r. Pettibone," she resumed, with a tender
glance and a comprehensive sniff, "that you ain't looking as well as
usual. I said so to Philura Rice as we was coming out of church, and I
really hate to tell you how she answered me; only I feel as though it
was my duty. 'Mr. Pettibone is perfectly well!' she says, and tossed
those feathers of hers higher'n ever. Philura's awful worldly, I _do
grieve_ to say--_if not worse_. I've been a-thinking for some time that
it was my Christian duty (however painful) to tell you what Mis' Van
Deuser, of Boston, said about----"

The Rev. Silas Pettibone frowned with awful dignity. He brought down his
closed fist upon his open Bible with forensic force and suddenness.
"Miss Philura Rice," he said emphatically, "is one of the most
spiritual--the most lovely and consistent--Christian characters it has
ever been my privilege to know. Her faith and unworldliness are
absolutely beyond the comprehension of--of--many of my flock. I must
further tell you that I hope to have the great happiness of leading
Miss Rice to the matrimonial altar in the near future."

Miss Electa Pratt sank back in her chair petrified with astonishment.
"Well, I _must say_!" she gasped. "And she was engaged to you _all this
time_ and I never knew it!"

The Rev. Pettibone bent his eyes coldly upon his agitated parishioner.
"I am at a loss to comprehend your very strange comment, Miss Pratt," he
said; "the engagement has been of such very short duration that I can
not regard it as surprising that you should not have heard of it.
It--ah--took place only yesterday."

Miss Electa straightened her angular shoulders with a jerk. "Yesterday!"
she almost screamed. "Well! I can tell _you_ that Philura Rice told _me_
that she was engaged to be married more than three months ago!"

"You are certainly mistaken, madam," began the minister in a somewhat
perturbed tone, which did not escape the notice of the now flushed and
triumphant spinster.

"More than three months ago!" she repeated with incisive emphasis.
"_Now_ maybe you'll listen to me while I tell you what I know about
Philura Rice!"

But the lady had reckoned without her host. The Rev. Silas arose to his
feet with decision. "I certainly will _not_ listen to anything
derogatory to Miss Rice," he said sternly. "She is my promised wife,
you will remember." With that the prudent minister beat a hasty retreat,
to entrench himself without apology or delay in the inner fastnes