n lips. I
have absolutely nothing to hide or be ashamed of. My father and mother
were honest people. If it be a crime to be poor, then, they were guilty
beyond redemption. They came to this country from Australia when I was
little more than an infant. My father took ill and died shortly after
our arrival. Mother said his death was the result of confining work he
had done in Australia. I can remember my mother quite well, but she died
before I was five. I was taken into a neighboring family, almost as poor
as mine had been. As I grew up I worked hard, and saved every penny. My
mother had left me one heritage that was priceless, a craving for
knowledge. The people who brought me up sacrificed to help me along till
I reached high school. I worked my way up through four hard years, into
college, and then on into the seminary.

"That is about all there is to my uninteresting history. I came here as
a candidate for this church. For the first time in my whole life I was
beginning to taste real happiness. But no sooner had I taken my first
breath of independence than I saw I must fight to hold the ground I had
gained. I gloried in the opportunity. I was glad that I could do for
your town what no other minister had been able to do. I took special
delight in getting hold of those lads and men at the Inn. Hicks and his
crowd didn't trouble me one bit, or even alter one plan I had for the
members of the club. I didn't even grow discouraged when the opposition
came from you, for I kept hoping that you'd see your mistake and come
over to my aid. But time went on, and you did not. I sought reasons for
your injustice. I concluded at last that you had discovered my love for
your daughter, and that you did not consider my family connections to be
sufficiently strong to permit any such union. I did all in my power to
argue myself out of that love. But I soon discovered that a man cannot
argue a cyclone out of his heart any more than he can argue one out of
God's sky.

"If there is no other reason for your actions, sir, than my love for
Elizabeth your opposition may as well be withdrawn right here and now.
Otherwise, I shall marry Elizabeth against your will."

"It seems to me, young man, that you are quite sure of yourself about
something you can't do. I admire your nerve,"--the Elder was pulling out
each word with violent tugs at the side-whiskers,--"but we'll see, sir,
who holds the trumps."

"You mean that you offer me no other alt