The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-06-28
(Continued.)

new interest III lHe, I1dH. <Ifodoy my moral sentiments are being ele- rSxed. I see myself going to that G5nconformist church with a hymn book and Bible under my arm- I even see myself a deacon, or an eld- CT, or something of that sort Not right, when it is having such a re- generating infuence?"
 Stick to your guns, you chaps," remarked Winfield quietly, who had been the silent member of the party.
 "But, must have fair play" said Leicester. 'T want a fair field and no favor. All I demand is that you chaps shall hold your tongues. This conversation. must not go beyond these walls. That's fair isn't it?"
 That's nothing but just," said Winfield.
 But how are you to get an intro- duction.', said Sprague. 'Old John Castlemaine is very particular as to whom he has at his house. and al- though I have consented to this busi- ness, I'll take no part in it.'
 'sNor I,' said Purvis; "and now I come to think about it, I withdraw from it altogether"
 Except. to pay your hundred pounds, if I succeed" said Leicester.
 You can't back out from that, !" remarked Winfield.
 "Still, I'll be a party to nothing" !" he said weakly "Of course, know it'll end in nothing. Miss Castle maine is one of the cleverest women I know, and she'll see through every thing at a glance"
 "Then I'm to have fair play"
 "Oh, yes, I shall not interfere with you. There will be no need" i. "That is to say, not whisper of lfhis conversation goes outside this room."
 aOf course that is but fair," urged Winfield again.
 'very well," said Purvis, 'I shall say nothing; but mind you do not believe in the business. It's wrong, it's not we'll, it's not in good form. But there, it doesn't matter. it'll end lin nothing" .4x-1z 4,s>a Exactly" said Leicester; but there was strange light in his eyes. And you, 6prague, you'll act straight too?"
 "Oh, certainly said Sprague. tI shall say nothing;all the same don't like it. But Leicester II give up the whole idea tomorrow. He'd never ihave thought of it tonight if he hadn't been drunk"
 T drunk. my friends! I am as isober as the Nonconforming parson lof the church that Miss Castlemaine Iattends. Pm as serious as judge. No, no, I stand on principle-princi- lple, my friends. I have a theory of life, and I stand by it, and I am ready to make sacrifices"
 sBut how are you to get an intro duction?" asked Sprague. Evidently he was uneasy in his mind.
 Leave that to me; ask you to do nothing but to hold your tongues and that you've promised to do. I stand alone. I'm like your Martin Luther of old times. Against me are array ed conventions and orthodoxy, pride and prejudice, thunders temporal and spiritual, but I fear them not. I-I poor solitary cynic am stronger than you all, because I stand on truth, and you stand on sentiment, iconvention, orthodoxy. Gentlemen, drink co you in very mediocre club whisky; nay don't drink to you, drink to the man who stands on truth-truth. gentlemen truth!"
 Again he lifted a glass of whisky to his lips and set it down empty.
 I'm going to bed,' said Sprague
 And I,'' said Purvis.
 And I, gentlemen" said Leicester remain here. Like all men who un- dertake great enterprises, I must make my plans. As a champion of truth I must vindicate it. I live to rid the world of lies. of shame, ot hypocrisy. Goodnight, gentlemen lgood-night."
 The whisky. was beginning to show its effect at last, although his voice twas still clear, his hand still steady IAn unhealthy flush had come to his tcheeks; the strange look in his eyes had become more pronounced.
 And yet had a stranger entered the room at that moment, that stranger would have been struck by his tall stalwart figure and his striking face For Radford Leicester was no ordi- snary-looking man. Compared with him the others were commonplace Neither was his face a bad face. Ii suggested lack of faith and lack o1 hope, but it did not suggest evil Moreover, the well-shaped head, the broad forehead, the finely formed features, suggested intellectually and force of character. It also told of g man whom nothing could daunt wher his mind was made up. But it was not the face of 8 happy man. Nc man who is without faith and hope can be
 Radford Leicester had come into sthe world handicapped. His father was a hard thinker before him, and he inherited the love for alcohol. But