Show 24 41 H capy A service 0 joceph mccord SYNOPSIS the congregation ol of the old white church i in lo 10 locust s t hill turns out in full force to look I 1 over clue the new preacher dr jonathan farwell and there Is much speculation among the communicants as to what sort of man he will be cassius brady treasurer ot of the church had bad recommended dr farwell tor for the post alter after hearing his baccalaureate sermon at the graduation ot of dale farwell far well ids his son ion who to is a geologist bradys brady daughter lenora interests dale who lives alone with his lather father dr farwell meets the members ot of his congregation personally accepts their tributes but refuses to be impressed I 1 by the bankers family the Marble stones whose daughter evelyn obviously sets hor ha cap tor for dale meanwhile the women of 0 the town ere re curious about the mystery ol of the fardella farwells Far wella wells womanless housekeeping in the i privacy ot of ills his room dale has enshrined a picture of a beautiful woman inscribed in childish lettering elaine El atae the marble stones invite the farwells farrells Far wells to dinner with brady at the dinner evelyn mo ino dale he tells tier her he has only lone frits friend d in locust hill and she Is lee brady rady C constable 0 estable kerney is perturbed by the arrival arleiv a I 1 on the train ot of a suspicious auspicious looking little lit tle man and shadows him he Is further mystified when the stranger goes ito to the parsonage there the newcomer Is warmly greeted as pink and takes up his duties as housekeeper adding to the towns speculation dale calls on the bradys evelyn marblestone gives a party in honor of 0 dale and Is obviously annoyed at his marked attentions to lee later dale takes lee for a drive around historical spots in which he has a students interest and he confides in her his ideal ot of elaine his mother who bo died when he was barely more than a baby and who is still deeply mourned by his lather father lee Is sympathetic dr farwell invites the mar ble stones to his first formal dinner dale has already accepted an invitation to attend a birthday party in honor of lee but his father sternly insists that he stay at home and help entertain the Marble stones lee although understanding Is hurt and dale spends a miserable evening CHAPTER VI controlled continued 7 without another word farwell seated himself at the instrument and ran a few contemplative chords then he commenced a selection a classical theme whose notes filled the room under the firm touch of the long white fingers at its conclusion cl farwells farrells Far wells hands dropped from the keys to his lap it was wonderful evelyn breathed 1 I adore liszt it was almost eleven when marblestone bl estone peered from the front window and announced that the car was wal waiting ling dales only conversation with evelyn came when he assisted her into her coat was it such a hardship she inquired in a voice too low for the others to hear 1 I dont know what you mean nothing really I 1 quite sure you were here this evening evelyn stood with her back to lo him fingering the fastenings of her coat but of course I 1 wast was I 1 so glad you could come before dale could formulate any plan of action following the departure of the Marble stones his father called him into the parlor farwell stood beside the piano did you have a pleasant evening yes father hereafter if you can avoid it please donot do not make it necessary for me to use the piano I 1 should not have to remind you of my reasons I 1 think goodnight good night dale dale waited where he was until he heard his father moving about overhead then he walked into the hall slipped into his overcoat and let himself out the front door his annd was filled with ings as he neared his destination A fools errand like as not if he could have a few words with lee alone what would her guests think if he came barging in at this late hour perhaps they would have gone no the house was still brightly lighted on the lower floor dale approached uncertainly there was but one car parked in the street he scanned it closely as he passed he walked on rapidly there was a familiar look about that machine pliny getting the break CHAPTER VII lee darling I 1 I 1 sure be up yet but I 1 did want to see you for a minute of course im up lee laughed as she ushered evelyn marblestone into the bradys living room its almost noon better get out of that leather coat its rather warm here well just for a second you dont know how sorry I 1 was not to be able to come to your dinner last night you see I 1 was invited out for dinner with father and mother and I 1 must tell you where we went we dined at doctor farwells farrells Far wells imagine really nothing different you know I 1 was almost devoured with curiosity to see what it would be like you must have seen that weird creature that runs the house for dale and his father mr ive met him he is funny and nice maybe he so easy to look at though but I 1 will hand it to him when it cornet comes to serving ing a dinner and my dear I 1 wish you could see the linen and silver the table was simply beautiful full the din ner was delicious I 1 mean it and that dreadful looking little man I 1 cooked it it must have been interesting 1 I have missed it for worlds and we had another surprise doctor farwell played the piano for us after dinner hes nothing less than an artist he like to play for his friends but I 1 teased him into it after dale let the cat out of the bag I 1 could see that the doctor like it at all he tried not to show it but you know those eyes of his dales so tunny funny he im not sure ive noticed 1 I moan mean about his father when you get dale by himself he loosens up and talks but when his fathers around hes altogether different he acts almost as if he were afraid I 1 dont blame him much doctor farwell is perfectly adorable but there is something sort ot of grand and gloomy about him dales all right anyway he cant help his father did you know he was going away very soon you mean dale yes he was telling father something lh of the sort after dinner said it was wonc he had decided to go back to school and do some work those two got to be regular cronies last night father thinks its a pity he going into a business where he can make money thinks he has so much personality and all that sort of thing I 1 wonder if hed do something for dale if hed stay here in locust hill that would be nice 1 I dont blame him much for wanting to get away from here but I 1 will miss him dale promised me he would take up contract if I 1 would give him some lessons and I 1 must gol go dont hurry away sorry ive heaps of things to do im just beginning to think of christmas shopping evelyn was getting into her coat its been ages since we had a good visit call me up and well have a whole afternoon of gossip by pink unwittingly contributed to his culinary fame by neglecting to lower the shades of the dining room windows while serving dinner for the quarry outfit miss abbie brown chanced to see the unusual illumination in passing the parsonage she paused dale farwell was plainly visible at his end of the table on his right sat a woman who looked amazingly like sarah marblestone and im miss brown that lady offered primly equally desirous of getting off to a fresh start sorry to bother you but I 1 brought a pan of doughnuts over to doctor farwell quite some time ago that was before you came of course I 1 left the pan I 1 was wondering if I 1 might have it back if it too much trouble its about so big abbien gloved hands described an indefinite arc a hard one miss pin answered im afraid I 1 know it lotta junk must have come with this house you see theres nobody home except me 0 never mind then it just happened that my mother we live alone since my brother married she wanted to use the pan for something but some other time win will do exactly as well her distress was so evident that pinks gallantry was stirred not a bad lookin little jane at all he decided mentally then aloud chances are its kickin around here would you care to ankle back to the kitchen and see if you can pick it out the first woman of the congregation to reach this coveted goal abbie helped herself to a chair at the end of the kitchen table and com i V P K 41 1 there were henry and evelyni evelyn well I 1 miss brown still was revolving the unusual event in her mind early the next afternoon when an errand took her past old white less than a block from the parsonage she saw doctor far farwell stride out from the house to his car dale was at the wheel they were going somewhere then abble abbie slackened her pace and waited until the machine started away from the curb gathering speed as it moved along market street she lifted her small chin in a determined fashion and walked swiftly and unhesitatingly up to the farwell front door pink jacket unbuttoned in his haste answered the bell good afternoon miss brown smiled sweetly 1 I just dropped in as I 1 was going by to ask you about my pan what ails it was startled into inquiring before he realized the attractive little visitor might not be employing his own familiar vernacular beg pardon he amended hastily and faiq waited erful evelyn breathed 1 I fenced a swift and happy inspection she still was engrossed with her discoveries when the housekeeper emerged all too soon from his pantry 1 I got an idea its one of these he exhibited two pans for consideration yes ours the larger one would you mind telling me what your real name is pinckney my friends call me pink handy ive been wondering ever since I 1 heard it so unusual I 1 was just going to say mr pink that this is the very first time in my life I 1 was in a mans kitchen its really beautiful you have everything so clean and orderly I 1 hear youre a wonderful cook yeah guess been bryin to rib you nevertheless mr was gratified and showed it but I 1 havel have abbie nodded vigorously orous ly its so nice for doctor farwell and dale to have someone as capable as you are I 1 know they must appreciate it after all mr pink its rather difficult for a tor for a man chos lost his wife I 1 feel so s sorry for poor doctor farwell A I 1 home is so important for a minister he seems to be gettin along of coursel course 1 with you to manage things I 1 suppose you knew mrs farwell never saw her pinks tone suggested that another topic would be rather more in order and it must be nice for you here too said miss abble abbie brown to pink were all so fond of doctor farwell even in the short time hes been here and dale is nice too so talented miss brown had struck the right approach 4 dale youve said a mouthful miss I 1 done my best to make so methin thins of that kid hell be a champ some day if he behaves himself im sure sur e he will and doctor farwell is so forceful always fighting evill evil you aint seen bothin II 11 if t ever have seen him when he was tin for the hennies He inies hell with a bayonet he was do you mean he was in the war bore liszt why I 1 never heard how I 1 come to meet him in the first place oh I 1 wish tell mels mel we was buddies out there all A faraway far away look crept into the gray eyes we joined up in the same outfit maybe we get in the thick of it too it was a maeer queer thing about the dominie he continued musingly almost as if had forgotten there was an auditor drinking in every word bothin No thin ever seemed to touch him and yet he was always goin where things was the worst you see that pinks fingers caressed his scarred cheek it must have been a dreadful wound the little woman remarked with a shudder touch and a go you might say shell fragment done that and that all I 1 could show you where I 1 mean there was a compla machine gun bullets did me some special dirt we was baidin a nest when that happened TO BE CONTINUED |