Annie Kilburn

Putney was on his legs in good time now, and secured recognition before Mr.

Wilmington, who made an effort to catch the moderator's eye. Gates had put

the meeting in good-humoured expectation of what they might now have from

Putney. They liked Gates's points very well, but they hoped from Putney

something more cruel and unsparing, and the greater part of those present

must have shared his impatience with Mr. Wilmington's request that he would

give way to him for a moment. Yet they all probably felt the same curiosity

about what was going forward, for it was plain that Mr. Wilmington and

Colonel Marvin were conniving at the same point. Marvin had now gone to

Mr. Gerrish, and had slipped into the pew beside him with the same sort of

hand-shake he had given Putney.

"Will my friend Mr. Putney give way to me for a moment?" asked Mr.

Wilmington.

"I don't see why I should do that," said Putney.

"I assure him that I will not abuse his courtesy, and that I will yield the

floor to him at any moment."

Putney hesitated a moment, and then, with the contented laugh of one who

securely bides his time, said, "Go ahead."

"It is simply this," said Mr. Wilmington, with a certain formal neatness of

speech: "The point has been touched by the last speaker, which I think

suggested itself to all who heard the remarks of Brother Gerrish in support

of his resolution, and the point is simply this--whether he has not

misapplied the words of the discourse by which he felt himself aggrieved,

and whether he has not given them a particular bearing foreign to the

intention of their author. If, as I believe, this is the case, the whole

matter can be easily settled by a private conference between the parties,

and we can be saved the public appearance of disagreement in our society.

And I would now ask Brother Gerrish, in behalf of many who take this view

with me, whether he will not consent to reconsider the matter, and whether,

in order to arrive at the end proposed, he will not, for the present at

least, withdraw the resolution he has offered?"

Mr. Wilmington sat down amidst a general sensation, which was heightened

by Putney's failure to anticipate any action on Gerrish's part. Gerrish

rapidly finished something he was saying to Colonel Marvin, and then half

rose, and said, "Mr. Moderator, I withdraw my resolution--for the time

being, and--for the present, sir," and sat down again.

"Mr. Moderator," Putney called sharply, from his place, "this is altogether

unparliamentary. That resolution is properly before the meeting. Its

adoption has been moved and seconded, and it cannot be withdrawn without

leave granted by a vote of the meeting. I wish to discuss the resolution

in all its bearings, and I think there are a great many present who share

with me a desire to know how far it represents the sense of this society.

I don't mean as to the supposed personal reflections which it was intended

to punish; that is a very small matter, and as compared with the other

questions involved, of no consequence whatever." Putney tossed his head

with insolent pleasure in his contempt of Gerrish. His nostrils swelled,

and he closed his little jaws with a firmness that made his heavy black

moustache hang down below the corners of his chin. He went on with a wicked

twinkle in his eye, and a look all round to see that people were waiting to

take his next point. "I judge my old friend Brother Gerrish by myself. My

old friend Gerrish cares no more really about personal allusions than I do.

What he really had at heart in offering his resolution was not any supposed

attack upon himself or his shop from the pulpit of this church. He cared no

more for that than I should care for a reference to my notorious habits.

These are things that we feel may be safely left to the judgment, the

charitable judgment, of the community, which will be equally merciful to

the man who devours widows' houses and to the man who 'puts an enemy in his

mouth to steal away his brains.'"