"'Why, they are two young ladies who came here not long ago,' I said, and waited.
"'Is that all?' he asked then, and I looked at him. He grinned, and said:
"'Aw, come on, Speed! Be a good fellow. Now, are those girls straight?' and he specified the one I had begun going with.
"'Why,' said I, 'Reverend McCarthy, I am surprised at you to ask such a question, or to offer such an insinuation. Besides,' I went on, 'Why?'
"'Aw, now, Speed,' he laughed easily, his big fat round face shaking. 'Be a good sport and put me onto these girls. Now, I'll tell you what I want you to do,' he said, drawing his chair close to mine. 'I'll make it my business to get back over here next Sunday night, and I want you to "fix" it for me with that one, and—' he winked in a way I did not at the time understand—but I did later—'I'll make it right with you. You understand,' he said, rising, 'I'll make it right with you.'
"I was never so put out in my life. Here was this man, a minister of the Gospel, and a Presiding Elder, who had just deliberately delegated me to make a previous engagement for him without regard to morals—and with the girl I loved. I don't think he knew I was paying her court, but the moral was the same.
"I was outdone! But true to his words, the next Sunday night he was back!
"'Well, Speed,' he said when the services were over. 'What's the rip? Everything O.K.?' He was very anxious, and I'll never forget his face. But, I was afraid of the old rascal, still I hadn't lost my manhood at that. So I says:
"'Now, Reverend, you place me in a very awkward predicament. To begin with, I have the highest respect for those young ladies. And, again, even if I did not, I could not be expected to cohort as you suggested.'
"'Aw, Speed,' he cut in. 'You're no good. Pshaw! I just know the older of those two girls is not straight—am positive of it. And you could fix things if you would,' and I detected a touch of angry disappointment in his tone.