CHAPTER VII.
IN A TRAP.
A kind word, a look, a smile, a warm grasp of the hand by a friend intime of trouble,--how they remain in memory! Sometimes they are likeropes thrown to drowning men. The meeting between Paul and Azalia uponthe bridge was a turning point in his life. He felt, when he saw herapproaching, that, if she passed him by, looking upon him as a vileoutcast from society, he might as well give up a contest whereeverything was against him. He loved truth and honor for their own sake.He remembered the words of his grandfather, that truth and honor arebetter than anything else in the world. Many a night he had heard thewinds repeating those words as they whistled through the cracks andcrevices of his chamber, rattling the shingles upon the roof, sayingover and over and over again, Truth and honor, truth and honor. He hadtried to be true, honest, and manly, not only to make himself better,but to help everybody else who had a hard time in life; but if Rev. Mr.Surplice, Judge Adams, Colonel Dare, and all the good folks looked uponhim as a thief, what was the use of trying to rise? There was one whowas still his friend. Her sweet, sad smile followed him. He saw it allthe time, by day and by night, while awake and while asleep. He felt thewarm, soft touch of her hand, and heard her words. He remembered thatGod is always on the side of truth, and so he resolved to go right on asif nothing had happened, and live down the accusation.
But he couldn't go on. "After what has happened, it is expedient thatyou should leave the choir till your innocence is established," saidDeacon Hardhack, who was chairman of the singing committee,--a good,well-meaning man, who was very zealous for maintaining what heconsidered to be the faith once delivered to the saints. He carried onan iron foundery, and people sometimes called him a cast-iron man. Hebelieved, that it was the duty of everybody to do exactly right; if theydid wrong, or if they were suspected of doing wrong, they must take theconsequences. Miss Dobb told him that Paul ought to be pitched out ofthe choir. "I think so too, Miss Dobb," said the Deacon, and it wasdone.
It required a great bracing of Paul's nerves, on Sunday morning, to goto church, and take a seat in the pew down stairs, with every eye uponhim; but he did it manfully.
The bell ceased tolling. It was time for services to commence, but therewas no choir. The singers' seats were empty. Azalia, Daphne, Hans, andall the others, were down stairs. Mr. Surplice waited awhile, then readthe hymn; but there was a dead silence,--no turning of leaves, noblending of sweet voices, no soul-thrilling strains, such as hadreformed Farmer Harrow, and given rest to his horses one day in seven.People looked at the singers' seats, then at Paul, then at each other.The silence became awkward. Deacon Hardhack was much exercised in mind.He had been very zealous in committee meeting for having Paul sent downstairs, but he had not looked forward to see what effect it would haveupon the choir. Mr. Cannel, who owned a coal-mine, sat in front of Paul.He was not on good terms with Deacon Hardhack, for they once had afalling out on business matters, and so whatever the Deacon attemptedto do in society affairs was opposed by Mr. Cannel. They were bothmembers of the singing committee, and had a stormy time on Saturdayevening. Mr. Cannel did what he could to keep Paul in the choir, but theDeacon had carried the day.
"I'll triumph yet," was the thought which flashed through Mr. Cannel'smind, when he saw how matters stood. He turned and nodded to Paul tostrike up a tune, but Paul took no notice of him. Mr. Cannel half rosefrom his seat, and whispered hoarsely, "Strike up a tune, Paul." All thecongregation saw him. Paul made no movement, but sat perfectly still,not even looking towards Mr. Cannel. Deacon Hardhack saw what Mr. Cannelwas up to, and resolved to head him off. He rose from his seat, and saidaloud, "Brother Quaver, will you pitch a tune?"
Again, as in other days, Mr. Quaver rubbed his great red nose, astrumpeters wipe their instruments before giving a blast. Then, after aloud Ahem! which made the church ring, he began to sing. It was sostrange a sound, so queer, so unlike the sweet music which had charmedthe congregation through the summer, that there was smiling all overthe church. His voice trembled and rattled, and sounded so funny that alittle boy laughed aloud, which disconcerted him, and he came nearbreaking down. Miss Gamut sat in one corner of the church, many pewsfrom Mr. Quaver. She attempted to join, but was so far away that shefelt, as she afterwards remarked, like a cat in a strange garret. Pauldid not sing. He thought that, if it was an offence for him to sing inthe choir, it would be equally offensive to sing in the congregation.Azalia, Daphne, Hans, and all the members of the choir, who were sittingin the pews with their parents, were silent. They had talked the matterover before church.
"Paul is innocent; he has only been accused. It isn't right to condemnhim, or turn from him, till we know he is not worthy of our confidence.I met him on the bridge last night, and he looked as if he hadn't afriend in the world. I shall stand by him," said Azalia.
"Deacon Hardhack and Miss Dobb mean to break down the choir. It is aconspiracy," said Hans, who felt that Paul's case was his own.
Daphne began to look at the matter in a new light, and felt ashamed ofherself for having passed by Paul without noticing him.
After service there was a great deal of loud talking.
"If that is the kind of singing you are going to have, I'll stay athome," said Farmer Harrow.
"It would be a desecration of the sanctuary, and we should be the aidersand abettors of sin and iniquity, if we allowed a fellow who has beenaccused of stealing to lead the singing," said Deacon Hardhack to Mr.Cannel.
"Let him that is without sin among you cast the first stone," was Mr.Cannel's reply, and he felt that he had given the Deacon a good hit.
"Paul hasn't had his deserts by a long chalk," said Miss Dobb.
"He has been treated shamefully," said Azalia, indignantly.
All took sides, some for Paul, and some against him. Old things, whichhad no connection with the matter, were raked up. Mr. Cannel twittedDeacon Hardback of cheating him, while on the other hand the Deaconaccused Mr. Cannel of giving false weight in selling coal. The peaceand harmony of the church and society were disturbed.
Mr. Quaver felt very sore over that laugh which the little boy hadstarted. He knew his voice was cracked, and that his singing days wereover. "I am not going to make a fool of myself, to be laughed at," hesaid, and made up his mind that he wouldn't sing another note to pleasethe Deacon or anybody else.
In the afternoon Mr. Quaver's seat was empty. Mr. Surplice read a hymnand waited for some one to begin. Mr. Cannel once more nodded to Paul,but Paul took no notice of it, and so there was no singing. A very dullservice it was. After the benediction, Mr. Cannel, Colonel Dare, andJudge Adams said to Paul, "We hope you will lead the singing nextSunday."
"Gentlemen, I have been requested by the chairman of the committee toleave the choir. When he invites me to return I will take the matterinto consideration; till then I shall take no part in the singing,"--hereplied, calmly and decidedly.
Through the week Paul went on with his business, working and studying,bringing all his will and energy into action; for he resolved that hewould not let what had taken place break him down.
Mr. Noggin believed him guilty. "He will steal your grapes, Mr.Leatherby, if you don't look out," he said to the shoemaker, who had aluxuriant vine in his garden, which was so full of ripe clusters thatpeople's mouths watered when they saw them purpling in the October sun.
Mr. Leatherby concluded to keep his eyes open,--also to set a trap. Hewaited till evening, that no one might see what he was about. His gardenwas a warm, sunny spot, upon a hillside. A large butternut-tree, withwide-spreading branches, gave support to the vine. Mr. Leatherby filleda hogshead with stones, headed it up, rolled it to the spot, and tiltedit so nicely that a slight jar would send it rolling down the hill. Thenfastening one end of a rope to the hogshead, he threw the other end overa branch of the tree, brought it down to the ground, and made a noose.Then, taking a board, he put one end upon the hogshead and rested theother end on the ground, where he had placed the noose. He expected thatwhoever came after t
he grapes would walk up the board to reach the greatclusters which hung overhead, that the hogshead would begin to roll,the board would drop, the noose draw, and the thief would find himselfdangling by the heels. It was admirably contrived. About midnight Mr.Leatherby heard the board drop. "I've got him!" he shouted, springingout of bed, alarming Mrs. Leatherby, who thought he was crazy. He hadnot told her of the trap.
"Got whom? Got what?" she exclaimed, wondering what he meant.
"Paul Parker, who has come to steal the grapes," he said, as he put onhis clothes.
He went out, and found that it was not Paul, but Bob Swift, who wasdangling, head downwards. The noose had caught him by one leg. A verylaughable appearance he made, as he kicked and swung his arms, andswayed to and fro, vainly struggling to get away.
"So you are the thief, are you? How do you like being hung up by theheels? Are the grapes sweet or sour?" Mr. Leatherby asked, not offeringto relieve him.
"Please let me go, sir. I won't do so again," said Bob, whining.
"It won't hurt you to hang awhile, I reckon," Mr. Leatherby replied,going into the house and telling Mrs. Leatherby what had happened, thencalling up Mr. Shelbarke, who lived near by, and also Mr. Noggin.
"I reckon that this isn't your first trick, Bob," said Mr. Leatherby,when he returned with his neighbors. He liked Paul, and had been loathto believe that he was guilty of stealing. "It is you who have beenplaying tricks all along. Come now, own up," he added.
"It ain't me, it is Philip,--he told me to come," said Bob, who wasthoroughly cowed by the appearance of Mr. Noggin and the others, and whofeared that he would be harshly dealt with.
"O ho! Philip Funk is at the bottom, is he?" Mr. Leatherby exclaimed,remembering how Philip suggested that it was Paul who had stuffed hischimney with old paper.
"If you will let me down, I will tell you all," said Bob, groaning withpain from the cord cutting into his ankle.
"We will hear your confession before we let you down," said Mr.Leatherby.
Bob begged, and whined, but to no purpose, till he told them all aboutthe Night-Hawks,--that Philip set them on, and that Paul did not takeMr. Noggin's honey, nor smoke out Mr. Leatherby. It was Philip whosheared Miss Dobb's puppy, who took Mr. Shelbarke's watermelons, androbbed Deacon Hardhack's hen-roost. When Bob had told all, they let himgo. He went off limping, but very glad that he was free.
In the morning Mr. Leatherby and Mr. Noggin reported what had happened;but Philip put on a bold face, and said that Bob was a liar, and thatthere wasn't a word of truth in what he had said. The fact that he wascaught stealing Mr. Leatherby's grapes showed that he was a fellow notto be believed; for if he was mean enough to steal, he would nothesitate to lie.
Deacon Hardhack called upon Paul. "I have been requested by thecommittee to call and see you. They wish you to take charge of thesinging again," he said, with some confusion of manner; and added,"Perhaps we were hasty in the matter when we asked you to sit downstairs, but we are willing to let bygones be bygones."
"Am I to understand that there is no suspicion against me?" Paul asked.
"Yes--sir--I suppose so," said the Deacon, slowly and hesitatingly.
"Then you may say to the committee that I will do what I can to make thesinging acceptable as a part of the service," Paul replied.
There was a hearty shaking of hands with Paul, by all the choir, at therehearsal on Saturday night. They were glad to meet him once more, andwhen they looked upon his frank, open countenance, those who for amoment had distrusted him felt that they had done him a great wrong. Andon Sunday morning how sweet the music! It thrilled the hearts of thepeople, and they too were ashamed when they reflected that they hadcondemned Paul without cause. They were glad he was in his place oncemore. Mr. Surplice in his prayer gave thanks that the peace and harmonyof the congregation was restored, and that the wicked one had not beenpermitted to rule. When he said that, Mr. Cannel wondered if he hadreference to Deacon Hardhack. Everybody rejoiced that the matter wassettled,--even Miss Dobb, who did not care to have all the old thingsbrought up.
When the service was over, when Paul sat once more by his mother's sidein their humble home, before the old fireplace, when he listened to herwords, reminding him of all God's goodness,--how He had carried himthrough the trial,--Paul could not keep back his tears, and he resolvedthat he would always put his trust in God.