Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-22
CHAPTER Viii.
The Pilgrimage.
cepyrisht, 1915, by Frank l. Packard.

r CHAPTER Viii.
The Pilgrimage.
" Attn is an Inheritance common
II to the human race, and the hu.
man race, In its daily life, man
to man, could not go on with.
out 1t; but faith is matter Of degree.
Faith, In the abstract, Is Unborn In ev-
cry soul; and, while dormant until put
to crucial test along any given line
is boundless and Unlimited sort OF
tacitly accepted, existing state, un-
questioned. Faith in many is Z sturdy,
virile thing-to q certain point. It q
the fire that proves.
Medley had faith in the Patriarch
faith that never before had been
questioned. But Medley had more than
that Medley held the Patriarch in
affection as a cherished thing, almost
sacredly, almost as an idol. Faith the
simple people Of Medley had always
had-to a certain point-but it fall
tered before this grotesque, inhuman,
twisted shape that squatted in the road
before the Congress hotel like hide
Gus caricature Of an abnormal toad.
Their faith failed to bridge the span
that gave the Patriarch power over
such as this, and they saw their idol
shattered in their own eyes and held
up to mockery before the gaze Of these
strangers who had so suddenly swarm
ed upon them.
Hiram Higgins, seeking out Doc
Madison inside the hotel. was in u
state bordering on distraction.
II druv him over from the station
cause no couldn't walk, him an q
man an two women an q wheel
chair" Mr.. Higgins explained. But
what's to be done now7 He wants me
to drive him out to the Patriarch's. I
got faith in the Patriarch, but never
said he could work miracles. There
amt no one on earth could straighten
that critter out. Don't stand to reason
that the Patriarch's to be made u
fool OF"
"Certainly not" agreed Madison en-
phatically. "It's most unfortunate.
suppose all Of us here In Medley
he looked around at the assembled
group. Of leading citizens-"feel the
same way too"
rOf course We do" said Mr.. Higgins
, helplessly. Couldn't feel no ways
else"
Madison laid his hand impressively
upon Mr.. Higgins shoulder and looked
meaningly into, Mr.. Higgins eyes.
Don't drive him over, them" he d.
rected significantly. Don't any of the
rest Of you do 1t either-and tell every
body else not to. Make him crawl. IF
Hes determined to go let him get there
by himself If he can; make him crawl
he'll nevei be able to do it,
That's So" said Mr.. Higgins, bright
ening, while the others nodded; then,
obviously, "But s'pose he does get
there-how be we goin' to stop him?" .
If he can get there by himself you
can't stop him." said Madison serious
~. "You can't do anything like that.
To use force would be carrying things
too far and would only place the Patri-
arch in worse light If this fellow
what's his name, Coogan-can crawl
there, let him. That's his oy ',"si-
ness. None Of us are encouraging
The Patriarch didn't ask him to come,
and no one has right to expect mira
cles, so it can't hurt the Patriarch So
riously under those conditions Be.
sides, If this Coogan has got faith
enough to crawl that mile who knows
what might happen? Make him crawl"
Mr.. Higgins, with grim nod, headed
determined exodus from the hotel,
and Madison strolled out on the We
randa.
Medley was in Juror. The news
spread like an OH fed connagration.
The farmers left their work in the
fields and hurried into the village; from
the houses and cottages came the wo-
men and children to cluster around the
Congress hotel; from the station.
scarcely Of less interest than the Flop
per himself, struggled in those curious
enough to have left the train, nearly
dozen of them, and among them Pale
Face Harry coughed as he trudged la
boriously along.
Larger and larger grew the circle
around the Hopper, filing and block
ing the road, OVERLOOKING into front
yards and massing on the little lawn Of
the hotel clear up to the veranda, until
fields and houses were deserted, and
to the last inhabitant Medley was
there.
Upon the ground squatted the Flop
per, his eyes sweeping the ring of faces
that was like a wall around him-the
grinning faces Of his fellow passengers
from the train; the stony, concerned
and rather sullen faces Of the men of
Medley; the anxious, excited faces Of
the women; the bewildered, curious
and somewhat frightened faces of the
children.
The Flopper licked his lips and re-
newed the appeal he had been making
for nearly five minutes.
"Ain't no one goin' to drive me out to
de Patriarch's"
Horses are all busy in the fields"
said voice uncompromisingly
EYES," muttered the Flopper, with
bitter irony, "drivin' each other around.
while youse are here starin' at me an
won't help
His eyes caught Doc Madison's from
the veranda and held them an instant
to read message and interpret the