"Too zealous? How?" she inquired, turning her eyes full upon me.
"Well, I don't know that zealous is the word. Perhaps I should have said intolerant."
"Oh, he is intolerant—yes. He believes that he's one of the anointed."
"That's all very well, but he oughtn't to believe that he is appointed to look after the souls of other men."
"Then he would have no mission," she replied. "The true strength of the preacher is his sense of responsibility."
"Pardon me, I didn't know you were of the strictly orthodox fold."
"Didn't you? Don't you know I go to church every Sunday?"
"Yes, I ought to. I have more than once waited for you to come home." She looked at me in surprise, and I made haste to add: "The Senator and I have needed you to arbitrate our disputes, you know."
"Oh, yes, and I think you were wise in acknowledging that he had brought you into his party. We all take a great interest in our converts. Everybody is looking forward to the coming of your dramatic season," she went on after a moment's pause. "And I think you'll become quite a favorite in society. I heard Mrs. Atkinson speak of you. She's our leader. She saw you somewhere. Of course there was some little prejudice against you, at first, but that has worn off. And there's a splendid catch here for you—Miss Rodney—distantly related to the Estell family. She has seen you, too. She says you must be very romantic; and she asked me all sorts of questions."
"Of course I want to be agreeable, but—"