The Yale expositor., 1918-02-14
CHAPTER XII.
The Connie Problem.

Mr.. Starr was getting ready to GO to
conference, and the girls lowered abJW
him with anxious eyes. This was their
fifth conference since coming to Mount
Mark-the time limit for Methodist
ministers was five years. The STAIRS,
therefore, would be transferred, and
where? Small wonder that the girls fol-
lowed him around the house and spoke
in soft voices and looked with tender
eyes at the old parsonage and the wide
lawn. They would be leaving next
week. Already the curtains were down,
and Numbered, and packed. The trunks
were filed, the books were boxed. Yes,
they were leaving, but whittier were
they bound?
"Get your ecclesiastical dander up,
father" Carol urged, "don't let them
give us a church fight, or a twenty
thousand-dollar debt on thousand
dollar congregation"
eve don't care for big salary or a
stylish congregation" Lark added, "but
we don't want to so back TO washpans
and kerosene lamps again."
The conference was held in Fairfield
and he informed the girls casually that
he would be home on the firrt train
after the assignments were made. He
said it casually for he did not wish
them to know how perturbed he was
over the coming change. During the
conference he tried in many and devil
Gus ways to learn tne will of the au-
thorities regarding his future, but he
found no clue. And at home the girls
were discussing the matter very little,
but thinking of nothing else. They
were determined to be pleased about
it.
Just the same, on Wednesday eve
ming, the girls sat silent, with intense
ly flushed faces and painfully shining
eyes, watching the clock, listening for
the footstep. They had deliberately
remained away from the station. They
thought they could face 1t better with
in the friendly walls of the parsonage.
1t was all settled now, father knew
where they were going. Oh, why hadn't
he wired? 1t must be terribly bad
then, he evidently wanted to break 1t
to them gently.
Maybe II was circuit! There was
the whistle nowl Only a few minutes
now. Suppose his salary were cut
down-good-by to silk stockings and
| kid gloves-cheap, but kid. just the
samei Suppose the parsonage would
be old-fashiQned Suppose there wasn't
any parsonage at all, and they would
have to pay rent Sup Then the
door slammed.
Carol and Lark picked up their darn
ing and Connie bent earnestly over her
magazine. Aunt Grace covered yawn
with her slender fingers and looked
out of the window.
"Hello"
"Why, hello, papa! Back already"
They dropped darning and magazine
and flew to welcome him home.
"Come and sit DOWN. my, 1t
seemed a long timel" "We had lots
Of fun, father" "Was it a nice confer
ence?" "AIr James sent us two bush
els of potatoes !" "We're going to have
chicken tomorrow-the Ladies' Aiders
sent 1t with their farewell love-"
| WASH III uhnuy udy
"Well, IT'S all settled"
"Yes, we supposed II would be. Was
the conference good? We read &C
counts Of IL every day. and acted stuck
up when II said nice things about you"
"We are to-"
"Ju-just q minute, father" inter
rupted Connie anxlously. "We don't
care a snap where II is, honestly we
don't. We're just crazy about 1t,
wherever 1t Is. We've got II all settled.
You needn't be afraid to tell u.s."
Afraid to tell us" Knocked the
twins Indignantly. "What kind of slave
drivers do you think we areT
Father knows we're all right. Go
on, daddy. who's to be our next fiock7'
eve haven't any, we"
The girls faces paled. Haven't any
You mean"
T mean we're to stay In Mount
Mark"