“He just clapped the senior elder in the chair as neat as a pin in a pincushion an' moved an expression of confidence, utmost confidence was the word—!”
“Mmmmmmmm! I thot as much!” commented Christie, “The blessed mon!”
“Oh, I'm so glad!” sighed Mary Rafferty sinking into a chair, “Jim thinks the sun rises and sets in Mark Carter. They were kids together you know. He says people don't know Mark. And he said if they turned Mark down at the church now, if they didn't stand by him in his trouble, he had no more use for their religion!”
“Don't you believe it, Mary Rafferty! Jim Rafferty loves the very ground the meenister walks on!”
“What was that?” exclaimed Jane Duncannon running to the side window. “A strange car! Mary, come here! Is that the Chief of Police from Economy?”
Mary darted to the window followed by the elder woman:
“Yes, it is!” she exclaimed drawing back aghast, “You don't suppose he's going to Carter's? He wouldn't do that would he?”
“He huz to do his dooty, doesn't he?” mused Christie, “But thot's not sayin' he loikes it, child!”
“Well, he might find a way not to frighten his mother—!”
Mrs. Duncannon stretched her neck to see if he was really stopping at the parsonage, and Christie murmured: “Perhaps he will.”