The Washington herald., 1908-06-06
CHAPTER XXII-COntinued.

CHAPTER XXII-Continued.
" Sometimes have thought read Lady
Donoyle, taking the paper from his hand.
that there is no such thing as a personal
Deity, and then I have remembered the
countless millions OF prayers. the vast
sum OF human energy, the awful total
OF human suffering. martyrdoms, and
deaths. offered up on the affairs Of reli-
gion, and I have said 70 myself, II there
has been no One listening. no One in all
these centuries 10 hear those prayers. no
One to pity those sufferings, IL they have
all been meaningless-then a play has
been written, so horribly dramatic that
the tragedy of it staggers conception
What do you think OF that?" asked Mr..
Strayne, when his hostess had handed
him back the document IN thoughtful
silence.
think" she answered. slowly, that
II is the strongest argument in favor Of
a personal God that / have ever heard,
and the most convincing"
But can't you see how unorthodox It
all is?" pleaded the clergyman. And
can't you see that the throwing OF doubt
on the doctrine OF eternal punishment
suggests a tragedy almost as bad7 For
II there are no he'll fires. then men have
lived their lives In agony and tossed In
tortured sleep. and lifted up imploring
hands. over an idle threat. and that is
what Mr.. Dare is trying 10 make us be-
lieve. tell you, Lady Donoyle, that you
must get rid OF him
Really, Mr.. Strsyne, am sorry TO re-
fuse you. know you mean well, but
happen TO know that Mr.. Dare has done
a great deal OF good by his sermons, even
II they are unorthodox. I. myself. have
been much impressed, and Kitty has got
quite religious. He suits me exactly"
The clergyman felt defeated, and saw
he must shift his ground. loath as he was
TO bring charges against one of his own
cloth. His heresy is not the only charge
bring against him." he said, sternly,l
though 1 had hoped II would suffice
But can you look at his face and say that
a man who shows every sign Of leading
debauched life is 1T 70 minister 10
souls?"
Yes. admit poor Mr.. Dare looks
dreadfully dissipAted He reminds me of
the way my husband began TO look before
paresis set IN; but as long as you can
prove nothing against him. il wouldn't
be fair 10 give him the sack. After all.
II may be nothing but liver Have you
spoken TO him on the subject?''
Yes answered Mr.. Strayne. II have
tried 70 get him TO confess 10 me, for the
very secretness Of his vices seem to make
them more appalling"
And he Wouldn't"
"He confessed that once In his life he
had yielded 10 an overwhelming tempta-
ton, but that his whole life now was de-
voted TO battling with the results Of that
days weakness. More he wouldn't say"
How annoying to arouse ones curl
Osity in that way, And ii sounds thin,
too. forshe gets 70 look more and more
raSish every day.
Then can't you see, Lady DOnoyle,
that he IS not At 20 be a clergyman"
In the ordinary acceptance OF the term
no. He Is not really a clergyman. Mr..
Strayne-he is Il poet. perhaps with the
weaknesses Of one; but the world has
learned much from poets. and now that
the day has come when people no longer
read poetry, perhaps poets viii express
from the pulpit what il IS hardly worth
while 10 put on paper No. Until you
can bring me proofs OF absolute immor-
ality on the part OF Mr.. Dare, I decline
70 dismiss him" She got up, and held
out her hand. 10 indicate that the audi
ence was at an end.
Mr.. Strayne rose TO hts feet, crushing
his soft black hat nervously together
against HIS breast. Then" he said, 1T
becomes my painful duty. Lady Donoyle,
70 tell you that the ancient privilege of
the D0n0yle chaplain 10 preach In the
Church OF ClOnbOyne IS withdrawn. The
word OF the Lord shall not come through
the mouth OF a loose liver in any church
under my controL and may as well tell
you that the tongue Of scandal is very
busy about your chaplain. and the fact
that he conceals his debaucheries so cum
ningly is only taken as additional proof
OF his depravity 1t Will be my painful
| duty 10 communicate this humiliating in
formation TO Mr.. Dare this very day"
IF you only knew" observed Lady
| Donoyle, sitting a yawn. how very lit
! tie all this interests me-"
Poor Fabian was only too well aware Of
the rapid deterioration in his face. Since
Won Tarsenheim came to gioat in secret
over the success Of his invention, his pow
ers Of resistance had been weakened. His
! personality seemed 20 At him better now.
/ but he was painfully aware that that was
because his moral fiber was beginning TO
| be attacked by some insidious poison.
( Still, he fought gamely 10 retain his true
! self. knowing only too we'll that at the
/ least sign OF weakness. the least pam
1 dering TO temptation, the dam which his
| will-pOwer had created would give way.
and he would be swept into the arms of
/ the powers OF evil In 2 roaring flood OF
vice. He pictured them as wolves waiting
/ in a circle, their eyes glowing with the
reflected light from q watch-fire which
a lonely man, in the agony Of sleep-hun-
ger, fed ceaselessly from an ever dwind-
/ ling pile OF sticks. as he roweled himself
with spurs TO keep himself awake. He
/ feared lest the spurs Of conscience, which
had been so sharp In his case. might
| cease to prick. painful and puzzling
| though the pricks were. and the wolves
rush in upon him.
His intellectual powers seemed to be de-
VelOping phenOmenally. He was writing
poetry so amazing that he dared not long
er show 1t TO Lady Kitty. When he