The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-05-05
CHAPTER XII.

70 thoughts In which che had no part.
: He would sit for hours with his head
IN his hands. taking no notice Of what
passed before him. She tried to think
Of new dishes to tempt his appetite and
shook her head sadly as she bore the
Hntasted food back to the kitchen.
She sometimes found q portfolio OF
drawings lying open upon his study ia.
bic. She remembered the zeal with
which he had planned to remodel the
church and parsonage when he first
came to them, how his enthusiasm had
gradually died for lack of encourage
ment and how he had at last put his
books in cupboard. where they grew
dusty from long neglect. She mar
yeled ut their temperance now, but
something In his set faraway look
made her afraid to inquire. Thus she
went on from day to day, growing
more impatient with Hnsty and more
silent with the pastor.
Mandy needed humor and compan-
ionsbip to oil the wheels of her hum.
drum life. There was no more laugh.
ter in the house, and she began to
droop.
Polly had been away from the parson-
age a month when the complacency Of
the village was again upset by the ar
rival Of the Great American Circus"
There were many callers at the par.
sonaee that day. for speculation was
now at rever heat abor. re pastor.
'sWal he try to see herr" "Has he for
gotten herT' and "What did he ever
find In herr" were a few Of the many
questions that the women we're asking
each other. Now that the cause Of
their envy was removed they would
gladly have relnstated the pastor as
their idol, for, like all truly feminine
souls, they could not bear to see n man
unhappy without wishing to comfort
him. nor happy unless they were the
direct cause Of his state. "How dare
any man be happy without me?". has
been the cry Of each woman since Eve
was created to mate with Adam.
Douglas had held himself more and
more aloof from the day OF PoIly's dis.
B appearance. He expressed no opinion
about the deacons or their recent dis.
approval of him. He avoided meeting
them oftener than duty required, and
Strong felt so uncomfortable and
tongue tied in his presence that he, too,
was glad to make their talks rs few
as possible.
Nothing was said about the pastors
plans for the future or about his con.
tinued connection with the church, and
the sinquisitive slsterhood was ON the
point Of exploding from an overac.
emulation Of unanswered questions.
He delivered his sStmOns conscicn.
tiously, called upon his poor. listened
to the SORROWS, real and fancied. of l.is
parlshloners and shut himself up with
I his books or walked alone Cn tie hill
behind the church.
He had been absent all day when
Mandy looked out on the circus lot
for the dozenth time and saw that the
afternoon performance was closing. It
had driven her to desperation to learn
that Miss Polly was not In the parade
that morning and to know that the
pastor had made no effort to find out
about her. For weeks both she and
Hasty had hoped that the return OF
the circus might bring Polly back to
them, but now 1t was nearly night
and there had been no word from her.
Why didn't she come running in to see
them, as Mandy had felt so sure she
wouldf Why had the pastor stayed
{ away on the hills all day?
Unanswered questions were always
an abominatlon to Mandy, so finally
she drew quarter from the knorted
gingham rag that held her small wad
Of savings and told Hasty to "go long
to de show an find out bout Miss
Polly"
She was anxlously waiting for him
when Deacon Strong knocked at the
! door for the second time that after.
noon.
rs Mr.. Douglas back yet?" he asked.
mo, sab, he amt" said Mandy very
shortly. She felt that Strong and FL
version had been "a-tryln' to spy on de
sparson all day." and she resented their
visits more than she usually did.
what time are you expectin' HING"
Il don't nebber spec Massa Doug.
las till sees him."
Strong grunted uncivilly and went
down the steps. She saw from the
window that he met EMERSON in front
Of the church.
eDey sure am a.meanIn' trouble"
she mumbled.
The band had stopped playing; the
last of the audience had struggled
down the street She opened the door
ana stood on the porch; the house
4 seemed to suffocate her. What was
keeping Hasty?
BE came at last, but Mandy could
tell from his gait that be brought un.
welcome knews.
aAIn't she darf"
@she's a!trabbelln' wild 'em, Mandy,
but she didn't done ride"
esee heah, Hasty Jones, is dat ere
chile .sickPt
II dom rightly know" said Hasty.
"a great big man. what wored clothes
like a gemmen, coined out wild a whip
IN his hand an says as how he's
obliged to 'nounce anudder gal in Miss
T Polly's place. An den be says as how
~. a =.