“That can be arranged,” hurriedly agreed the Elder.
“Thought it likely could. The second little matter is that Mr. McGowan is going to stay right here in this church as minister.”
“I’ll do my best–––Yes, I shall see to that.”
“Now, about that money you stole from his dad. That goes back to Mack with interest.”
“But, Josiah, I can’t do that. It would ruin me. I wouldn’t mind for myself, but my family–––”
“I know, that’s the hard part of paying off old debts, the innocent has got to suffer. But that can be fixed so it won’t bother you much. It might do you good to take a taste of your own medicine.”
“Can this be done without the village finding it out?”
“It’s purty hard to give up your position as village hero, ain’t it, Jim? I cal’late it’s going to be purty tolerable hard to dress a hypocrite up like a saint without people finding 370 it out sooner or later, but we’ll try it for a spell. Harold said to-night that he’d draw up papers for you. We’re going to try to keep this a sort of family skeleton.”
“How can I ever thank you!”
“You’d best give them thanks to the Almighty.”