Dominie Dean

e words of the old dominie in the pulpit above him-he had received the Call. From that moment his destiny had been fixed. There had been no splendid Sign-no blaze of glory-light illuminating the dusky interior of the church, no sun ray turning his golden curls into a halo. His clas

his parents' lives. The rupture that wrenched American Presbyterianism into antagonistic parts in

phere-his father was an elder-David grew and his faith was fed to him from his birth; it was part of him, but until the C

ie and when he left school he came under the care of the presbytery of which the dominie was a member. It was David's father's

verbank. This was David, clean and sure, honest and unafraid, broad-browed and dear-eyed, his favorite motto: "Keep an even mind under all circumstances." It was to protect this young David, clear as crystal and strong as steel, that the members of the First Pre

uis would be more desirable because he would take her to a place where there was more "society" and where certain of the richer trimmings of life were accepted as reasonable and not frowned on as extravagances. She had a rather definite idea that her husband would be someone in the pork or lumber industries, as they were then the best income producers. She meant to refuse all

en she lay in wait for David. She sailed down upon him whenever he went upon the streets, seemingly coming upon him unexpectedly, and falling into step with him. She ambuscaded him on the main street when he went to the post office for his mail. She

ouses of white or brick-red, all with ample lawns around them. You can see David leave the little white manse beside the brick church and walk the shady streets, making a pastoral call or going to the post office. Those pastoral calls! Serious matters for a young dominie in those days! The dominie was expected to come like a plumber, with his kit of tools, ready to set to work on a leaky conscience or a frost-bit soul and his visits were for li

rself and everyone else and even about David-and who else dared joke about the dominie!-until he smiled in spite of himself. His flock seemed to fall naturally into two classes-those who felt they had a sort of proprietary interest in him and those who were a little afraid of him. 'Thusia was not like either. She was a glea

work as a waitress at one of the dinners where they were short-handed, but Mary Wiggett soon let them know they had made a mistake. With a woman's intuition she felt in 'Thusia a dangerous rival. Even before 'Thusia or David suspected the truth she saw how great an attraction 'Thusia had for the young dominie. Her own efforts to attract David were necessarily slower and more

t. He made her his lieutenant in all the money-raising affairs and she rightly believed his affection for her was growing, but she needed time. 'Thusia,

Wiggett listen

t Mary should come to him for aid. The actual word "love" was not

enough to marry him, if he

ed by the attention David was paying 'Thusia and that they were talking about it. It was a shame, she said

. "You don't understand what it means, as we do. An

an a thing or two!" gro

d when he looked at her with surprise

e thought I had sent you. I should die of

nt to marry h

But-yes, I do l

money." It was equivalent to another man's hearty good wishes. "B

for their differences. Once every so often the doctor had his "periodical," when he drank until he was stupid. Once already David, knowing of this weakness and seeing the "period" approaching, had kept old Benedict talking philosophy until midnight and, when he grew restless for brandy, had walked the

nature. The greater part of the year he was himself, but when the "periodical" came he was like a helpless baby tossed by a pair of all-powerful arms. He could not defend himself; he did not wish to be carried away, but it was useless to contend. If David wanted to wrestle with the t

an easy-chair in David's study, "they tell me y

d tu

"You're mistaken, Benedict.

abroad with her, Davy; you laugh with her at oyster suppers." He became serious. "It's being held against yo

y," said David. "I have

's a giddy youngster; a flyaway; a gay young flibbertygibb

sk. He thought of 'Thusia Fragg and her attraction and of his duty to himself and to his church, considering everything calmly. He had felt a growing antagonism w

id at length. "I understand.

o the world, Davy. I've helped a lot of them into the world. It is not for me t

mother had lived 'Thusia might have been dif

doctor. "How long have you be

d David. "A minister should be above

e," said Benedict. "You're right every time, Da

u cannot be of use to your sick when they call for you, and I would be wrong if I let anything turn my people from me, for they need me continually. My ministry is more important than I am. If my right hand offended my people I would cut it of

Thusy," sa

rried man," David substituted. "The sooner I marry t

ing, "so, if that's the way you feel about it-and I dare say you are right-I'll try a sample of absence

weep of the shore left a half moon of quiet water above the levee. When Benedict left him David dropped into his chair. Ten minutes later his mind was made up and he drew on his outer coat

ater along the shore until colder weather congeals it. This day was warm and the sun had power. Here and there, to reach the firmer ice across the mushy shore ice, planks had been thrown. David stood on the r

young fellow turned in pursuit, but almost instantly shouted a warning and dug the edges of his skates into the ice. 'Thusia skated on. Straight toward the thin, decayed ice she sped, one hand still waving her muff aloft in signal to David. He started down the bank almost before she reached the bad ice, for he saw what was going to happen. He heard the ice give under her skates, saw her throw up her hands, heard h

re wet only to the knees, and if 'Thusia was drenched from head to foot it was because she had deliberately thr

und them he lifted her in his arms and carried her up the railway embankment.

, but she'll take cold in these wet clothes. Mary Wiggett," he call

followed. David sent a boy to tell Mr. Fragg to hurry home. And all this while, and while they were waiting for the rig that soon came, 'Thusia con

quite understood the reasoning that led him to drag Mary Wiggett into the affair in this way. He felt vaguely that she was protection; it had seemed the thing he must do. He was angry with 'Thusia, s

house and helped her up the stairs to her room, and there he left her with Mary. From the sitting room below he could hear Mary moving about. He heard her come down and put the sadirons on the stove to

has stopped shivering and is nice and warm. We'll s

s happy and she tucked her arm under his affectionately and David clasped her hand. He was happy, quite happy. They stopped to send D

u home and take this rig back wherever it came from," she added with a pleasing air of new proprieto

she turned away. She tur

el so sorry for her. She has no mother and I think

David, "I fe

ary happily. "And remember, change your cl

ittle house as it would be with Mary in it as the mistress and, in addition to the glow of heart natural to an accepted lover, h

to change his wet garments