oisonous, you know."

"Can we say how long they have not been so, or how soon our hatred
will make them all poisonous? Do you know, moreover, that sorrow,
remorse, all emotions, in fact, affect the perspiration that exudes
from the human body? Do you know that hatred will render human
perspiration the deadliest poison known to science? I am told that
in a few minutes of murderous hatred enough of this poisonous
perspiration is exuded from the human body to kill a man. And do
you know that the thought which manifests upon the body in such
deadly poison is just as deadly when sent into the mentality of a
human being? Think what the Church's deadly hatred of so-called
heretics has done in the last nineteen hundred years! Why, millions
have been killed by it alone! And in the name of Christ!

"But now," he said, consulting his watch, "I must go. Even a newspaper
man requires a little sleep. And I must make my apology for occupying
the floor to-night to the exclusion of you all. I have gradually been
filling up with these thoughts for some weeks, and I had to let them
out. Besides--"

"Mr. Hitt," interrupted Father Waite, "I shall soon be ready to report
on those questions of Bible research which you assigned to me."

"Ah, yes," replied Hitt. "Well, have you found that Jesus really was
an historical character, or not?"

"I think," said Carmen, "that he has found that it really matters
little whether there ever was such a person as the human man Jesus.
The Christ has always lived; and the Christ-principle which the man
Jesus is reported to have revealed to the world is with us, here, now,
and always. It is the principle, rather than the man Jesus, that
concerns us, is it not?"

"Miss Carmen," interposed Reverend Moore, "Jesus was the incarnate Son
of God, and your remarks concerning him are--"

"Slow up, Pat!" interrupted Doctor Morton. "I'll fight that out with
you on the way home. Come, the meeting's adjourned."

"We will take up that question in our next discussion," said Hitt.
"But, wait; Carmen must give us just a short song before we part."

The girl went immediately to the piano. As she passed Hitt, she
squeezed his hand. A few minutes later the little group dispersed,
with the melody of the girl's voice trembling in their souls.

CHAPTER 8

For several days Ames reflected, and waited. Judging by the data which
he was able to secure, the Express was eating up money at a fearful
pace. To continue a