"I shall save three o'clock to-morrow for you," Miss Dounay proposed, as if reading the minister's purpose in his eye.
But John Hampstead was a man of many duties, whose time was not easy to command.
"At three," he objected, "I am to address a mother's meeting.
"At four then," Marien suggested, with an engaging smile.
"At four I have to go with a sad-hearted man to see his son in the county jail," John explained apologetically, as he scanned his date book.
"At five!" persisted Marien, the smile giving way before a shadow of impatience.
John laughed.
"It must seem funny to you," he declared, "but I have an engagement at five-thirty which makes it impossible to be here at five. The engagement itself would seem funnier still; but to me it is not funny—only one of the tragedies into which my life is continually drawn. At that hour I am to visit a poor woman who lives on a house boat on the canal. Monday is her husband's pay day, and he invariably reaches home on that night inflamed with liquor, and abuses the woman outrageously. I have promised to be with her when he comes in. I may wait an hour, and I may wait half the night."
"Oh," gasped Marien, with a note of apprehension. "And suppose he turns his violence on you?"
"Why, then I shall defend myself," John answered, good-humoredly, "but without hurting Olaf."