He had been provoked into a public justification, and now he was quite sure that he would have been more politic to remain silent.

He realized that the evening's performance would cause a sensation and be talked about all over town.

The Come-Outers would glory in their leader's denunciation of him, and his own people would perhaps feel that it served him right.

If he had only told Mrs.Coffin of what he intended to do.

Yet he had not told her because he meant to do it anyhow.