The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-09-18


Yes" she nodded emphatically.
I'm glad-for you," she added more
softly.
He remained silent, an unreasoning.
indefinite disappointment lingering.
Something he wanted-he could not
say what-was lacking in her words.
Aren't you glad?"
Yes. but" He dismissed the
doubt. His eagerness returned. "I'm
going driving this afternoon"
She became girlish again. rs that
an invitation?" with a demure little
smile.
IF you want to co."
"Of course, Mister Solemn! Aren't
you" She stopped, apparently over
come with confusion for her holiness.
Say it," he besought thirstily.
There was delicious moment of un-
certainty. breathless little laugh.
MY lover. There! I'll be waiting
for you, just after dinner" And the
butterfly fiuttered away.
He went from the churchyard and
followed the street past the point
where it returned to it's native state of
dusty, weed-hanked, country pike. He
came to place where the road rose
sharply and fell again. Mounting to
the crest. he threw himself on the
roadside and waited; thither Richard
Courtney would come on the after
service walk that was his custom.
Up the rise. village-bound, leisurely
creaked an ancient top buggy. In it
slouched a middle-aged man upon
whose face were written humor and
patience, qualities of which he had
great need just then. His horse la
bored heavily at it's task, head hang
ing low; not the bellows in Simon
Truths smithy puffed louder or hard
er. At the crest it stopped without
urging. Mark frowned impatiently.
Then he noted the sad state of the
horse and grin displaced the frown.
Hear you're going away" doc"
Hedges remarked. For the good Of
the town."
Mark nodded, the grin widening.
Maybe you'd like to help pay my
| fare?"
Il have helped" the doctor rejoined
dryly. Going to get rich. amt you?
| They all think that"
1T happens sometimes"
you might, though Any man ought
to get rich that could sell me this
would you call it horse?"
Hmm" Mark considered the ami
NAL judicially. well. it has four
legs"
Sos billy goat" drawled the doc
tor. "Goat'd be more use to me, too"
What did you buy it for, them"
i amt squealing. Pretty slick Gus
toner, amt your"
The grin returned. Il can sell
horses" Mark modestly admitted, TO
some people"
"Humph Only foold buy 'em of
you" the doctor agreed. "What1l you
take for the brown mare?'
/ "The brown mare isn't for sale"
| amy horse is for SALE" the doctor
insisted, "at the right price. Give you
hundred and fifty"
Il wouldn't sell her for two-ffty."
/ The doctor sighed and clucked to
the weary horse.
Out of the dusty cloud trailing be-
hind the creaky buggy emerged tall
STOPPING figure, clad in the rusty black
Of the country clergyman. He walked
slowly, and when he came to the rise,
with slight effort; evidently he was
frail man physically. At the crest
he stopped, breathing hard
Taking good-by look at it?" he
asked between breaths.
mo. Just waiting for you"
The preacher smiled family; the
worn dispirited face lighted up a lit.
tie. He turned his glance to the val.
ley.
TITS worth a farewell. You'll be
homesick for it sometimes hope
Shall we walk a bit farther?"
At his tagging pace they tramped
along the road, constantly rising and
descending but always reaching up to.
ward higher level They kept the
frank silence of those who have been
companions often.
Ten years before Richard Courtney
had resigned the city congregation
that was steadily whitening under his
ministry and had come to shepherd the
little flock of Bethel. It proved to be a
life sentence, but in the end he stayed
if not gladly, at least with such Chris.
tian fortitude as quivering sensitive
soul could summon; having found-so
he put tia need to which he could
minister. In the early days of his new
service he had discovered a neglected
unlettered, moody youngster suffer
ing under the blight of his relation to
Simon Truitt, who, for his supposed
atheism, was accounted a little less
than respectable. Some quality in the
boy caught the preachers fancy. Tact
fully he sought to win into Marks
heart, not very difficult task once the
lad learned that ministerial converse,
ton was not confined to graphic pic.
lures of eternal torment. And then
not quite realizing how this new inter.
est eked out the Christian fortitude
inst mentioned he set about to make