58 TALL JOE. 



He had fallen on his face ; but the shrunken figure and mis- 

 shapen shoulders confirming the testimony of the crutch 

 itself all told at once that it was " Tombstone Tim." 



Had it been a stranger in any such predicament of peril 

 any one, in short, but the person in question, Joe would 

 have been at his side in half a second ; but when he saw who 

 it was, a sickly qualm came over the heart of the stout coun- 

 tryman. In what churchyard company had he seen Tim the 

 night before ? What had brought him to where he was that 

 morning? Joe put the two questions together, and gave 

 himself an indubitable answer, to the effect that the ghosts 

 and evil spirits with which " Tombstone Tim " had been so 

 long in fellowship had at last led him to destruction, perhaps 

 entered into him bodily, and driven him down that steep 

 place to perish in the waters. 



In such persuasion, no wonder that tall Joe hesitated ere he 

 brought himself into closer contact with one who, if not then, 

 must have been so recently " possessed;" but Joe was a kind, 

 good-hearted fellow ; he remembered not alone the parable of 

 the Legion, but that also of the Good Samaritan, and feelings 

 stirring within him stronger even than his superstitious fears, 

 brought him presently down the bank. He called Tim by 

 name, no answer was returned ; shook him by the arm, no 

 movement followed ; turned him gently over, and saw a white 

 motionless face, with a dark red and blue cut over the cheek- 

 bone, received, Joe doubtless suspected, from the hand of 



