em to see any inconsistency in
robbing several thousand people to build settlement houses and carved
marble altars, and who wouldn't accept a Christmas box from a highwayman.
But I'll do Hodder the justice to say he doesn't strike me as that kind.
And I have an idea that Eldon Parr and Wallis Plimpton and the rest know
he isn't, know that he'd be a Tartar if he ever get started, and that's
what makes them uneasy."

"Then it isn't his change of religious opinions they would care about?"
said Eleanor.

"Oh, I don't say that Eldon Parr won't try to throw him out if he
questions the faith as delivered by the Saints."

"Phil, what a way of putting it!"

"Any indication of independence, any approach to truth would be regarded
as dangerous," Phil continued. And of course Gordon Atterbury and others
we could mention, who think they believe in the unchipped egg theory,
will be outraged. But it's deeper than that. Eldon Parr will give
orders that Hodder's to go."

"Give orders?"

"Certainly. That vestry, so far as Mr. Parr is concerned, is a mere
dummy board of directors. He's made Langmaid, and Plimpton, and even
Everett Constable, who's the son of an honourable gentleman, and ought to
know better. And he can ruin them by snapping his fingers. He can even
make the financial world too hot for Ferguson. I'll say this for Gordon
Atterbury, that Mr. Parr can't control him, but he's got a majority
without him, and Gordon won't vote for a heretic. Who are left, except
father-in-law Waring and myself?"

"He can't control either of you!" said Eleanor, proudly.

"When it comes to that, Nell--we'll move into Canada and buy a farm."

"But can he hurt you, Phil--either of you?" she asked, after a moment.

"I'd like to see him try it," Phil Goodrich declared

And his wife thought, as she looked at him, that she would like to see
Mr. Parr try it, too.

III

Phil Goodrich had once said that Mr. Plimpton's translation of the
national motto E pluribus unum, was "get together," and it was true that
not the least of Mr. Plimpton's many gifts was that of peace making.
Such was his genius that he scented trouble before it became manifest to
the world, and he stoutly declared that no difference of opinion ever
existed between reasonable men that might not be patched up before the
breach became too wide--provided that a third reasonable man contributed
his services. The qualifying word "reasonable" is to be noted. When
Mr. Bedloe