Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13
Xxx
The Downfall.

Mrs. Lampirthy was as good her
word. and before three weeks had
elapsed Father Francis felt the full fury
OF the vengeance which she cloaked
under the name of justice.
The newspapers were freed from their
bondage. The great paper trust Cancelled
its contracts and offered to supply paper
at reasonable prices without any condi-
tons The press began to be discreetly
silent about Father Francis and all his
works The editors and propretors had
long chafed under Mr.. Lampirthy's re-
stricton. and they longed to rend the
preacher with tooth and nail. But they
realized that SO sudden a change in their
policy would create grave suspicion in
the minds of their readers, and they were
content to be silent.
Mrs. Lampirthy. however. had no desire
for this contemptuous silence, and after
a while she sought out Gus Dixon and Of
fered to retain him as her secretary at a
salary of five thousand pounds a year.
This able young man earned his money.
In less than a fortnight the unfortunate
newspapers were once more in the hands
of a tyrant and the various proprietors
received a very broad hint as to the flu
ture policy Of their editors.
Unpleasant little paragraphs about
Father Francis began to appear in the
same papers which had once lauded him
to the skies.
And. by degrees. these paragraphs de-
veloped into a hostile crusade. And then
one morning it was blazoned forth to the
world that the sanity Father Francis
was none other than the notorious rake,
Sir Richard Gaunt.
preacher openly confessed to his past life,
and the confession attracted a large num-
Der of converts. who were glad to think
that this holy man had once been a sin
ner, even as they were: But Father Fran
els himself had no wish to pose in this
light. and the publication of the truth
gave rise to many painful incidents. The
past began to rise up in hideous mockery
of his present life.
The first person to call upon him was
his brother, who came post haste from
Gaunt Royal on receipt of the news. The
interview between the two men was not
marked by any display of affection.
Henry Gaunt opened the conversation by
demanding proof of Sir Richards iden-
tlty. This was at once forthcoming, and
then Henry, to do him justice. tried to
show some genuine pleasure at his broth
er's return to the land of the living. But
1t was clear that his mind was occupied
with his own position. and that he con-
sdered himself a cruelty injured man.
He soon came to the point. He made d
cash offer of forty thousand pounds for
the Gaunt Royal estate, and the offer was
accepted Sir Richard Gaunt repaid
thirty thousand pounds of this money to
the society that had inherited the estate
of the late George Crawshay. and the re-
mainder he placed on deposit at bank,
to be used for the common good of the
cause.
The receipt of this money was the only
satisfactory result that followed on the
disclosure of the preachers real name.
Old friends of a most undesirable char
acter began to come forward and claim
acquaintance: men and women. whom six
years of evil living had dragged down
still deeper into sin, wrote to him and
even called upon him.
Then he began to be haunted by an
overwhelming fear of these people, who
refused to see them or answer their let
tiers. But they continued to cross his
path.
The man. weighed down by Mrs. Lam
pirthyS malicious persecution and
haunted by the loathsome specters of his
old life. was only sustained by that burn
ing enthusiasm which eXalts the mind at
the expense of bodily strength and mental
stability His religious fervor acted like
some drug. which stimulates for the mo-
ment but which gradually wears out the
nerves and tissues of the human frame.
Never before had he risen to such heights
of elOquence; never before had he dis
played such power of endurance, such
glowing vitality. such skill in moving his
audience to fear and repentance.
For six months he fought with almost
superhuman skill and energy. and at the
end of that time it seemed as though he
were destined to achieve a victory. His
personal fervor and eloquence had risen
superior to all the forces Of the world
that had been gathered together to de-
stroy him. He had lost the support of
the more intellectual portion of his fol-
lowers. but the lower classes focked in
their thousands to hear him.
Many of his disciples had been forced
to leave him and return to their former