Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-01
Then Bill. stood up and began to speak.

Then Blu stood up and began to speak.
of Importance had to be previewed
from all possible points; an honest
man, strongly religious and great
admirer of the Pilot, but slow moving
as a glacier, although with plenty Of
fire in him deep down.
Hes soond at the HART, ma man
Robbie" his wife said to the Pilot,
who was Turning and fretting at the
blocking of his plans, s'but he's terrible
deliberate. Bide We bit, laddie.
He'll come tae."
"But meantime the summers going
and nothing will be done" was the
Pilots distressed and impatient answer.
So meeting was called to discuss
the question OF building church, with
the result that the five men and three
women present decided that for the
present nothing could be done. This
was really Robbie's opinion. though he
refused to do or say anything but grunt,
as the Pilot said to Inc afterward In
rage. 1t is true Williams. the store
keeper just come from across the
line did all the talking, but no one
paid much attention to his fluent fatu-
tiles except as they represented the I'M
expressed mind Of the dour, exasperat-
ing little Scotchman, who sat silent
but for an AYE" now and then, SO ex-
pressiye and conclusive that every one
knew what he meant and that the dis
cussion was at an end. The school
house was quite sufficient for the pres
ert. The people were too few and too
poor, and they were getting on we'll
under the leadership of their present
minister. These were the arguments
which Robbie's "aye" stamped as quite
unanswerable.
It was sore blow to the Pilot, who
had set his heart upon church, and
neither Mrs. Muir's ''hoots' at her hus-
bands slowness nor her promises that
she '.wad max him hear it, could bring
comfort or relieve his gloom.
In this state Of mind he rode up with
me to pay our weekly visit to the little
girl shut up in her lonely house among
the hills.
1t had become the Pilots custom dur
ing these weeks to turn for cheer to
that little room. and seldom was he
disappointed She was SO bright, so
brave, SO CHEEKY and SO full Of fun that
gloom faded from her presence as mist
before the sun and impatience was
shamed into content.
Owens bright facet was almost al
ways bright now-and her bright well
come did. something for the Pilot. but
the feeling Of failure was upon him.
and failure to his enthusiastic nature
was worse than pain. Not that he cor
fessed either to failure or gloom; ne
was far too true man for that but
Gwen felt his depression in spite Of all
his brave attempts at brightness, ana
insisted that he was i'll, appealing to
me.
ooh. it's only his church, said, pro
ceeding to give her an account OF hop-
bic Muir's silent, solid inertness ana
how he had blocked the Pilots scheme.
what a shame" cried Gwen lndlg-
nantly. "What bad man he must
be.''
The Pilot smiled "No, indeed he
answered. why, he's the best man In
the place. but wish he would say or.
do something If he would only get
mad and swear / think l should feel
happier
Gwen looked quite mystifed.
You see, he sits there in solemn 81
,ence looking SO tremendously wise
that most men feel foolish II they
speak, while as for doing anything the
idea appears preposterous In the race
Of his immovableness.
81 can't bear him. cried Gwen. Il
should like to stick pin in him.
II wish some one would" answered
the Pilot. ut would make him seem
more human if he could be made to
Jump"