The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-02-28
THE LOST
KEY
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

was about to go to bed, when, looking
mt nook on which the keys of the
church were wont to hang. he noticed
tilat the bunch did not look so large as
Usual Going to the hook, he took down
the keys aud found the one to the yes
Try door missing.
The sexton asked his wife II she had
taken the key, and she said she had
bot, Had 1t been stolen?
But what object any one could have
to steal the vestry door key was a
mystery. There was nothing of value
to thief in either the vestry or the
church. The plate was not kept there.
Hymn and prayer books there were In
plenty and cushions to the seats, but
these were scarcely attractive to rob-
Der.
So reasoning, the sexton went to bed
and to sleep, thinking that some one
bad taken the key for an ordinary pur-
pose and forgotten to put 1t back in its
place. The clock on the church tower
was striking IL when Mrs. Brown
awakened her husband.
There's light In the church, John"
she said
Brown bestirred himself and, looking
out through window. true enough,
saw a dim light, not In the church, but
In the vestry. Thinking that. after all,
there might be thieves at work, he
dressed himself and started for the
church. While dressing and on his
way he thought what he should do on
his arrival and concluded to be guided
by circumstances.
On reaching the yestry he stood on
tiptoe beside a window and was thus
enabled to look inside. The light with
in was so dim that he could not see
very well. but he managed to make
out a man and a woman. They were
sitting together, and the man was talk.
ing earnestly to the woman. who SEEM
ed Ill ut ease.
While John was looking at them he
heard a step not far from him. and
some one entered the yestry door. As
soon rs the person WAS in the vestry
John saw that he was a man in the
approached the couple. and John saw
that they were talking together, though
the two men were talking alternately
to the woman. who said nothing. From
the manner Of all Of them 1t appeared
to Brown that they were using per-
suasion upon the woman. She seemed
very young, about twenty years Of age.
Finally the man who had been sitting
with her. rising, took her hand and
gently pulled her out Of her chair. |
With evident reluctance she stood be- |
side him. and the man In canonicals |
began to read from a prayer book.
This Is a marriage" said John to |
quite likely clandestine one.
Any way l don't like 1t that the rector
should be beaten out Of his fees In this
way. I'll happen In and investigate"
So John went to the yestry door and
knocked. Not hearing an immediate
reply. he opened the door and entered.
All three Of the persons within stared
at him as an intruder, the clergyman
turning to do so.
I'm looking" said John, "for the
rector of the church. There's a man
iyin' and wants him at once"
I'm the rector" said the clergyman.
AS soon as have married this couple
I'll go with you"
II thought DR.. Brook was the rector
here" said John
~ am DR.. Brook"
"You DR.. Brook. Not a bit of 1t.
I've heard DR.. Brook preach many a
ime. know him we'll"
whats that?' said the woman,
tarting. isn't this DIR. BROOKE :
mo. miss. DR.. Brook is an older
md q larger man than this gentleman"
"Oh. Henry" she exclaimed reproach. ,
ully, turning to the man beside her, I
you have deceived me-"
who are you, and why do you come |
Iere at this time Of nightT said Henry {
o the sexton angrily. c
We'll, seem as there's no use in '
maxim any further pretense, I'm the t
exton Of this church. and come here c
o find out what was goin' on in the t
estry. | missed the key and suspect
d somethin' was wrong. Just now .
nv wife saw light here, so 1 tum- .
led out o. bed, and here / am"
At this the woman turned to the
ian she called Henry and. white with
niger. said: =
You villain! You contemplate dog i
his explains your story OF your par 4
nts' objection to your marrying me. .
his Is why you must marry me clan {
estinely, is it? Don't ever let me see Q
our cowardly face again!" q
The man tried to calm her; but, pay b
lg no attention to him, she stslked v
Ut of the vestry and disappeared in Il
re darkness. Henry made a lunge Ct
| the sexton, but the old man was
Dry enough to get out of the way, q
nd Henry rushed from the vestry, fol- ~
wed by the man In csnonicals.
Brown found the missing KEY in the :"
sstry door, and, locking up. he went \.
,ne and to bed. =
The next morning when he was at l..
ork in the church the lady of the II
'ening before entered. The first John ~
lew Of her presence he felt her arms a.
Iout his neck. When the embrace o,
as over she told him her story. which , z
dered but little from such cases. She
as a girl without fortune. and the
an she was to have married was
rh mans son. The man in canon 4
ais was q fake clergyman. She ad-
tilted that John had saved her from