he drama. Elverson was retreating toward the door when he was
suddenly thrust aside by Douglas.

In the young pastor's arms was a white, spangled burden of humanity, her
slender arm hung lifeless over his shoulder. The silk stocking was torn
from one bruised ankle; her hair fell across her face, veiling it from
the unfriendly glances of the women. Douglas passed out of sight up the
stairway without looking to the right or left, followed by the doctor.

Mandy reached the front door in time to push back a crowd of intruders.
She had barely closed the door when it was thrust open by Jim.

"Where is she?" he demanded.

"Go 'way f'um here!" cried Mandy, as her eyes unconsciously sought the
stairs.

Jim followed the direction of her glance, and cleared the steps at a
bound. Mandy pursued him, muttering angrily. Deacon Elverson, too, was
about to follow, when a grim reminder from Miss Perkins brought him
around and he made for the door instead. He started back on opening it,
for standing on the threshold was a clown in his grotesque "make-up";
his white clothes were partially concealed by a large, travelling
ulster, held together by one button. In one hand he carried a small
leather satchel; in the other a girl's sailor hat; a little tan coat was
thrown across his arm. The giggles of the boy hiding behind his mother's
skirt were the only greetings received by the trembling old man in the
doorway.

He glanced uncertainly from one unfriendly face to the other, waiting
for a word of invitation to enter; but none came.

"Excuse me," he said; "I just brought some of her little things. She'd
better put on her coat when she goes out. It's gettin' kinder chilly."

He looked again into the blank faces; still no one spoke. He stepped
forward, trembling with anxiety. A sudden fear clutched at his heart,
the muscles of his face worked pitifully, the red painted lips began to
quiver.

"It ain't--It ain't that, is it?" he faltered, unable to utter the word
that filled him with horror.

Even Miss Perkins was momentarily touched by the anguish in the old
man's voice. "I guess you will find the person you are looking for
upstairs," she answered tartly; and flounced out of the house, calling
to Julia and the others to follow her, and declaring that she would soon
let folks know how the parson had brought a "circus ridin' girl" into
the parsonage.

The painted clown stood alone, looking from one wall to the other, then
he crossed t