"Your duty is to your church," thundered Strong.
"You're right about that, Deacon Strong'" answered Douglas,
wheeling about sharply, "and my duty to the church is reason
enough for my acting exactly as I am doing in this case."
"Is your duty to the church the ONLY reason you keep that girl
here?"
"No, there are other reasons."
"I thought so."
"You've heard her story--you MUST have heard. She was left with
me by an old clown who belonged in the circus where she worked.
Before he died he asked me to look after her. She has no one
else. I shall certainly do so."
"That was when she was hurt. She's well now, and able to go back
where she came from. Do you expect us to have our young folks
associatin' with a circus ridin' girl?"
"So, that's it!" cried the pastor, with a pitying look. "You
think this child is unfit for your homes because she was once in
a circus. For some reason, circus to you spells crime. You call
yourself a Christian, Deacon Strong, and yet you insist that I
send a good, innocent girl back to a life which you say is
sinful. I'm ashamed of you, Strong--I'm ashamed of you!"
"That talk don't do no good with me," roared Strong. He was
desperate at being accused of an unchristian attitude.
"I ain't askin' you to send her back to the circus.
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