"Come now-this is the accepted time and the day of salvation-who will be the first?" called Harper.

There was a stir in the left aisle, and a volley of fervent amens from the "Deacon's corner. A broad shouldered young man went up the aisle, and Harper grasped his brawny hand.

"Praise the Lord," he shouted. "Who'll be the next?"

A young girl made her way to the front with a dazed but happy look on her pale face, and then a man of some sixty years followed.

"None are too old to be saved, and while the lamp holds out to burn the vilest sinner may return." cried Harper.

A moment more the "trail hitters" were going up by twos and threes, when Evers, who was gazing spellhound at the keen magnetic face of the evangelist, turned to his companions with a sudden show of determination.

"I'm going up, boys," he announced firmly.
"Praise the Lord," shouted Caverhill.

"Don't be a fool," Blaine growled in a furious undertone.

"Suit yourself," Fulton whispered, "but that's carrying the joke a little too far."

"Just follow my lead, that's all," breathed Evers as he crowded past them and started up the aisle, thereby treating Baltimore Corner to a genuine surprise, for many of the people knew the young lawyer and his ability and capacity at and in front of the bar.

"Glad you've 'hit the trail,' my young brother. May the Lord bless you," Harper assured him, as he extended a welcoming hand which Evers seized in a brotherly grasp.

"Praise the Lord," repeated Caverhill.

Evers retained his hold on the evangelist's hand, swung back quickly, drove his head under Harper's arm, clinched him neatly, and, before the audience realized what was going on, Harper was on the floor and Evers sitting on his chest.

In another instant the building was in an uproar resembling a joint political meeting.

"Put him out," exclaimed half a dozen of the younger men as they rushed for the front of the church, where Blaine and Fulton met them and held them back for a few moments.

"The poor cuss said for us to follow his lead," panted Blaine.

"And we can't leave him now," agreed Fulton.

Then Deacon Caverhill intervened, and in a brief ten seconds flung to the winds a reputation founded on a life time of righteous living. He lined up beside the ungodly Blaine and Fulton, and armed himself with the organ stool.

"I own the ground this church stands on and I'll brain the first man that touches Mr. Evers," he shouted. "May God forgive me, but I wouldn't own a foot of land if it hadn't been for him.”

Caverhill's defection dulled the fighting edge of the rest of the crowd, and ten minutes later, after a few sporadic encounters, the three visitors started for the city-with the evangelist in the back seat.

Fifteen minutes more brought them to the familiar streets, and Evers walked into the office where Blackstock was still at his desk.

"Working late," Evers suggested pleasantly.

"Now, Bob," Blackstock protested, "it's no use. What I told you was final, and don't try to change my mind. I've just come from telling Myrtle, and that's all I want to contend with for one day."

"I just dropped in to tell you that I've reformed," Bob assured him.

"But I've given you so many chances," demurred Blackstock.

"Did I ever give you my word that I was done drinking?" Evers demanded.

"No, you never did," Blackstock admitted.

"Do you refuse to believe me when I tell you now?" "How did it happen, Bob?" queried Blackstock hopefully, and with a palpable desire to accept Evers' statement at its face value.

"I went up to the Baltimore Corner where an American evangelist is holding revival meetings. I went up with the rest of the 'trail hitters' and gave him my hand as a pledge of my reformation," Evers declared.

"Your father never went back on his pledged word in all his life," Blackstock suggested eagerly.

"Neither have I."

"But what excuse can I give the others for taking you back?"

"You're the head of the firm aren't you?" demanded Bob. "Do you need any excuse if your own judgment tells you it's best?"

Blackstock took one look at the set determined face of the younger man, and his hand went out with a characteristic impulsive gesture.

"Be on hand in the morning-your old desk's just as you left it," he ordered.

"I'll certainly be on hand," declared Bob, reached for the telephone, and asked for his house.

"That you, Myrtle?" he called. "This is Bob speaking."

"Oh, Bob, Mr. Blackstock was just here and told me. Please come home," came over the wire in a tearful voice.

"Coming right away-but I couldn't wait to tell you that Mr. Blackstock has taken me back about two minutes ago."

"Taken you back. But how-why-he told me—” "Yes, I know, and he meant it; but I've reformed since then."

"Oh, Bob, do you mean it?" There was a new note in the voice that fairly sang over the inanimate wire. "Mean it. Sure I do," declared Bob with a boyish laugh.

"Really and truly, Bob. Oh, I am so glad."

Why, sure, little girl," and Bob's voice was vibrant with love and the glowing prospects of happier days to come. Didn't I give the evangelist my hand

and promise to lead a new life? I couldn't go back on that, even if I wanted to."

Ross hustled in, started back at the sight of Bob's radiant face, and then addressed Blackstock in hurried tones, pointedly ignoring the ex-junior partner, as he fondly supposed.

"I've just got a telegram from my Moncton agent,' Ross announced, "and he's located our party for Doherty & Black."

"That's good news, "Blackstock agreed heartily. "But it'll cost us $400 to land him," Ross went on. "And I suppose you and your Moncton man split on the old 'fifty-fifty' basis," suggested Bob.

"No impudence," blustered Ross.

"Is your Moncton man sure he has located the right party?" interrupted Blackstock.

"Yes," replied Ross, "he's hanging around the I. C. R. shops."

Evers walked over and took down the printed document from Doherty & Black that Blackstock had pinned up a few hours before.

"$15,000 reward for the arrest of John Benson alias 'slick' Saunders. Wanted for robbing the Bangor National Bank of $100,000. Is a very resourceful criminal,'" he read. "Rather a bright looking chap too," he concluded, studying the cut at the top of the circular, "but he's a long way from Moncton, and your little scheme don't work this time, Ross."

"What do you mean?" faltered Ross.

"He's in the Fredericton jail this very minute, if you want to know."

"What." Blackstock sprang to his feet, and snatched up the circular.

"That's what I said," declared Evers.

"But how did he get there?" stammered Blackstock.

"He was the evangelist that I told you about, and I never let go of his hand till I got him behind the bars."

The End.

RIGHT TO NATURAL FLOW OF SURFACE

WATER.

BY THE EDITOR.

The rights to the natural flow of surface water are of immense interest in a new country such as Canada, and especially in the western provinces, where new homesteads and other agricultural lands are being constantly laid out for settlement and occupation.

The user of the stream or flow appertains to the proprietorship of the riparian land; and within certain limits there is a right of storing or even of diverting water within the land through which it runs, but the natural outflow must be preserved so that the rights of the adjacent owner must not be violated.

A recent case has again brought the subject before the court, but as it is still sub judice we do not at present propose to discuss it.

Pending a full elaboration of the subject the following notes will be found useful to practitioners concerned in the problem.

The case of Rylands v. Fletcher, is probably the most frequently quoted of all leading cases, and apparently its authority and implications are not being diminished with the lapse of time. The parties were the owners of adjacent lands. The plaintiffs worked mines under their close which communicated with disused workings under defendants' lands, which workings, although partly filled in, were insufficiently protected from a reservoir which the defendants constructed. When this reservoir was filled with water which percolated into the plaintiffs' mines, the latter were held to be entitled to recover damages from the defendants. In the course of his judgment Lord Cairns, L.C., stated the legal principles governing the case as follows: "The defendants might lawfully have used the close for any purpose for which it might in

1 1868 L. R. 3 H. L. 330.