Page:Honore Willsie--Judith of the godless valley.djvu/291

 their doings. Why be squeamish when Fowler comes in here and just repeats the world's attitude on such doings? Inez is the ruination of our young folks, and we all know it."

"That's right!" called Mrs. Falkner; and Mary Spencer added a low, "Yes! Yes!"

"She's better than any man in the room, right now!" cried Judith. "If you are going to drive her out, you ought to drive the men out."

"Fine!" called Charleton Falkner.

There was a quick guffaw of laughter, during which John Spencer rose.

"Fowler, I don't want to seem to go against my own son, but I want to say that if you try any more sermons like this one, I'm going to head a committee to run you out of the Valley."

"I'd want to be head of that committee myself. Don't be a hog, John!" drawled Charleton.

"That's a good idea!" exclaimed Scott Parsons. "If the preacher says, 'Drive Inez out,' we'll say, 'Out with the preacher!

"You're all talking like a parcel of children!" said Grandma Brown.

"Come on!" shouted Scott. "The Pass is open. Let's send him out now!"

Douglas slid to the end of the seat. Fowler stood tensely behind the table, pale, but calm. Peter Knight spoke for the first time.

"I've got an idea. Let's give the sky pilot just one more chance. Let's ask him to preach a sermon next Sunday that we can all feel the right kind of an interest in, or else resign, himself."

Douglas spoke suddenly, "Just what would that kind of a sermon be about, Peter?"