But, by God--it's murder! Murder--I tell
you! She did not want to kill herself. She wanted to live, to be strong
and beautiful like you. But this community with its churches and Sunday
schools and prayer meetings wouldn't let her. They denied her the poor
privilege of working for the food she needed. They refused even a word of
real sympathy. They hounded her into this stinking hole to live with the
negroes. She may die, nurse, and if she does--as truly as there is a
Creator, who loves his creatures--her death will be upon the unspeakably
cruel, pious, self-worshiping, churchified, spiritually-rotten people in
this town! It's _murder_! I tell you, by God--it's _murder_!" The old man
dropped into his chair exhausted by his passionate outburst.
For a few moments there was no sound in the room save the heavy breathing
of the physician. The nurse stood gazing at him--a look of mingled
sadness and horror on her face.
Then the figure on the bed stirred. The sick girl's eyes opened to stare
wildly--wonderingly, about the room. With a low word to the Doctor, Miss
Farwell went quickly to her patient.
CHAPTER XV.
THE MINISTER'S OPPORTUNITY
"He saw only the opportunity so mysteriously opened to him."
When Dan left Miss Farwell in the summer house at Judge Strong's he went
straight to his room.
Two or three people whom he met on the way turned when he had passed to
look back at him. Mrs. James talking over the fence with her next door
neighbor, wondered when he failed to return her greeting.
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