nd more frequent. John Egerton fell into the habit of dropping
in there very often. The whole family were most hospitable and Miss
Jessie was very charming. He saw from the first that she and young
Neil were avowed sweethearts. Mrs. McNabb informed him that Jessie and
Donald had been lovers ever since the day at school when he had
thrashed Pat Duffy for taking a forcible and liberal bite out of her
one apple. The young minister assured himself that he was very much
interested in the pretty rural romance and wrote an account of it to
Helen.

But, though he admired the village belle, he could not bring himself to
have any warmth of feeling for Donald. He met him almost every evening
either at the Hamiltons' or down at the corner and, while he could find
no fault in the young man's conduct, he never quite forgave the prank
he had played and did not unbend to him as he did to the others.
Donald's honest heart was filled with remorse for the mischief he had
unwittingly caused and in his straightforward fashion he went to the
minister to make an explanation and, if need be, offer an apology. But
his friendly advances were met with such cold politeness on the part of
his pastor that the apology died on Donald's lips. Instead, he made
matters worse by referring to the disagreeable incident and from that
time forward relations between him and the minister were somewhat
strained.

They were not improved by an incident that occurred shortly. One
afternoon Duncan Polite sent his nephew on an errand to some relatives
who lived down by Lake Simcoe and he was not able to return until the
next morning. Mr. Egerton noticed, with a feeling of relief, that he
was absent from the Epworth League that evening and at the close of the
meeting the thought struck him that there would surely be no harm in
his walking down the hill with Jessie Hamilton. He had no sooner
thought of it than his mind was made up and after the close of the
meeting he found himself, somewhat to his amusement, standing with the
crowd of young men who waited, at the gate, the coming of their
respective chosen.

The young ladies crowded out, some hurriedly and anxiously, others,
sure of their power, with provoking leisureliness. The Hamilton girls
were among the last. Wee Andra seized Bella and disappeared into the
darkness as suddenly as if they had been engulfed in oblivion. Sarah
followed, very disgusted at being accompanied by Peter McNabb, Junior,
w