"Poor Brother Strong," the Elder repeated. "Brother Matthews, I want to ask you to use your influence with these people to keep this sad affair from getting out. Do you think they will insist on--ah, on bringing action against Brother Strong now--now that he has--ah, complied with your request?" "And why," asked Dan, "should you wish the matter kept secret?" The Elder gazed at him blankly. "Why? Why, on account of the church, of course. Judge Strong is one of our leading members--an Elder. He has been for years. It would ruin us--ruin us!" "But," said Dan coolly, "he is a thief. You must know that he stole this money. Here--," he stretched forth his hand, holding the envelope, "here is his confession of guilt." The Elder's voice trembled again. "Brother Matthews! Brother Matthews! I--I protest! Such language, applied to an Elder is unchristian; you know the scripture?" "Is it not true?" persisted Dan. "Ahem! Brother Strong may have made a mistake, may--ah, have done wrong, but the church--the church; we must think of the good name of the cause! Coming so soon after the revival, too!" "Am I to understand, then, that the church will keep this man in his place as an Elder; that you will protect him when you know his true character?" At the question the other stared blankly. "Why--why how could we get along without him?" "How can you get along with him?" asked Dan. "But there isn't a man in Corinth who has done so much for us and for the missionary cause! No, no, we must be more careful, Brother Matthews." "Then for the sake of his contributions and his position in the community the church will shield him from the results of his crime?" The Elder squirmed uneasily in his chair. "Is that what you mean?" insisted Dan. "Why--I--I don't think, Brother Matthews, for the good of our cause in Corinth, that it would be good policy to make this matter public and so create a great stir. Brother Strong has made restitution. We must be charitable, brother, and forgiving. You must not think too--too hard of him. Are these people determined to push this matter?" "Oh, no," said Dan, "not at all. They want only that which belongs to them. You may rest easy; as I told the Judge last night, this will end the matter. It was under that promise that he made restitution, as you call it. I was simply asking to know how the church would look upon such a thing when it touches an Elder. You have explained it clearly--_policy_!" The Elder stiffened. It was remarkable how quickly he revived under Dan's assurance that the danger was past! Very dignified now, as became one in his position, he said, "Ahem, ahem! I fear, Brother Matthews, that you are not--ah--not entirely in harmony with our brotherhood in many things." Dan was silent. "Ahem! The tone of your sermons has been I may say--ah, questioned by a good many of us, and your attitude toward the board has not been quite as cordial as we feel we have a right to expect."