Part 16 (1/2)
”Do you mean that I am a gossip?”
”I was not thinking of you.”
”Let me preach for you, Sunday.”
”I will not do that either. I will not let my pulpit be debased by anything which I consider so low as this business.”
”You will not take advice, then?”
”Not such as that.”
”Be careful, Frederick Brent. I gave you that pulpit, and I can take it away,--I that know who you are and what you come from.”
”The whole town knows what you know, so I do not care for that. As for taking my pulpit from me, you may do that when you please. You put it upon me by force, and by force you may take it; but while I am pastor there I shall use my discretion in all matters of this kind.”
”Sophy 's been mighty quiet in her devilment. She does n't accuse anybody. Maybe you 've got more than one reason for s.h.i.+elding her.”
Brent looked into the man's eyes and read his meaning; then he arose abruptly and opened the door.
”I 'm not accusing--”
”Go,” said the young man hoa.r.s.ely. His face was white, and his teeth were hard set.
”You 'll learn some respect for your elders yet, if--”
”Go!” Brent repeated, and he took a step towards his visitor. Mr.
Simpson looked startled for a moment, but he glanced back into the young man's face and then pa.s.sed hurriedly out of the room.
Brent let two words slip between his clenched teeth: ”The hound!”
No one knew what had pa.s.sed between the young pastor and Mr. Simpson, but many mutterings and head-shakings of the latter indicated that all was not right. No one knew? Perhaps that is hardly correct, for on Sunday, the sermon over, when Brent looked to find Elizabeth in her usual place whence they walked home together, she was gone. He bit his lip and pa.s.sed on alone, but it rankled within him that she had so easily believed ill of him.
But he had not seen the last of the Rev. Mr. Simpson's work. It was the right of five members of the congregation to call a church-meeting, and when he returned for service in the evening he found upon the pulpit the written request for such an a.s.sembly to be held on Tuesday night.
Heading the list of members was the name of the former pastor, although this was not needed to tell the young man that it was his work. In anger he gave out the notice and went on with his duties.
”Somethin' must 'a' riled you to-night, Fred,” said Eliphalet when church was out. ”You give 'em a mighty stirrin' touch o' fire. It 'minded me o' that old supply sermon.” Brent smiled mirthlessly. He knew that the same feelings had inspired both efforts.
On Tuesday evening he was early at church, and in the chair, as was the pastor's place. Early as he was, he did not much precede Mr. Simpson, who came in, followed by a coterie of his choicest spirits.
When the a.s.sembly had been duly called to order, Brent asked, ”Will some one now please state the object of this meeting?”
Mr. Simpson arose.
”Brothers and sisters,” he said, ”the object of this meeting is a very simple one. From the time that I began to preach in this church, twenty-five years ago, we had purity and cleanness in the pulpit and in the pew.”
Brent's eyes were flas.h.i.+ng. Eliphalet Hodges, who had thought that the extra session was for some routine business, p.r.i.c.ked up his ears.
Simpson proceeded: ”One in this flock has lately gone astray: she has fallen into evil ways--”
”Brother Simpson,” interrupted Brent, his face drawn and hard with anger, ”will you state the object of this meeting?”
”If the pastor is not afraid to wait, he will see that that is what I am doing.”