"Why,--I,--" began Harricutt, and then saw there was nothing else for him to do, and stepped excitedly over to the minister's seat behind the table, and sank reluctantly down, trying to think how he could best make use of his present position to further his side of the question.
The minister was still standing, seeming to hold within his gaze the eyes of every one in the room including Mark.
"I wish to make a motion," said the minister, "I move that we have a rising vote, expressing our utmost confidence in Mr. Carter, and leaving it to his discretion to explain his conduct or not as he pleases! I have known this dear young brother since he was a boy, and I would trust him always, anywhere, with anything!"
A wonderful shiny look of startled wonder, and deep joy came into the eyes of the young man, followed by a stabbing cloud of anguish, and then the hard controlled face once more, with the exception of a certain tenderness as he looked toward the minister.
"Mr. Duncannon, will you second my motion?" finished Severn.
The long gaunt dark elder was on his feet instantly:
"Sure, Brother Severn, I second that motion. If you hadn't got ahead of me I'd have firsted it myself. I know Mark. He's _all right!_" and he put out a hairy hand and grasped Mark's young strong fingers, that gripped his warmly.
Harricutt was on his feet, tapping on the table with his pencil:
"I think this motion is out of order," he cried excitedly--but no one listened, and the minister said calmly, "Will the chair put the question?"
Baffled, angry, bitter, the old stickler went through the hated words: "It is moved and seconded that we express our confidence--"
"Utmost confidence, Brother Harricutt--" broke in the minister's voice. The red came up in the elder's face, but he choked out the words "utmost confidence," on through the whole motion, and by the time it was out four elders were on their feet, Duncannon and Joyce first, thank God, Gibson, more slowly, Fowler pulled up by the strong wiry hand of Duncannon who sat next him.
"Stop!" suddenly spoke Mark's clear incisive voice, "I cannot let you do this. I deeply appreciate the confidence of Mr. Severn and Mr. Duncannon," he paused looking straight into the eyes of the new elder and added--"and Mr. Joyce, who does not know me. But I am not worthy of so deep a trust. I ask you to remove my name from your church roll that in future my actions shall not be your responsibility!" With that he gave one lingering tender look toward the minister, pressed hard the hairy hand of the old Scotch elder, and went out of the room before anyone realized he was going.
