Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-22
CHAPTER w.
TIE DOWNWARD WAY.

TIE DOWNWARD WAY.
When Paul found himself in the
street, he walked away with u we'll sat.
isfiod look on his face and smile Oh
his lips. There had been moments since
that time in the cathedral when he felt
some anxiety about his relations with
the girl who reproached him continual.
ly. yet never quite threw him over. 1t
was all right. She loved him II il al
ways satisfactory for penniless adven.
turer TO feel that he is actually loved
by girl Of independent fortune, and
this without respect to his morals or his
principles or his practice. lie. had no
desire to marry her. Marriage with one
so full Of prejudice would he like wear
ing hair shirt. u thing which Paul al.
ways regarded Us the height of foolish
ness. but he could still. he thought. Dor.
row money from her. This reflection,
coupled with u natural buoyancy of dis.
position, enabled Paul To- keep mp his
courage even ut this dark moment,
when the evening papers had the little
incident in their bills and all the world
was talking about it and many ready
writers were inventing stories concern.
ing the cause Of that incident.
He went home to his lodgings He
had taken two rooms in first floor
near Russell square. First he took of
his clerical garb. Coat and waistcoat
and collar hc laid aside with something
like groan. when" he asked. shall
Iwear these things AGAIN." lie thought
Of the sanity figure clad in white and
the upturned eyes and the hands folded
In prayer or extended in cxhortation,
and he sighed deep and heartfelt sigh.
THE vindictiveness of that vicaru' no
cid. where u charity? Where for
livcncSs.'
He put on q snort black jacket and
black tie. so that he now looked like on
ly half u cleric, because no disguise
could possibly take from his faco the
look which belonged to none other than
one Of the cloth. Every profession has
its typical face. You may, for instance.
construct the typical barristcr ty pho
tographing one upon the other all the
faces in all the wigs in all the courts.
but IL IL seldom that you find any one
man possessed Of the typical face. So
with the young clergyman. 1t Is sell
dom, indeed. that you find in one man
the typical clerical face. But Paul had it,
The change effected, he spread out
blot,ing pad and paper.
"Rcpcntancc. said Paul the deacon,
"opens all doors. shall make haste to
repent"
He sat down, therefore. and wrote
two letters. Ono Of them lac addressed
Co his late vicar. Ii was the second let.
ter. You have heard If the first lie de-
plorcd deeply any errors-he candidly
called them crrors-which lie might
have committed. He limited that rs re-
CARDS money hc could not understand
that any harm had been done. 81 mere
ly borrowed Of you, rs from our COM
mon chest. certain moneys wanted for
parish purposes. forgot TO tell you Of
it, What crime have I committed. As
rcgards the other incident. youth might
he pleaded an excuse. But plead none.
i am deeply pcnitcnt. can say no
more. Meantime have been disgraccd
by being turned away from the bishop
mt the last moment in the face Of the
whole congregation. Is not that enough:
now ask you first to write to the bish-
withdrawing the charge Of fraud and
softcning as much as you can-if not
withdrawing altogether, which would
be the more charitable linc-the other
business. This done, he will doubtless
receive me Mt his next ordination. Sec
ondly, wish to return-my character
unstained-to my post among our be-
loved flock. Any little coldncss or sus-
picion will soon pass away. As said
TO you the other day, IL takes two TO
make scandal. / shall not be one
Take care not to be the other"
He added few tags " hitch he thou chit
might b. useful.
In the letter which he wrote to the
bishop he complained that charge Of
forgery and fraud had been made oat Of
perfectly innocent and well meant
act: that. in short. in the absence Of
the vicar. he had signed his name in or
der to get some money necessary FOR
parish purposes. not for himself u, all.
As regards the other matter, he abascd
himself. He asked to prove his repent.
ancc by hard work-thc hardest-in a
poor parish-thc pcorcst-among the
worst sinners. himself sinner. And SO
ON.
The vicar. when he go, this cpistlc.
tossed 1t across the table to his wife.
IAN impudcnt hypocrite!" he said II
shall write and tell him SO" Aud he
did.
The bishop read the letter with q
brow Of corrugated iron.
This letter reveals q very unusual
mind" he said to his chaplain. lone
might wish to have the writer here rs
in . hospital-we want o hospital Of