"I don't know." Mrs Davidson took off her pince-nez and wiped them. "When he is on the Lord's work I never ask him questions."
She sighed a little.
"What is the matter?"
"He'll wear himself out. He doesn't know what it is to spare himself."
Dr Macphail learnt the first results of the missionary's activity from the half-caste trader in whose house they lodged. He stopped the doctor when he passed the store and came out to speak to him on the stoop. His fat face was worried.
"The Rev. Davidson has been at me for letting Miss Thompson have a room here," he said, "but I didn't know what she was when I rented it to her. When people come and ask if I can rent them a room all I want to know is if they've the money to pay for it. And she paid me for hers a week in advance."
Dr Macphail did not want to commit himself.
"When all's said and done it's your house. We're very much obliged to you for taking us in at all."
Horn looked at him doubtfully. He was not certain yet how definitely Macphail stood on the missionary's side.
"The missionaries are in with one another," he said, hesitatingly. "If they get it in for a trader he may just as well shut up his store and quit."