It was therefore strange that Carter should wish to see him. On his way to the office, Mr. Maxwell connected the editor’s request with the coming of Jesus. And Carter’s first words, spoken politely enough, showed him that his surmise was correct.

“I wanted to see you, Mr. Maxwell, about this person who calls himself Jesus. I understand he is staying with you. Are you willing to tell me what you think of him?”

It was characteristic of Carter’s effrontery that he had not the slightest hesitation about using anyone for his own advantage if he thought he could get anything out of him for his paper. It made no difference to him that he had sneered at men like Maxwell all his life and cast contempt on the church and all it stood for.

Mr. Maxwell understood the character of the man completely. “Mr. Carter, I may say frankly that I don’t care to talk about him, for any publication. I have already refused to be interviewed on the subject by the representatives of other papers.”

“But I notice the News seems to have inside information. I suppose you give to your own flock what you do not give to strangers on the outside.”

“I have not talked to any newspapermen about him. Whatever has appeared in the News does not contain any quotations or opinions of mine.”

“I suppose you have noticed the different views expressed by different people in town about this person’s outward appearance? Does that strike you as peculiar?”

“Mr. Carter, if you requested me to come here to talk about him, I wish to say again that I do not care to talk to you about him.”

“To me?”

“To you or any other newspaperman.”

“Why not?” Carter was beginning to get angry.

“I don’t think it’s necessary to give reasons.”

Mr. Maxwell rose to go, but Carter smiled blandly and said, “Don’t go, Mr. Maxwell. I have an interesting statement to make that I am sure will deeply concern you. Have you noticed that, up to the present time, not a single picture of this person calling himself Jesus has appeared in any paper? Do you realize that such a thing is an astonishing fact?”

Mr. Maxwell could not help saying that it was.

“I don’t mind telling you, Mr. Maxwell, that, as no doubt you would expect, the Gazette has tried to get a picture, but so far has failed.”

Mr. Maxwell thought to himself, For which failure I am deeply thankful.

“And I don’t mind saying—in fact, it is one reason I wanted to see you—that I myself tried to get a picture, but my plates are clear. No negative.”

Mr. Maxwell made no comment.

Carter looked at him sharply. “Is not that a curious thing? How do you account for it?”

“I don’t account for it.”

Carter was silent a moment, as if measuring how far he could go. Then he said, with a great show of frankness, “Mr. Maxwell, could you do me a favor? I understand, of course, we have not always been on your side and all that, but we’ve always fought in the open, and though I’ve no use for preachers generally, I’ve always had respect for your consistency.