mble of Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists.
And the children of the three Sunday Schools united in a grand chorus,
and Minnie Brown and Martha Henderson worked like slaves teaching them
songs and patriotic exercises, all denominations so mixed up nobody
could tell which was which.

Mr. Sinclair was chairman of the committee to plan the celebration with
Mr. Wylie and the Baptist minister as his assistants. And nobody
raised the slightest objection when, at the very first meeting,
Marmaduke proposed that they invite Piper Lauchie McDonald to come down
from Glenoro and play Gavin home from the station.

Mr. Wylie nodded, and said "A good idea," and old Tory Brown himself
spoke up and said, "Yes, yes, let's have the buddy. I don't like his
noise, myself, but Gavin will be pleased. He aye liked the pipes."

And Piper Lauchie was vastly pleased when he received the invitation
and graciously declared that he would set his vow aside, not for the
sake of Orchard Glen, but out of his reverence for the Victoria Cross,
and permit the misguided folk to listen to his music once more.

Every one was pleased furthermore because the public reception was to
be held in the Temperance Hall instead of the Presbyterian Church, for
it was felt that for this occasion Gavin belonged to the whole village,
no Church should claim them. And this arrangement suited the good folk
who were alarmed at the possibility of hearing the piper in church, for
as old Willie Henderson said, "Even though the lad did a great deed,
that was no reason why the people of the village should pollute the
House o' God."

So the Hero was to be received in the Temperance Hall where Gavin had
sung his songs of heroic deeds, none so great as that he had done
himself. Then after the reception, with speeches and singing, all were
to gather in the basement of the Methodist Church for a great supper.
The Red Cross work was to be cleared away for the occasion, and tables
were to be set that would hold all the township of Oro. And if the
weather was fine the supper was to be taken out to the church lawn and
everybody was to have a real good old-fashioned picnic.

Young Mrs. Martin, who had once taught school, and knew how things
should be done, suggested that they arrange the supper in a more up to
date style. It could be held in the Hall also, and everybody could sit
down to the tables first and have the speeches after, as was the proper
way. But The Woman, who