“You came on Saturday, I suppose? I did not know anything about it till this minute.”
“We did not come till night,” observed Helen hurriedly. “Mother was very tired. We did not go out anywhere yesterday.”
“The Professor did, I’ll be bound,” smiled Bayard. “Went to church, didn’t you, Professor?”
“Ye—es,” replied Professor Carruth, hesitating. “I never omit divine service if I am on my feet.”
“Did you hear Fenton?” asked Bayard with perfect ease of manner.
“Yes,” more boldly from the Professor, “I attended the First Church. I like to recognize The Denomination wherever I may be traveling. I always look up my old boys, of course, too. It seems to be a prosperous parish.”
“It is a prosperous parish,” assented Bayard heartily. “Fenton is doing admirably with it. Did you hear him?”
“Why yes,” replied the Professor, breathing more freely. “I heard Fenton. He did well—quite well. He has not that scope of intellect which—I never considered him our ablest man; but his theology is perfectly satisfactory. He preached an excellent doctrinal sermon. The audience was not so large as I could have wished; but it seemed to be of a superior quality—some of your first citizens, I should say?”
“Oh, yes, our first people all attend that church. You didn’t find many of my crowd there, I presume?”
Bayard laughed easily.