“Not on your own account, but on mine,” he said, “you will go on just as you have been going, Miss Jane Hurley! You are making some progress under Mademoiselle Moran!”
“Why—yes—yes—” Miss Jane stammered, twisting her handkerchief, “but—”
“Then you are all the organist the church wants or needs or shall have, unless it wants and needs and has a new dominie! I dare say we can manage to praise the Lord with your fingers and soul quite as well as with Samuel Wiggett's money and Lucille Hardcome's ambition.”
“But I can't!” said Miss Jane. “I can't, when they all want a new organist; they'll hate me. You don't know, Mr. Dean, what it would be to sit there and feel their hate against my back. You'll think I'm foolish, but if I could face them it would be different; but to sit there and try to play when everyone in the church doesn't want me, and to feel every eye behind me hostile! I can't, Mr. Dean!”
David opened the study door.
“'Thusia!” he called, and his wife answered. “Who do you want as your organist!” he called. “Why, Miss Jane, of course!” 'Thusia replied. “There's one who will not look hatred at your back,” said David. “And I'm two. And I can take little Roger to church, and that will be three. And I dare say we can find others. 'Thusia should know. Who does Mrs. Merriwether want, Thusia!” he called.
“She wants Miss Jane,” said 'Thusia promptly. They joined 'Thusia where she lay on her couch. “Are you worried about what Lucille has been suggesting, Miss Hurley! Dear me! you mustn't let anything like that worry you! Why, someone always wants something else. If David and I worried about what everyone wants we would do nothing but worry!”
“But Mr. Wiggett is giving the organ, and Lucille really got it for the church—” Miss Hurley faltered.
“I know,” said 'Thusia, “but David wants you to be the organist. That is both sides and the middle of the matter for me. David always knows what is best!”
“So, you see,” said David smiling, “we've had our little tempest in a teapot for nothing. 'Thusia, have you a teapot with something other than tempests in it? A cup might refresh Miss Jane.”