And the minister replied: “They have cast their handful of stones at me and have gone.”
“Farrar, I want you to come with me to my room.”
Two hours later the rector of Christ Church left the Tracy mansion, and started down the hill toward home in the face of a blinding snow-storm. And ever and anon, as he strode along, he broke away from the memory of the heart-searching counsel given to him by his Reverend Father in God to wonder where Westgate had learned of the episode at the bridge, and what unwarranted and unsavory interpretation he was endeavoring to place on it, and what malign purpose he had in mind.
CHAPTER XV
LOVE VERSUS LAW
On the day following the conference with the bishop the rector of Christ Church called at Philip Westgate’s office. He did not seek a quarrel, but he did seek an explanation. He was not one to sit quietly or fearfully under insinuations which might or might not reflect on his personal character or his ministerial office. All his life he had lived in the open, clear of conscience, afraid of no man. He would live so still. Therefore he sought Westgate. The lawyer was in and was not engaged. He still had a bitter taste in his mouth from the night before. He was not wholly satisfied with what he had done at the conference with the bishop. Under the clear light of day, in the absence of any irritating impulses, his ardor cooled by the intervening night, he had come to the conclusion that, in his interrogation of Mary Bradley, he had overreached himself. He confided to his senior partner, Mr. Tracy, his opinion that he had made a damned fool of himself. And his senior partner fully agreed with him. It was, therefore, in a spirit of partial humility that he received the rector of Christ Church. But he made no explanations or apologies. He felt that whatever of this nature he might owe to others, he owed nothing to this man. He simply waited to be informed of the purpose of the call. He had not long to wait, for his visitor had a habit of going directly to the point.
“I want to talk with you, Mr. Westgate,” he said, “about the incident of last evening. I would like to know your purpose in asking those last questions of Mrs. Bradley.”
“I do not object to telling you,” replied Westgate. “It should have been plain to you at the time. My purpose was to make it clear to the bishop that the woman whom you or your friends produced in your behalf was utterly unworthy to testify in any matter relating to the welfare of the Church.”
“Why unworthy?”