Show tf nEMr AeK a joseph mccord service SYNOPSIS the congregation of the old white r C hurch church in locust hill turns out in full force to look over 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 of the church had dr farwell for the post after hearing his baccalaureate sermon at the graduation of dale farwell his son who Is a geologist bradys daughter lenora interests dale who lives alone with his father CHAPTER I 1 continued i 2 Later when their elders had withdrawn for their talk dale found himself charged with the responsibility of entertaining miss brady in Cs 4 a secluded corner of the hotel lounge g what I 1 cant understand he i H declared wonderingly is how youve been around here for three V years and I 1 never saw you I 1 still r dont believe it I 1 should have found you before I 1 feel cheated and now its too late she E teased youre all through here im not so sure im thinking of doing postgraduate post graduate work next year dale volunteered hopefully 1 I know ill be around for a while when you get back im going to see you but I 1 may not be here lenora remarked soberly daddy brought me a very good report about my mother I 1 told fc him but ive almost made up my mind that I 1 ought to stay with her i next year 1 well dale ventured boldly perhaps the farwells farrells Far wells will be living in your town by that time your father seems rather keen for it she laughed softly daddy has amused me so today hes been the treasurer of old white tor for ages and he almost never attends but dont tell him I 1 gave him away V he surely is enthused over your father you should be proud doctor farwell is a wonderful speak er pretty fair dale agreed complacently 1 I be at all surprised it if he is the man you need im growing convinced of it before the day was over cassius brady had gained jonathan far wells promise to consider the new pastorate it if the proposal came through official channels within three weeks a committee committe efrom from lo 10 oust cust hill waited upon the western pastor and heard him preach in his own pulpit A formal invitation followed and was accepted dale would not admit to himself least of all to his father to what degree his expectations regarding that first church service included seeing lenora brady but he was doomed to disappointment there was no sign of the brady family in the congregation when doctor farwell mounted the rostrum dale made a swift survey of the faces within range the brief tension gave way to a general rustling whispers by the time the minister finished reading the lines of the hymn dale experienced his bis first feeling of relief the reaction on the majority of thelister ers was undeniably favorable dale rose to his feet with the others smilingly declining a share of the hymnal offered by hisney his neighbor 1 gabor in black 1 I know the words he assured her with his brown head tipped back hands clasped behind him the ministers son raised his voice in song all unmindful of of the interest his vocal effort was creating among the nearby listeners CHAPTER 11 II staid composure marked jonathan farwells farrells Far wells demeanor when he stepped down within the altar rail after the benediction to meet the members of his congregation many of whom pressed forward tor for the purpose each new arrival was greeted with a firm handclasp and a searching glance from the black eyes making it evident he would be known by name when he met the minister a second time approving comments upon the morning sermon many of them efrus effusive ive were accepted with grave unconcern when henry marblestone locust hills banker and wealthiest biti citizen elbowed a way through the milling crowd to proffer his own particular greeting those nearest to doctor farwell gave place deferentially marblestone had head ed the committee responsible for the pastoral selection and the satisfying prestige lingered with his florid face wreathed in smiles henry declared well doctor that was a very good effort I 1 can see where you and I 1 think alike on a lot of things congratulations that is very kind some undertone in farwells farrells Far wells response had a chilling effect upon henrys ardor there was an awkward silence then marblestone deferred hurriedly to the two women at his elbow my wife has been very anxious to meet you doctor and this is my daughter evelyn 0 welcome to old white doctor docto r farwell your discourse was positively delightful inspiring it henry you know I 1 this breathless and unfinished offering came from a pudgy bomal wearing a white fur piece that came nearly to the crown of her lavender hat scarcely waiting to observe if her encomium had registered sarah marblestone merged unobtrusively into the atmosphere of her husband leaving the field to her tall daughter farwells farrells Far wells black eyes narrowed a trifle as he found himself elevating his hand so that it might encounter the limp fingers of miss marblestone he saw a willowy figure in a clinging green gown A pale blonde with eyes very hearly matching the shade of her dress A smiling red mouth displaying small white teeth the voice suggested a cultivated drawl so glad to meet you doctor we just heard that your son had arrived too this momentary respite served to aid the banker in recapturing his former assertiveness where is the boy doctor were taking both of you home to dinner he explained heartily my cars out front just as boon soon as you yau can break away from here thank you farwell returned mildly dale and I 1 have arranged to dine at home we are scarcely unpacked you know I 1 appreciate it just the same oh well whatever you say well aeu make it later it was evident that invitations to the marblestone board seldom were treated so cavalierly in the vanguard of those pressing forward at the conclusion of the services was miss abbie brown she sped swiftly down the center aisle leaving her friend hannah garner staring after her in helpless vexation As abble abbie hovered uncertainly on the side lines her birdlike glance chanced to fall upon dale who had taken refuge in the shadows under the gallery until his father should be at liberty at the moment the younger man was bestowing absorbed attention upon a bronze tablet set in the wall abbie regarded him closely speculation became a certainty making a brisk circling movement she approached the stranger from the rear and announced her presence with a playful tap on an the arm arent you doctor farwells farrells Far wells son she demanded yes im dale his eyes lighted with amusement remembering the red hat and its owners comment upon his name 1 I thought so you dont look much like your father im sure I 1 hope like locust hill im going to it is a very attractive town the little ive seen of it dales eyes strayed towards the t tablet 1 I know before that this was such an historical spot ive just discovered that the british burned the church here he smiled again a trifle apologetically ive always been rather keen on american history really then you must meet my brother he has everything about out locust hill right at his finger ends A son of the american revolution of course heu hell be so glad to know youre interested in colonial things with this common ground established miss abbie ventured to bridge the years and im sure you and your father will find the parsonage very comfortable it must seem dreadfully large for just two men I 1 was sorry to hear about your mother my mother A startled expression in the blue eyes my moth er is dead for goodness sake what will bod you think thin leof of me mr farwell farell here ive been talking your arm off and I 1 hever thought to tell you who I 1 am im abbie brown I 1 guess I 1 just took it for granted that everybody here knew me by the way miss brown dales eyes had sought the front of the room do you mind telling me who those people are the three talking to my father henry Mar marblestone blest ne and his wife and their daughter E evelyns ve pretty she ill say it excise me ill see if father about ready to go now dale received another pla playful ful tap on the arm youre interested in other things besides history arent you quitting the church together dale farwell and his father walked in silence over a path that led past the thickly set gravestones a short route to the parsonage that stood on 0 1 0 alb 4 aft if Z IV dmd f arr gee g 0 Z IM ayt ii J e 4 jt A 19 I 1 4 awa N 10 g ta it 11 1 4 3 N dale stood regarding the burial ground a far corner of the church property the new home was a roomy brick house product of a more modern era than the picturesque church with its wide white clapboards As doctor farwell hunted through his pockets for the door key dale stood regarding the burial ground did you know there was fighting around here father I 1 just saw a tablet that says the church was burned by the british in 1781 seems a lot of your former parishioners were in the colonial army some of them buried here after the fighting soldiers of 1812 too it would not be surprising par well had located his key we are ara living in an old part of the country now you should find it interesting 11 he thrust open the door or and passed within dale following 1 I see anything of mr bra dy today did you he was not at the service t had bad a note from birri yesterday ex et pla ining that he and his family were werd out of town have we some milk I 1 will take a glass up to my room I 1 have some work to do with the reopening of old whites parsonage locust hills feminine contingent found itself faced with a problem tot for which there soe immediate solution P the two Far farrells farwells wells were living alone in the house not only was the fact well established but it appeared that the pair in some preposterous fashion were managing their own meals there might be no logical lotical argument against a father and son menage but the idea was disquieting it wal wag one oi of those sitt situations lations which tar cay tied ati an appeal for action to add to the general irritation ho visitor to the parsonage had succeeded in penetrating farther thad the parlor closely drawn window shades gave rise to the interesting speculation that the remainder of the ground floor was unsettled watchful eyes had accounted for the tact fact there was none too much furniture unloaded fro from m th the he aw women visa visitors igors comp arn i ap r notes agreed reluctantly th wat i h no one attainable apartment was more attractive than might have been expected carefully serif verified aed statistics ac counted for the rooms inventory one grand piano tightly closed one mahogany center table four I 1 upholstered chairs and three thre e floor lamps one oriental rug in dull coloring and considerably woral covering most in ost ot of the oak paraU eUy two large steel engravings hung od opposite walls one of the pictures abraham lincoln surrounded by his cabinet was a trifle askew on its wire wife no women could sit in a room dve minutes with a crooked picture on the wall lesser items in conference had td do with the utter lack ot of those lettla homelike touches that bespeak 6 4 womans comans presence the marble tor for example its dreary expanse was broken by a small clock nothing else not even a photograph to furnish speculation most unbelievable of all the parlor and its deficient furnishings wert immaculately free from any vestige ot of dust A grudging unanimity in that finding but the kitchens what id like to see ill venture its a mess thus the oracular comment ot of one of the parishioners TO BE CONTINUED |