“Bah! Don’t talk about it. You nauseate me!” The Preacher sprang to his feet, paced across the floor, sat down on the edge of his table and glared at McLeod for a moment. And then with his voice low and quivering with a storm of emotion he said, “The curse of God upon you--the God of your fathers! Your fathers in far-off Scotland’s hills, who would have suffered their tongues torn from their heads and their skin stripped inch by inch from their flesh sooner than betray one of their clan in distress. You have betrayed a thousand of your own men, and you, their sworn chieftain! Hell was made to consume such leper trash!” McLeod was dazed at first by this outburst. At length he sprang to his feet livid with rage. “I’ll not forget this, sir!” he hissed. “Don’t forget it!” cried the Preacher trembling with passion as he opened the door. “Go on and live your lie.” CHAPTER XXIV--A MODERN MIRACLE MRS. DURHAM, the Doctor wants you,” said Charlie when McLeod’s footfall had died away. “Charlie, dear, why don’t you call me ‘Mama’--surely you love me a little wee bit, don’t you?” she asked, taking the boy’s hand tenderly in hers. “Yes’m,” he replied hanging his head. “Then do say Mama. You don’t know how good it would be in my ears.” “I try to but it chokes me,” he half whispered, glancing timidly up at her. “Let me call you Aunt Margaret, I always wanted an aunt and I think your name Margaret’s so sweet,” he shyly added. She kissed him and said, “All right, if that’s all you will give me.” She passed on into the library where the Preacher waited her. “My dear, I’ve just given young McLeod a piece of my mind. I wanted to say to you that you are entirely mistaken in his character. He’s a bad egg. I know all the facts about his treachery. He’s as smooth a liar as I’ve met in years.” “With all his brute nature, there’s some good in him,” she persisted. “Well, it will stay in him. He will never let it get out.” “All right, have your way about it for the time. We’ll see who is right in the long run. Now I’ve a more pressing and tougher problem for your solution.” “What is it?” “Dick.” “What’s he done this time?” “He steals everything he can get his hands on.” “He is a puzzle.” “He’s the greatest liar I ever saw,” she continued. “He simply will not tell the truth if he can think up a lie in time. I’d say run him off the place, but for Charlie. He seems to love the little scoundrel. I’m afraid his influence over Charlie will be vicious, but it would break the child’s heart to drive him away. What shall we do with him?” The Preacher laughed. “I give it up, my dear, you’ve got beyond my depth now. I don’t know whether he’s got a soul. Certainly the very rudimentary foundations of morals seem lacking. I believe you could take a young ape and teach him quicker. I leave him with you. At present it’s a domestic problem.” “Thanks, that’s so encouraging.”