disconcerted him, and he came near
breaking down. Miss Gamut sat in one corner of the church, many pews
from Mr. Quaver. She attempted to join, but was so far away that she
felt, as she afterwards remarked, like a cat in a strange garret. Paul
did not sing. He thought that, if it was an offence for him to sing in
the choir, it would be equally offensive to sing in the congregation.
Azalia, Daphne, Hans, and all the members of the choir, who were sitting
in the pews with their parents, were silent. They had talked the matter
over before church.

"Paul is innocent; he has only been accused. It isn't right to condemn
him, or turn from him, till we know he is not worthy of our confidence.
I met him on the bridge last night, and he looked as if he hadn't a
friend in the world. I shall stand by him," said Azalia.

"Deacon Hardhack and Miss Dobb mean to break down the choir. It is a
conspiracy," said Hans, who felt that Paul's case was his own.

Daphne began to look at the matter in a new light, and felt ashamed of
herself for having passed by Paul without noticing him.

After service there was a great deal of loud talking.

"If that is the kind of singing you are going to have, I'll stay at
home," said Farmer Harrow.

"It would be a desecration of the sanctuary, and we should be the aiders
and abettors of sin and iniquity, if we allowed a fellow who has been
accused of stealing to lead the singing," said Deacon Hardhack to Mr.
Cannel.

"Let him that is without sin among you cast the first stone," was Mr.
Cannel's reply, and he felt that he had given the Deacon a good hit.

"Paul hasn't had his deserts by a long chalk," said Miss Dobb.

"He has been treated shamefully," said Azalia, indignantly.

All took sides, some for Paul, and some against him. Old things, which
had no connection with the matter, were raked up. Mr. Cannel twitted
Deacon Hardback of cheating him, while on the other hand the Deacon
accused Mr. Cannel of giving false weight in selling coal. The peace
and harmony of the church and society were disturbed.

Mr. Quaver felt very sore over that laugh which the little boy had
started. He knew his voice was cracked, and that his singing days were
over. "I am not going to make a fool of myself, to be laughed at," he
said, and made up his mind that he wouldn't sing another note to please
the Deacon or anybody else.

In the afternoon Mr. Quaver's seat was empty. Mr. Surplice read a hymn
and waited for som