s. Fernald's bright face, but before she could
speak her husband answered for her. He was more than a little deaf, but
he was listening closely, and he caught the question.

"It's a miserable shame, Nancy, but that church hasn't had a door open
since a year ago last July, when the trouble burst out. We haven't had a
service there since. Mother and I drive over to Estabrook when we feel
like getting out--but that's not often, come winter-time. Being the only
church building in this end of the township, it's pretty bad having it
closed up. But there's the fuss. Folks can't agree what to do, and
nobody dares get a preacher here and try to start things up, on their
own responsibility. But we feel it--we sure do. I don't like to look at
the old meeting-house, going by, I declare I don't. It looks lonesome to
me. And there's where every one of you children grew up, too, sitting
there in the old family pew, with your legs dangling. It's too bad--it's
too bad!"

"It's barbarous!" Guy exclaimed, in a tone of disgust.

"And all over nothing of any real consequence," sighed Mrs. Fernald, in
her gentle way. "We would have given up our ideas gladly, for the sake
of harmony. But--there were so many who felt it necessary to fight to
have their own way."

"And feel that way still, I suppose?" suggested Sam Burnett, cheerfully.
"There's a whole lot of that feeling-it-necessary-to-fight, in the
world. I've experienced it myself, at times."

They talked about it for a few minutes, the younger men rather enjoying
the details of the quarrel, as those may who are outside of an affair
sufficiently far to see its inconsistencies and humours. But it was
clearly a subject which gave pain to the older people, and Guy,
perceiving this, was about to divert the talk into pleasanter channels
when Nan gave a little cry. Her eyes were fixed upon the fire, as if she
saw there something startling.

"People! --Let's open the church--ourselves--and have a Christmas Day
service there!"

They stared at her for a moment, thinking her half dreaming. But her
face was radiant with the light of an idea which was not an idle dream.

Guy began to laugh. "And expect the rival factions to come flocking
peaceably in, like lambs to the fold? I think I see them!"

"Ignore the rival factions. Have a service for everybody. A real
Christmas service, with holly, and ropes of greens, and a star, and
music--and--a sermon," she ended, a little more doubtfully.

"Th