n'; but I'm agoin' to give him
a fair show. I ain't much on religion myself, but I do like to see a
square deal, especially in a parson. I've sized it up he needs a
lesson."

"I'm with ye, Jap," said Long Bill, and the two rode on their way in
silence.

Margaret was so busy and so happy with her school all the week that she
quite forgot her annoyance at the minister. She really saw very little
of him, for he was always late to breakfast, and she took hers early.
She went to her room immediately after supper, and he had little
opportunity for pursuing her acquaintance. Perhaps he judged that it
would be wise to let her alone until after he had made his grand
impression on Sunday, and let her "make up" to him.

It was not until Sunday morning that she suddenly recalled that he was
to preach that day. She had indeed seen the notices, for a very large
and elaborate one was posted in front of the school-house, and some
anonymous artist had produced a fine caricature of the preacher in red
clay underneath his name. Margaret had been obliged to remain after
school Friday and remove as much of this portrait as she was able, not
having been willing to make it a matter of discipline to discover the
artist. In fact, it was so true to the model that the young teacher felt
a growing sympathy for the one who had perpetrated it.

Margaret started to the school-house early Sunday morning, attended by
the faithful Bud. Not that he had any more intention of going to
Sunday-school than he had the week before, but it was pleasant to be the
chosen escort of so popular a teacher. Even Jed and Timothy had walked
home with her twice during the week. He did not intend to lose his place
as nearest to her. There was only one to whom he would surrender that,
and he was too far away to claim it often.

Margaret had promised to help in the Sunday-school that morning, for the
woman who taught the little ones was still away with her sick neighbor,
and on the way she persuaded Bud to help her.

"You'll be secretary for me, won't you, William?" she asked, brightly.
"I'm going to take the left-front corner of the room for the children,
and seat them on the recitation-benches, and that will leave all the
back part of the room for the older people. Then I can use the
blackboard and not disturb the rest."

"Secretary?" asked the astonished Bud. He was, so to speak, growing
accustomed to surprises. "Secretary" did not sound like being "a nice
little