minister sang it
alone. He had a fine deep musical voice, and when he rendered the
history of "The Walloping Window Blind," he was rewarded with a hearty
and unanimous round of applause.

Wee Andra quite fell in love with him, his diffidence entirely
disappearing under the other's frank manner.

"My, I wish you'd get a choir in our church, Mr. Egerton!" he exclaimed
in a burst of confidence when they had rendered another anthem with the
minister's aid. But John Egerton was too astute to respond to this,
otherwise than by a smile. He had learned something already of
Glenoro's divided opinions and knew better than to take either side.
But he sat down beside the choir leader and they talked about music and
the newest anthems and the conducting of choral societies until Wee
Andra was completely charmed.

They were interrupted by a commotion at the other end of the room; a
group of young people were trying to learn a new game, and Mr. Sylvanus
Todd was initiating them into its mysteries. But partly from a
defective memory, and partly from terror of Maggie Hamilton's sharp and
reviling tongue, he was getting woefully puzzled. The minister sprang
up and came to his assistance. He knew the game well, explained it
with a few bright, quick words and soon had the whole room joining. He
was so free and unaffected, so absolutely one of themselves, that he
won all hearts. Very soon all the restraint of his presence had melted
away. They joined in the games with even more than their usual vim.
The room rang with merriment. They played "Kitchen Furniture" and
"Handkerchief"--yes, and even "Old Dan Tucker." This latter was
suggested by Sandy Neil, of course, to the horror of the staider ones,
for "Dan Tucker" perilously resembled dancing and was proscribed in
most houses. Indeed, even at the Hamiltons' it was indulged in only
behind closed doors and when Mrs. Hamilton was at a safe distance. But
the minister was ready for anything; he went into the jolly circling
ring of boys and girls as "Dan Tucker" himself, and when the time for
changing partners came, he caught Jessie Hamilton's hand just as Donald
Neil was reaching for it and swung her into the centre, her eyes
dancing, her curls flying.

There was never quite such a grand time before, even at the Hamiltons';
the noise increased, the laughter grew wilder and the dust flew out of
the carpet.

They ended up with an uproarious game of "Blind Man's Buff," in which