l clear to him now. He recalled
everything, her hysterical behaviour, her laughter, her tears. "It was
you who drove that child back to this." He glanced at Polly. The narrow
shoulders were bent forward. The nervous little fingers were clasping
and unclasping each other. Never before had she seemed so small and
helpless.

"Oh, please, Mr. John, please! Don't make him any worse!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded.

"It would have done no good," she sobbed. "Oh, why--why won't you leave
me alone?"

"It would have done all the good in the world. What right had he to send
you back to this?"

"I had every right," said Strong, stubbornly.

"What?" cried Douglas.

"It was my duty."

"Your duty? Your narrow-minded bigotry!"

"I don't allow no man to talk to me like that, not even my parson."

"I'm NOT your parson any longer," declared Douglas. He faced Strong
squarely. He was master of his own affairs at last. Polly clung to him,
begging and beseeching.

"Oh, Mr. John! Mr. John!"

"What do you mean by that?" shouted Strong.

"I mean that I stayed with you and your narrow-minded congregation
before, because I believed you needed me. But now this girl needs me
more. She needs me to protect her from just such injustice as yours."

"You'd better be protectin' YOURSELF. That's my advice to you."

"I can do that WITHOUT your advice."

"Maybe you can find another church with that circus ridin' girl
a-hangin' 'round your neck."

"He's right," cried Polly. "You couldn't." She clung to the pastor in
terrified entreaty. "You COULDN'T get another church. They'd never,
never forgive you. It's no use. You've got to let me go! you've GOT to!"

"Listen, Polly." He drew her toward him. "God is greater than any church
or creed. There's work to be done EVERYWHERE--HIS work."

"You'll soon find out about that," thundered Strong.

"So I will," answered Douglas, with his head thrown high. "This child
has opened a new world to me; she has shown me a broader, deeper
humanity; she and I will find the way together."

"It won't be an easy one, I'll promise you that." Strong turned to go.

"I'm not looking for the easy way!" Douglas called after him, then he
turned to draw Polly's arm within his; but Polly had slipped from his
side to follow the deacon.

"Oh, please, Deacon Strong, please!" she pleaded. "You won't go away
like that. He'll be all right if you'll only wait. I'm NOT coming back.
I'm not--honestly. I'm going