gravy! Ye can't scare anybody by whispers. Damn it, sir, what
we need is an old-fashioned revival.'

"The Deacon halted to take a chew of tobacco, and went on, with a
sorrowful calmness:

"'Now this young feller don't want to give no credit to God--not a
bit--no, sir! Science has done everything. I've noticed it time an'
ag'in. T'other Sunday he said that an angel spoke to Moses, an' the
Bible says, as plain as A B C, that God spoke to him. How can he
expect that God is going to bless his ministry, an' he never givin'
Him any credit?'

"'It's rather bad politics, anyhow,' I said.

"'An' the church is goin' from bad to worse,' he complained. 'The
average attendance is about forty-seven, an' it used to be between
five an' six hundred, an' we are all taxed to death to keep it goin'.
I have to pay three hundred a year for the privilege o' gittin' mad
every Sunday. Two or three of us have got after him an' made him
promise to do better. Some awful free-minded folks have crept into the
church, an' the fact is, we need their money,' Deacon Joe went on.
'What the minister ought to do is stick to the old doctrines that are
safe an' sound. 'St'id o' that he's tryin' to sail 'twixt rock an'
reef.'

"'Between Scylla and Charybdis,' I suggested.

"'Between Silly an' what?' the old man asked, as if in doubt of my
meaning.

"We were interrupted by the arrival of the Reverend Robert with Marie
and her mother, in his handsome landaulet. Marie asked me to go with
her to gather wild flowers in a bit of woodland not far away. I went,
and soon saw her purpose. She had had the 'jolliest, cutest letter
from Harry' that she had ever read, and seemed to be in doubt as to
whether she ought to let him write to her.

"'Has your grandfather forbidden it?' I asked.

"'No.'

"'Then it's up to you,' I said.

"'Do you think he cares for me?'

"'I should think him a fool if he didn't,' I said, looking down into
her lovely dark eyes.

"'But do you really and truly think that he cares for me?' she
insisted.

"'I suspect that he does.'

"'Why?'

"'A lawyer must not betray a confidence.'

"'Do you like him?'

"'Wait until his uneducation is completed, and I'll tell you. I am
beginning to have hope for Harry.'

"'I'm sorry grandpapa is so hateful!' she exclaimed, with a sigh.

"I stood up for the old man and asked:

"'Do you like the Reverend Robert?'

"'Very much! He's so good-looking, and has such beautiful thoughts!
Have y