'"
A beggar rattled his bowl of cash in the road, below; from up the river
sounded wailing cries.
"Did he mention," said the big padre, presently, "the case against my
man, Chok Chung?"
Heywood's eyes became evasive, his words reluctant.
"The magistrate dodged that--that unpleasant subject. The case was
forced on him. Some understrapper tried it. Let's be fair."
Dr. Earle's great elbows left the board. Without rising, he seemed to
grow in bulk and stature, and send his vision past the company, into
those things which are not, to confound the things which are.
"For myself, it does not matter. 'He buries His workmen, but carries on
His work.'" The man spoke in a heavy, broken voice, as though it were
his body that suffered. "But it comes hard to hear, from a young man, so
good a friend, after many years"--The deep-set eyes returned, and with a
sudden lustre, made a sharp survey from face to face. "If I have made my
flock a remnant--aliens--rejected--tell me, what shall I do? Tell me. I
have shut eyes and conscience, and never meddled, never!--not even when
money was levied for the village idols.
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