I found he was a prosy, weak-minded creature, who, although time was so precious, would have stood talking to me of its great value by the hour, if I had patience to listen. I thanked him for his offer, but assured him I would pay his usual price for the work. Mrs. Blake, however, stipulated that she and her neighbors would relieve him of all but the coat, and I could see he was not pleased with her interference. This matter settled, I hastened home, very uncertain how Mr. Winthrop would regard so much of my time being spent on the Mill Road, if he should discover I had been there twice that day. When I got home Mrs. Flaxman told me he had asked for me each time that I was there, but he did not say anything to me.
CHAPTER XV.
A PLEASANT SURPRISE.
"It would do you good to come to our meeting some Sunday, just to see Mr. Bowen's face," Mrs. Blake remarked to me one day, some time after the tailor and women folk had completed very satisfactorily their work.
"I would like to go for other reasons than that. One is to hear your minister pray once more, and also to hear him preach."
"Can't you come next Sunday morning?"
"Our service is at the same hour. I do not think Mr. Winthrop would like me to leave our own church. He is very particular about such things."
"I don't see why he should; for he don't set much store by religion."
"He may give me permission to come some time."