The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-11-19
X. HOOKING.

She could not stay here on the off,
chance of her luggage drifting
ashore"
"She might have deputed some one
to look out for her. 1t is not a cler-
gyman's business to be looking after
lost property"
But If a clergyman saw a thief
breaking into some ones house, he
would surely feel ii his duty to raise
an alarm and prevent his neighbours
goods from being stolen"
"Oh, that is quite another matter.
Why did not Mr.. Grayton tell Blight,
and have done with it?"
blight appears never to be about
when he is wanted. But in any case
it does not seem quite fair to blame
Mr.. Grayton until we know all the
facts"
"As for that, I don't suppose we
shall EVER know all the facts, unless
that nan Nevins is caught and n
fesses-which, of course, isn't likely"
Esther said no more. Her mother
was not sympathetic at the best of
times. Her regard for Grayton was
not great, while her interest in Ma
rion West was of the most tepid kind.
Moreover, Esther very well knew that
If her mother ever got the faintest
suspicion of who Marion really was,
such interest as she had would be
turned into loathing.
1t was not always easy to keep back
the truth. She would have liked for
many reasons to make a confidante
of her mother. She had felt terribly
lonely since Clement went away, and
it would have been an infinite relief
il she could have opened her heart
fully. She glanced across at the
pale, set face at the head of the table
C or twice, and with a little sigh
held her peace.
The night that followed was the
longest she ever remembered. Hour
after hour she tormented herself with
the thought that ii was all through
her Grayton was suffering. 1t was she
who had urged him to keep a watch
on Nevins' movements; it was she
who first awoke suspicion in his mind.
And now, If he died, she felt as
though his blood would be upon her
head.
1t seemed to her the very irony of
fate that she, who would have given
her life almost to have prevented this
calamity, was unwittingly the cause
of it, and that she, who cared for him
more than any one else could possibly
care, dared not even ask that she
might be allowed to see him.
Never did the conventions seem so
CALLING. Never did Mrs. Grundy seem
such a tyrant. AS was their custom,
she and her mother drove to church
next morning. The place was more
than usually full, every one being or
the qui vive to hear the latest news
of Mr.. Grayton. A ~neighboring vicar
conducted the service, and at the com
mencement of his sermon made feel
ing reference to the calamity that had
fallen upon the parish, but he did not
| say whether the curate was better or
worse, alive or dead.
Esther sat rigid as a piece Of mar
bic during the remaining portion of
the service. 1t seemed a cruel thing
to keep the congregation in suspense
IL the truth was known.
AS a matter of fact, however, the
truth was not known. DIR. Bell had
driven early to Rownskilly, but he had
not returned at the time the service
commenced; hence the vicar who con
| Quoted the service knew no more than
any one else.
To Esther the sermon seemed in
tolerably long, and what 1t was all
about she had not the remotest idea.
Nothing was of importance to her
while Tom Grayton lay at the point of
death.
At length the congregation rose to
sing the closing hymn, and then she
noticed the sexton mount the pulpit
stairs and hand the vicar a piece of
| paper. Other people noticed it also,
for there was a distinct lull In the
singing for the remaining portion OF
the verse.
Esther kept her lips tightly shut.
She was not in the mood for either
praise or thanksgiving. She felt as
though her very presence in the
church was a mockery. She closed her
book unconsciously and laid it on the
rest, and stood mutely looking at the
stained glass window in the chancel,
waiting for the hymn to close.
1t tapered out at length into a thin
Amen. But the congregation, instead
Of bowling their heads to receive the
benediction, remained erect, with
their eyes fixed on the face of the
preacher.
The silence was intense. The fall
ing of a pin would have been heard
throughout the church. Esther held
her breath and pressed her hand tight
ly to her side.
Il have just received news" said
the preacher. in a low. even voice,
that your dearly beloved minister is
still alive; but his condition is very
serious. | scarcely need ask your
prayers on his behalf. | know you
will pray for him, for he is beloved of
you all, and it may be that God, in
his mercy, will listen to our y
and spare the life of his servant.
'.Of the would-be murderer nothing
has been heard. He has evidently
made good his escape, though It
seems strange that no one appears to
have seen any n that answers TO his
| descrfntiou trust that 49,