The Washington times., 1921-01-18


for Holder so absorbed had
II he been by his experiences,
so wrung by the human con-
facts, the personal. problems when
ne had sought to enter. that he had
actually given no thought TO the
battle before him until the autumn
afternoon, heavy with smoke, had
settled down into darkness.
The weather was damp and cold,
and he sat musing on the ordeal
now abruptly confronting him be-
fore his study fire when he heard
step behind him. He turned to
recognize, by the glow or the
embers, the heavy figure OF Nelson
Langmaid.
81 hope I'm not disturbing you.
Holder" he said. "The janitor
said you were in, and your door is
open"
mot at ALL" replied the rector.
rising. As he stood for a moment
facing the lawyer the thought or
their friendship and how 1T had
begun in the little rectory over
looking the lake at Bremerton, was
uppermost in his mind-yes, and
the memory of many friendly liter
airy discussions in the same room
where they now stood, of pleasant
dinners at Langmaid's house in the
West End, when the two of them
had often sat talking until late into
the nights.
1T must seem very inhospitabie,'
said Holder. I'll light the lamp
its pleasanter than the electric
light"
The added illumination at FIRST
revealed the lawyer in his familiar
aspect, the broad shoulders, the big
reddish beard, the home-like head
the generous person that seemed
to radiate scholarly benigntty.
peace and goodwill. But almost
instantly the rector became aware
of a new and troubled. puzzled
glance from behind the round spec
tacles
81 thought I'd drop in moment
on my way up town"--he began.
And the note of uncertainty in his
voice, too. was new. Holder GREW
toward the fire the big chair In
which it had been Langmaid's wont
to sit and perhaps it was the sight
of This operation that loosed the
lawyers tongue.
A COMPLIMENT.
"Confound it, Holder" he ex-
claimed. Il like you-I always Rave
liked you. And you've got a hun
dred times the ability Of the aver
age clergyman. Why in the world
did you have to go and make all
this trouble?"
By so characteristic remark
Holder was both amused and moved.
1t revealed SO perfectly the point
of view and predicament of the
lawyer, and it was also an express
sion of an affection which the rec
tor cordially returned.
Before answering, he placed his
visitor in the chair, and the DELHI
Grafton of the act was a revelation
of the unconscious poise OF the
clergyman. The spectacle of this
self-command on the brink of such
a crucial event as the vestry meet
ing had taken Langmaid aback
more than he cared to show. He
had lost the old sense of comrade-
ship, of easy equality: and he had
the odd feeling of dealing with
new man. at once familiar and un-
familiar, who had somehow lifted
himself out Of the everyday element
in which they heretofore had met.
The clergyman had contrived to
step out of his Langmaids, expert
ence: had actually set him-who all
his life had known no difficulty In
dealing with men-to cropping for
a medium of communication.
Holder sat down on the other
side of the fireplace. He. too. seem
ed to be striving for common foot
ms.
.'It was a question Of proclaim
ing the truth when at last l came
to see it, Langmaid. l could not
help doing what 1 did. Matters or
policy, of a false consideration for
individuals could not enter into 1t.
II this were not so, l should glad
" admit that you had a just griev-
ance, a peculiar right to demand
why I had not remained the strict
ly ortho dox person whom you in
duced to come here. You had every
reason to congratulate yourself that
you were getting what you doubt
less would call a safe man."