John Ward, Preacher

or did not understand the game, he said, and it was perhaps to learn that he watched every play so closely. Lois, of course, had no part in it, for Mrs. Dale was alw

nd the times in thinking that it was a privilege, as it ought to be

was perhaps because Mr. Denner, at sixty-two, did not realize that he had ceased to be, as he would have expressed it, "a gentleman in middle life." He had no landmarks of great emotions to show him how far the sleepy years had carried him from his youth; and life in Ashurst was very

rego regere; then there were always his flies and rods to keep in order against the season when he and the rector started on long fishing tramps; and in the evenings, when Willie had gone to bed, and his cook was reading "The Death Beds of Eminent Saints" by the

d say to himself that it was somewhat lonely, and Mary was certainly seve

oodhouse in this connection, as he stood ready to strike a match on the hearth of the big fireplace, was well known. "When ladies," he would say, bowing to each sister in turn, with his little heels close together and his toes turned well out,-"when ladies are so charitable to our vices, we will not reform, lest we lose the pleasure of being forgiven." Mr. Denner smoked a cigar, but Mr. Dale alw

t night was hot, and doors and windows were open for any breath of air that might be stirring in the dark garden. Max had retreated to the empty fireplace, finding the bricks cooler than the carpeted floor. All was very still, save when the emphatic sweep of a trump card made the candle flames flicker.

ning, brother, that Arabella Forsythe didn't feel well enough to come to-night? I told her she should have Henry's place, but she said she wa

le asked, turning his blue eyes upon her. "

cidedly, while the rector said, "Yes, yo

of the deep window-seats, reading, with

ector, "but he said he must not leave

guess he knew that. And I certainly should not have allowed Henry to give up his seat to him." As she said this, she looked at Mr. Denner, who felt, unde

at the right side, "what decided Mr. Forsythe to spend the summer here? I understoo

es glistened, and looked at Lois, but the

ng at his wife, "he is rather a changeable young man. He

man finding his own country more attractive than Europe? To change his mind in that way is very

r told me that she was constantly afraid he'd marry some unsuitable young woman, and the only safety was that he would

her book, but she did not seem disturbed by the charge of fickleness on the part of Mr. Forsythe. He had not confided to her his reasons for not going abroad; all she knew was that the summer was the merriest one she had ever spent. "I feel so young,"

rmined to leave the subject of Dick Forsythe, "for Henry has so little sense," she thought, "there is no kn

's hand, and then glancing at Mr. Dale's, and thrusting out

r. Dale, sorting his ca

nd through. He didn't have much to say for himself, but what he did say made me believe he was cons

difference consists merely in the fact that the old school have cold roast beef on the Sabbath, a

what I thought of him; but I had my opinion. I wonder," he went on, rattling a bunch of keys in his pocket, "what would be the attitude of a mind like his in politics? Conservative to the most ridiculous degree, I imagine. Of course, to a certain exten

understand politics," answ

absurd, you know, perfectly absurd. But Ward! one can't imagine that he would

just the opposite, quite-quite the contrary. From what you say, doctor, it seems to me

duty (a pretty dangerous thing that, for a man must have inclinations of his own, which would be sure to color his interpretation! What?

his conscience might make him-anything. And certainly the Bible test would not leave him content with democracy, doctor. Communism is literal Christianity.

Dale. "Don't you see Deborah has led? Y

down his cards in despair. He had scarcely finished explaining that he meant to play the king, but threw the knave by mistake, when Lois entered, followed by Sally with the big tray, which always carried exactly the same things: a little fat decanter, with a silver collar jingling about its neck, marked, Sherry, '39; a plate of ratifia cakes, and another of plum-cake for the rector's especial delectati

l sitting in the high-backed chairs, spread white doilies over their laps, and then took their small glasses of wine and delicate little cakes, but the gentlemen ate and drank standing, and they all discussed the last game very earnestly. Only Lois, waiting by the tray, ready to hand the cake, was silent. It was a peculiarity of Ashurst

isfaction, she remembered how pleased Mrs. Forsythe always was to see her. "She won't have any anxiety this summer which will injure he

e, who had come so quietly along the path, dark with it

of surprise, "I did not know we were

de of the doorway. "I started for a walk, doctor, and somehow I found myself here. No cake, thank you,-yes, I guess I'll have some sherry. Oh, the whist is over. Who is to b

is knowledge of life. He represented the world to them, the World with a capital W, and they were all more or less conscious of a certain awe in his presence. His utt

began in an agitated way to pick up the crumbs of cake from her lap, and ask her sister if she did not think Sarah had come for them. Mr. Denner stopped talking about a new sort of

rs. Dale enjoyed it. She answered by nods, and small chuckles of approval, and frequent glances about at the others, as much as to say, "Do you hear that

offer assistance, and the rector too stout, and Mr. Dale too absent-minded. As for Mr. Forsythe, he did not notice how Miss Deborah was occupied, until Lois had joined her; and then his offer was not

st custom would not have permitted him to stay when the party had broken up. Ho

in her hand. Mr. Denner had secretly hoped for a chance of "seeing them

s, and then stood watching them down the lane, until a turn in the

o back to the house. "This gayety has made me almost

s was almost as regular

s; Dick Forsythe had joined Mrs. Dale at once, so Mr. Dale and Mr. Denner walked together. They were only far

said Mr. Denner, nodding his head in

eat deal," obs

ner continued, "no-ah, if I

esponded

is not, as it were, gay." As he said this, a certain jauntiness came into his step, as though he did not include himself among those who were not "gay." "Yet he seems

. Dale, "he comes

adows of the Lombardy poplars on either side of his white gate-posts, Mr. Denner thought much of it,-more with a sort of envy of

dows of the library, but on the north and east sides it had stretched across the closed white shutters, for these rooms had scarcely been entered since little Willie Denner's mother died, five years ago. She had kept house for her brother-in-law, and had brought some brightness into his life; but since her death, his one servant had had matt

his high, mild forehead, and sighed; then he looked through one of the narrow windows on either side of the front door, where the leaded glass was cut into crescents and circles, and fastened with small brass rosettes; he could see the lamp Mary had left for him, burning dimly on the hall table, under

was as slow to recognize the fact that Miss Deborah and Miss Ruth were no longer young as they were themselves. Just now he thought only of the home-life in their old house, and the comfort, and the peace. What quiet, pleasant voices the sisters had, and how well Miss De