The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-06-22
CHAPTER XIV.

cause he held the sensible opinion that
q congregation, as a man, must have O
home IL It Is to stay.
All through the summer ha kept get
ting this rs an object at onoe desirable
n possible to achieve. But few were
found to agree with him.
Little Mrs. Muir was Of the few,
but she vas not to be despised, but
her influence was neutrahsed by the
solid immobility of her husband, He
had never done anything sudden In hts,
life. Every resolve was tho result Of
n long process OF mind, and every act
Of Importance had to be preyiewed
from all possible points: an honest
man, strongly religious and a great
admirer Of the Pilot, but slow moving
as a glacier, although with pienty Of
fire In him deep down.
Hes soond at the HART, me- man
Robbie" his wife said t. the Pilot
who was fuming and frettng at the
blocking OF his plans, but he's terrible
deliberate. Bide ye a bit, iaddie.
He'll come tae."
"But meantime tho summers going
and nothing Will be DONE" was the
Pilots distressed and impatient answer.
So n meeting was called 20 discuss
the question Of building a church, with
the result hat the ave men and three
women present decided hat for the
present nothing could be done. This
was really Robbie's opinion, though he
efused to do or say anything but grunG,
as the Pilot said to me aftcrward in q
ngc. 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, exaspernt-
ing little Scotchmnn, who sat silent
but for an AYE" now and then, so ex-
pressive and conclusive hat every one
know what he meant ana that the dis
cussion was at an end The school
house was quite sufficient for the pres
emf. The people were too few and too
poor, md they were getting OH we'll
under the leadership Of their present
minister. These were the arguments
which Robbic's aye" stamped rs quite
unanswcrablc.
1t was II sore blow to the Pilot. who
hnd set his heart upon n church, and
neither Mrs. Muir's "hoots'' at her hus.
bands slowncss nor her promises that
she "wad max him hcnr 1t" could bring
comfort or relieve his gloom.
In this state OF mind lie 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 50 bright, so
bravo, so CHEEKY md go full Of fun TINT
gloom faded from fer presence ms mist
before the sun and Impotence was
shamed into content.
Owens bright FACET was almost al
ways bright now-and her bright vel
come did something for the Pilot, bot
the feeling of failure was upon him,
and failure to his enthusiastic nature
was worse than pain. Not that he CON
fessed either to failure or gloomi 10
was Ear too true a man for that, but
| Gwen felt his depression in spite OF az
his brave attempts at brightness, and
insisted that lie was Ill, appealing 20
me.
cob. IT'S only his church." I said, $40
| ceeding to give her an account Of hob
bic Muir's silent, solid inertneSs aud
how he had blocked the Pilots scheme.
What q shame!" cried Gwen indt4-
nantly. what n bad man ne must
be!'
The Pilot smiled. mo, indeed" no
answered. "Why, he's the best man in
the place, but ! wish he would say or
do something. II he would only get
mad md swear I think l should feel
happier"
Gwen looked quite mystlfied.
"You soc, lie sits there I'm solemn ST.
lcnce looking so tremendously wiso
that most men feel foolish IL they
speak, while MS for doing anything the
idea appears prcpostcrOus In the face
OF his immovnblcncss."
~ can't bear him. cried Gwen. IT
should like to stick n pin in him"
II wish some one would" answered
the Pilot. at would make him seem
more human if he could be made to
jump"
TRY again." said Gwen, "and get
some one to make him jump"
at would be easier to build the
church." said the Pilot gloomily.
II could make him jump" said Gwen
~viciously, land 1 WILL" sine added after
a pause.
"Youl' answered the Pilot, opening
his eyes. "HowW
"I1l find some way" she replied reeo-
luteiy.
And SO she did, for when the mex
meeting was called to consult 10 to
the building Of n church. the congrega-
ton, chiefly OF farmers and their
wives, with Williams, the ~storekeeper,
were greatly surprised to see Bronco
Bill, Iii and hnlf n dozen ranchers and
cowboys walk In at intervals and SOL
cmnly seat themselves. Robbie looked
mt them with surprise and a little 9
picion. In church matters he had no
dealings with the Samaritans from the
hills, and while, in their unregensrate
condition, they might be regarded az
suitable objects Of missionary effort, as
to their having any part in the direc-
ton, much less control, of the church
policy-from such q notion Robbie wns
delivered by his loyal adherence to the
Scriptural injunction that he should
not cast pearls before swine.
The Pilot, though surprised to SEQ
Bill and the cattle men, was none the
less delighted and faced the meeting
with more confidence. lie stated the
question for discussions: Should n church