I'd like to know. She'll never get
over the disgrace."

"You are not half as sorry as I am," Parson Dan replied as calmly as
possible. "I am deeply mortified that such a thing should have
happened. But talking will not mend matters now. The key must be
found, so if one of you will hurry over to the Anchorage, and bring
Rodney back, I shall be greatly obliged."

Ned Percher at once volunteered to go, and soon he was speeding for the
captain's house by a short-cut through the field. There was nothing
else for the rest to do but to wait in front of the rectory until the
messenger should return with the boy.

The bride was greatly disturbed over the delay. So overcome was she
with the excitement that she had to be carried into the house, where
she lay upon the sitting-room sofa, quite hysterical. The women who
gathered around her by no means restrained their tongues, thus making
the young bride feel as badly as possible. Several expressed their
opinion of the clergyman for allowing such a thing to happen. It was
another example, so they said, of the mistake he had made in bringing
up a child of whose parents he knew nothing. They had said so before,
and were now more firmly convinced than ever. Others told what it
meant for a wedding to be delayed right at the church door, and related
a number of cases where ill luck had followed such weddings. Thus, by
the time Ned Percher arrived, with Rod close at his heels, the bride
was almost in a state of nervous collapse.

During this time of waiting Parson Dan spoke to no one. He knew that
the less he now said the better it would be. His face had lost its
usual genial expression, and his eyes no longer twinkled with humour.
He was feeling very keenly the whole unfortunate affair. Never before
during the whole course of his entire ministry had such a thing
occurred. He had often boasted that he had never once been late for a
service, nor had he kept people waiting at either a funeral or a
wedding. He stood with his face turned up the road, and a sigh of
relief at last escaped his lips when he saw Rod coming toward him.

The boy was greatly surprised to see so many teams and people in front
of the rectory, for Ned would tell him nothing of what was taking
place. He was astonished, as well, when he observed the worried look
upon the parson's face. But he had no time for questions just then,
for the clergyman laid a heavy hand upon the lad's shoulder, and
dema