me
entangled in a quarrel in the very parish where he was shortly expected
to come as rector, the solution of which he could not see. Instead of
bringing peace to troubled Church waters, and harmony out of chaos, he
had apparently made matters worse by his interference. Added to this,
he was deeply in love with the one woman he could not hope to win.

As he moved slowly up and down the rows thinking of these things, Empty
appeared suddenly before him. The lad was breathing hard and seemed
greatly agitated.

"Hello, Empty! what's wrong?" Douglas enquired, pausing in his work.

"Go fer the doctor, quick," Empty panted. "Jean's sick, very sick, an'
ma sent me fer you. She can't spare me a minute, so I must hustle
back. Will ye go?"

"Certainly," Douglas replied. "But when did Jean become ill? She
seemed all right last night."

"She took sick jist a little while ago. Oh, hurry! Don't waste time
talkin'. An', say, ye might drop in an' tell her dad. Joe's very
uneasy 'bout Jean."

Douglas wished to ask Empty a number of questions, but having delivered
his message, the lad left him and sped like a deer by a short-cut
across the field. The telephone was at the store and Douglas lost no
time in getting there. Several people were standing before the counter
as he entered the building, who listened with great interest as he
asked the store-keeper for the use of the telephone. Then as he spoke
to the doctor, requesting him to hurry at once to Mrs. Dempster's, the
curiosity of the bystanders became intense. They would have something
to discuss among themselves, and a choice bit of gossip would soon be
in circulation throughout the parish.

When Douglas left the store, he made his way to the shoemaker's. He
found Joe at his bench, half-soling a pair of shoes. He greeted his
visitor cordially, and offered him a seat upon the only chair the room
contained.

"I haven't time to sit down this morning," Douglas told him. "I have
just called up the doctor, and dropped in to see you for a minute."

"Called up the doctor!" Joe repeated, while an anxious look came into
his eyes. "Who's sick?"

"It is Jean. She is not very well."

"Ah, I was afraid of it," and the old man laid aside the shoe, and
looked intently into his visitor's face. "Poor lassie, she must have
caught cold out on the hills that night. Is she at Mrs. Dempster's
yet?"

"Yes. Empty came for me this morning, and he had to go right back."