The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-12-09
"Ycs-where-to the south

Not now, he said again.
jeff did not speak at once.
You must leave London, then"
t'It is hardly worth while
You're fool. and an enthusiast"
said JEFF. roughly, Yet with sharp
catch in his voice, but you're good
stuff. I've seen you when-man, you're
killing YOURSELF
The preacher never WINGED. The
smile still fingered on his lips, though
they We're set tight.
Il can't run away, doctor" he re-
piled. l never did that, and l can't do
it now"
You weren't meant for this work
do you think have no eyes? Write to
your people and tell them
Il have no people," answered the
preacher. ard his face was very stern.
JEFF tilted his chair. waiting. 1t came
at last. The preacher caught his eye.
and hesitated for q moment,
Il told you lie. then, /" said.
Go on"
They threw me over. My father IS
4 clergyman. was to have gone inro
the church. l wanted to-you ,lon't
know how much. But l coulI not ac-
cept everything they told me. sup
nose | was unorthodoX--" He stop
ped. JEFF nodded mute encourage
ment.
"They rejected me-" said the preach
er slowly.
Because you were honest. Yes. And
this was
THE only other way
"You are a priest, ell the same said
Jeff, through his teeth.
The preacher stood up.
without due authority" he an
swered. as he held out his hand.
Authority" said the little doctor,
| waspishly, lis not always given 10 the
right man-nor by the right man.
But the preacher went away silent
ly. He was not one Of those who speak
evil of authorities.
1t was a month or two later, and
London was in the grip of black, bitter
frost. In a doorway in one Of The
slums. behind the Salamander Music
hall. jeff, haggard and anxious, stood
looking at the preacher with some
| thing like despair in his face.
I'm stone broke" he said, "and the
girl must have nourishment or she'll
die. There's no time to apply to any
one. Good God. what are We to do?'
He stamped desperately on the floor.
and then remembered his patient ard
stopped. The preacher did not stamp.
I'll get you some money" lie said.
Il think l can. Ycs"-he shivercd Il
little in the cold draught-'.I'm sure
| can"
'ln m hour"
"Within an hour. I'll go now"
'"You're BRICK" said JEFF, as he
turned on his heel. Then the profes-
sional element in him asserted Itself.
Have something to eat before you
come out into this cold again, mind,"
he commanded.
The preacher nodded and went away
| with a dreary smile on his face. Per-
haps there was hidden irony in the
situation which he alone could per-
ceive, for he smiled more than once as
he hurried through the darkening
streets to the house where he had har-
borage. Once. as he passed lighted
church where the choir was practicing
for the morrow and his eyes fell on
the notice board, the smile very nearly
became a laugh. Yet there was moth
ing laughable in sight. The notice
board merely bore the sufficiently So
Der information that Rev. John Alling-
ham Taylor would preach next day in
that church.
The preacher hurried on, and climb
ed to his rooms with white face and
futtering breath. Arrived there, he sat
down OH a broken chair and painted.
The room was almost as bare as those
cells wherein the hermits dwelt Of old.
All the little personal possessions
which had adorned it once had vanish
ed in that dreadful winter. All the
little money which had been paid to the
preacher by, the family which had dis
carded him was gone. The only two
things which remained were large
and handsomely bound bible, lying on
the foot of the bed. and little ivory
crucifix hanging against the bare wall.
The preachers eye fell on these and he
sighed. Then he got up resolutely,
took down the crucifix and opened the
bible. On the fiyleaf was an inscrip-
ton. He tore the page carefully out
and slipped it into the breast pocket
of his thin coat. Then he took up the
bible and crucifiX and went out.
Not an hour later jeff, in a wretched
attic, bent over shrunken figure and
forced brandy between its lips. At the
further end of the room two children
small, starved, wolfish-eyed-sat over
the remnants Of a meal like wild beasts
over a bone. Presently the little doc
| tor gave n muttered exclamation Of
relief. The children glanced up and
then returned ravenously to their food.
Their mothers eyes opened for a mo-
ment upon Jeff's face, and she whis-
pered a word Of thanks. And well she