaslocked，shehadgonearoundthehousetoseeifshecouldgetinatthefront。Whatshesawclosedhermouth，andstraightenedherback。
“WHY，YOUTWOOLDFOOLS！“shecried。“IFYEAIN’TDRAWEDABEAD
ONEACHOTHER！“
Noneofussawherdoit。Weonlyknewafteritwasoverwhatmusthavehappened。Shehadsaidshe’driskherlifeformother。
Sheneverstoppedaninstantwhenherchancecame。Shemusthaveturned，andthrownherbigbodyagainstMr。Pryor。Hewastired，old，andshakingwithanger。Theywentdowntogether，shegrippinghisrightwristwithbothhands，andshewasstrongasmostmen。Fathersetthegunbesidethedoor，andbentoverthem。AminutemoreandhehandedtherevolvertoLeon，andhelpedMrs。Freshetttoherfeet。Mr。Pryorlayalltwistedonthewalk，hisfacewasworking，andwhathesaidwasastiffjabbernoonecouldunderstand。Hehadbrokenintothepiecesweoftenfearedhewould。
RobertandLaddiecamerunningtohelpfathercarryhimin，andlayhimonthecouch。
“Ihope，MissStanton，“saidMrs。Freshett，“thatIwa’n’ttooroughwithhim。Hewassoshaky-like，Iwas’feeredthatthingwouldgooffwithouthisreallymakin’it，andofcourseI
couldn’tseenoneofyournthreatenedwithadeadlyweepon，’thoutbuttin’inanddoin’thebestIcould。“
Motherputherarmsaroundherasfarastheywouldreach。Shewouldhavehadtotakeherasideatatimetoreallyhugallofher，andshesaid：“Mrs。Freshett，youareaninstrumentinthehandsoftheLordthisday。Undoubtedlyyouhavekeptusfromafearfultragedy；possiblyyouhavesavedmyhusbandforme。Noneofusevercanthankyouenough。“
“Loosenhiscollarandgivehimair，“saidMrs。Freshettpushingmotheraway。“Ithinklikelyhehasbustabloodvessel。“
FathersentLeonflyingtobringDr。Fenner。LaddietookthecarriageandheandRobertwentafterMrs。Pryor，whilefather，mother，Mrs。Freshett，thePrincess，May，andI，everylastone，workedoverMr。Pryor。Wepouredhotstuffdownhisthroat，putwarmthingsaroundhim，andrubbedhimuntilthesweatranonus，tryingtogethisknottedmusclesstraightenedout。WhenDr。
Fennercamehesaidweweredoingallhecould；MAYBEMr。Pryorwouldcometoandbeallright，andmaybehisleftsidewouldbehelplessforever；itwasastroke。SeemedtomehavingMrs。
Freshettcomeagainstyoulikethat，couldbecalledagooddealmorethanastroke，butIcouldn’tthinkoftherightwordthen。
Andafterall，perhapsstrokewasenough。Hecouldn’thavebeenmuchworseoffifthebarnhadfallenonhim。Ididn’tthinktherewasquitesomuchofMrs。Freshett；butthenshewasscared，andangry；andhewasaboutreadytoburst，allbyhimself，ifnoonehadtouchedhim。Hehadmuchbetterhavestayedathomeandlistenedtowhatwastobesaid，reasonably，likefatherwould；andthenifhereallyhadtoshoot，hewouldhavebeeninsomekindofconditiontotakeaim。
Afteralonghardfightwegothimlimber，straightenedout，andwarm，itdidn’tripsowhenhebreathed，thentheyputhimintheparlouronthebigdavenport。Leonsaidifthesparkin’benchdidn’tbringhimto，nothingwould。Laddiesatbesidehimandmotherkeptpeeping。Shewouldn’tletDr。Fennergo，becauseshesaidMr。Pryorjustmustcomeoutofitright，andhaveafewyearsofpeaceandhappiness。
Mrs。PryorcamebackwithLaddieandRobert。Hecarriedherin，putherinthebigrockingchairagain，andhesatbesideher，strokingandkissingher，whilesheheldhimwithbothhands。
YoucouldseeNOWwhyhismothercouldn’tsleep，walkedtheroad，andheldherhandsoverherheart。Shewasabravewoman，andshehaddonewelltokeepaliveandgoinginanyshapeatall。
Youseeweknew。Therehadbeenonlythefewhourswhenitseemedpossiblethatoneofourboyshadtakenfather’smoneyandwasgone。Iwellrememberedwhathappenedtoourmotherthen。