Page:Lynch Williams--The girl and the game.djvu/323

 themselves. "I think it is eminently sound to deduce from the data in hand," said the keen young lawyer, wagging a long forefinger in his earnest, impressive manner, "that the author of these acts is acquainted with the ins and outs of this edifice and has access thereto." They agreed with him, and, as the acts continued despite their caution and nightly vigils they dismissed the sexton, though the lawyer said that for his part he was convinced that John, the sexton, was innocent, and hoped eventually to "adduce convincing evidence thereof."The trustees said, "Oh, well, it was up to him to have caught 'em, anyhow—agoing on under his very nose—so we fire him for that."

By this time the whole town was stirred up over it; even the rival churches did not like it. The papers were full of it. At last the lawyer said that he would show them "a very simple solution of the apparently difficult problem." It had been observed that he had been studying the question night and day to the exclusion of all other interests.

"And when he applies that great mind of