emingway," Judson declared, as the good
doctor entered the doorway. Judson paid liberally into the church fund
and accounted that his wishes should weigh much with the good minister.
"We--these people here--were just coupling the name of Marjory Whately
with that boy of Judge Baronet's. Now I know how Mrs. Whately is
circumstanced. She is peculiarly situated, and it seems foolish to even
repeat such gossip about this young man, this very young man, Philip."

The minister smiled upon the group serenely. He knew the life-purpose of
every member of it, and he could have said, as Kipling wrote of the
Hindoo people:

I have eaten your bread and salt,
I have drunk your water and wine;
The deaths ye died I have watched beside,
And the lives ye led were mine.

"I never saw a finer young man and woman in my life," he said gently. "I
know nothing of their intentions--as yet. They haven't been to me," his
eyes twinkled, "but they are good to look upon when they stand up
together. Our opinions, however, will cut little figure in their
affairs. Heaven bless them and all the boys and girls! How soon they
grow to be men and women."

The good man made his purchase and left the store.

"But he's a young man, a very boy yet," Amos Judson insisted, unable to
hide his disappointment at the minister's answer.

The very boy himself walked in at that instant. Judson turned a scowling
face at O'mie, who was chuckling among the calicoes, and frowned upon
the group as if to ward off any further talk. I nodded good-morning and
went to O'mie.

"Aunt Candace wants some Jane P. Coats's thread, number 50 white, two
spools."

"That's J. & P. Coats, young man." Judson spoke more sharply than he
need to have done. "Goin' East to school doesn't always finish a boy;
size an' learnin' don't count," and he giggled.

I was whistling softly, "Oh, for a Closer Walk with God," and I turned
and smiled down on the little man. I was head and shoulders above him.

"No, not always. I can still learn," I replied good-naturedly, and went
whistling on my way to the courthouse.

I was in a good humor with all the world that morning. Out on "Rockport"
in the purple twilight of the Sabbath evening I had slipped my mother's
ring on Marjie's finger. I was on my way now for a long talk with my
father. I was twenty-one, a man in years, as I had been in spirit since
the night the town was threatened by the Rebel raiders--aye, even since
the day Irving Wh