He would be an apostle, a prophet, a martyr of Freedom.
But Presley was essentially a dreamer, not a man of affairs.

He hesitated to act at this precise psychological moment, striking while the iron was yet hot, and while he hesitated, other affairs near at hand began to absorb his attention.
One night, about an hour after he had gone to bed, he was awakened by the sound of voices on the porch of the ranch house, and, descending, found Mrs.Dyke there with Sidney.

The ex-engineer's mother was talking to Magnus and Harran, and crying as she talked.

It seemed that Dyke was missing.

He had gone into town early that afternoon with the wagon and team, and was to have been home for supper.