The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-04-13

head, laughed and whispered.
''Say nothing about it-but facts are
| facts!"
| Mcleod chuckled over the certainty
of the shame and suffering that would
wiring the preachers heart when dirty
gossips of a village had magnified these
words into complete drama of scandal.
For all preachers Mcleod had profound
contempt, and he felt doubly secure
now in the certainty of his safety from
personal harm in such an encounter.
When the preacher first heard of these
rumors was the occasion of CASTOR S
campaign address under the old oak in
the square.
A simple old friend from the country
asked him about these rumors. He
turned pale as death. made no answer,
and walked rapidly toward his study
in the church where his library was now
arranged. He was dazed with horror.
1t was the first ne had heard of it. One
| thing in his estimate of life had always
| been as securely fixed and sheltered
in his thought as his faith in God. and
that was his love for his wife, and his
perfect faith in her honor
He closed his door and locked it and
sat down trying to think.
| Had he not grown careless in the GER
tainty of his wifes devotion, and his
Own quiet but intense love? Had he
not forgotten the yearning of a woman s
heart for the eternal REPETITION of loves
language of sign and word?
| The tears were in his eyes now. and
he felt that his heart would beat to
death and break within him.
He saw that his enemy had struck at
his weakest spot, and struck to kill.
| He lifted his face toward the walls in
| a vague unseeing look and his eyes
rested on a pair of crossed swords over
a bookcase. They had been handed
down to him from a long line of fight
ing ancestors. He arose, took them
down mechanically, and drew one from
it's scabbard. How snugly its rough
hilt fitted his nervous hand grip! He
| felt curious throbbing in this hilt like
| a pulse. 1t was alive, and it's spirit
stirred deep waters in his soul that
| had never been ruffed before.
, At last he set his lips firmly and
| said:
Eyes, damn him, I will kill him as l
would a snake"
| He sat down and wrote his resgna-
! ton as pastor of the church, left it on
| his desk, and strobe hurriedly from the
study leaving his door Open He pur-
chased a revolver and a box of car
| tridges and walked straight to Nc
| Leeds office.
The speaking was over, and Mcleod
was alone writing letters. He looked
up with scant politeness as the preach
err entered and motioned him to q seat.
Instead of seating himself, he closed
| the door, and standing erect in front OF
it, said:
ALLAN Mcleod, You are the author of
an infamous SANDER rejecting on the
honor of my wife,
Indeed" Mcleod sneered, wheeling
| in bis chair.
81 always knew that you We're a
neral leper"- ~
"Of course, Doctor, of course but
don't get excited" laughed Mcleod en-
joying the marks of anguish on his face.
But that your lecherous body should
invade the sanctity of my home, and
your tongue attempt to snirch it's
homer, was beyond my widest dream Of
your offrontery. How dare your
Dare? Dare Preacher" interrupted
Mcleod still sneering. "Why, by the
higher law of course. You have been
teaching all your life that there We're
higher laws than paper-made statutes.
You have trained this county in crime
under this beautiful ideal. Surely l
may follow the teachings of a master
in Israeli
What do you mean, you red headed
devil?"
"Softy, Preacher" smiled Mcleod,
Simply this: You expound The Higher
Law for political consumption. l ap-
p'- it to all life.
There are but two real laws of mans
Iature, hunger and love-all others
change with time and progress These are
he higher laws. The stupid conventions
that superstition has built around them
may hold back the weak, but the pow
erful have always defied them. Your
brilliant exposition of the higher law
in politics first set my mind to work.
and led me to a complete emancipation
from the slavery of conventionalism in
which fools have held society for CEN
turies. There are conventional laws and
superstitions about the little ceremony
called marriage cherished by the weak
minded. There is a higher law of Ma
ture. The brave live this life of daring
freedom, while towards cling to forms.
Do | make myself clear?"
Perfectly so, you notified leper. You
think that because l am a preacher, l
am a. poltroon, and that you can play
with me without danger to your skin.
Well, | was a man before L was a
preacher. There are some things deep
er than the forms of religion, if you
wish to push the higher law to it's last
application. You have found that quick
in my soul, mine enemy! 1 have re-
signed my church-to kill you. There
is not room for you and me on this
earth
Mcleod sprang to his feet. his soul
chilled by the tone in which the threat
was uttered. He started to call for
help, and looked down the cleaning
barrel of . revolver
"Move now or open your mouth, and
kill you instantly. Sit down. l give
you five minutes to write your last mes
sage to this world"