"You two pious ones off to church?" asked Julia, as she shook hands with them.
"Not me," answered Ethan; "it's too fine a day to waste in church."
"Just what I think," said Julia, wistfully.
How bewitchingly pretty she looked in her field-flower hat and leaf-green gown! Val felt dowdy and dull in her mourning; it was an insult to the fair summer weather to go about in such clothes. No wonder cousin Ethan had brightened as he looked at Julia.
They were all walking on together now to the Otways' gate. Val breathed a silent prayer of thankfulness that Julia was a Presbyterian.
"What are you going to do, Mr. Gano, if you don't go to church?" asked Miss Otway, leaning across Val, who walked in the middle.
"Find a comfortable place under a tree."
"And read that very un-Biblical-looking book?"
They were at the gate now, which Ethan opened; but Julia lingered, in spite of Val's "Heavens! is that the church-bell?"
"Mightn't it pass for a hymnal?"