At Perleyvale, Maine, on August twenty-second, the
Reverend Elton Garside, of Herringport, and Miss Amy Smythe, of
Perleyvale.' What do you know about that?"

The gasp of amazement that went up from the women of the Herringport Union
Church was almost a chorus of anguish. The paper was snatched from hand to
hand. Nobody could accuse the amateurs now of being "wooden."

Not until Mrs. Paisley in the character of _Ma Bassett_, at the signal
from Mr. Hooley, fell back in her chair, exclaiming: "My mercy me! Luella
Sprague and the teacher! Who'd have thought it?" did the company in
general suspect that something had been "put over on them."

"All right! All right!" shouted Jim Hooley in high delight, stopping his
camera men. "That's fine! It's great! Miss Fielding, your scheme worked
like a charm."

The members of the sewing circle began to ask questions.

"Do you mean to say this is in the play?" demanded Mrs. Ella Painter,
waving the newspaper and inclined to be indignant.

"Yes, Mrs. Painter. That marriage notice is just a joke," the director
told her. "It certainly gave you ladies a start and---- Well, wait
till you see this scene on the screen!"

"But ain't it _so_?" cried another. "Why, Mr. Garside---- Why! it's
in the _Harpoon_."

"But you won't find it in another _Harpoon_," laughed the director,
recovering possession of the newspaper. "It's only a joke. But I
positively had to give you ladies a real shock or we'd never have got this
scene right."

"Well, of all the impudence!" began Mrs. Painter.

However, she joined in the laughter a minute later. At best, the women had
won from Mr. Hammond enough money to pay for the painting of their church
edifice, and they were willing to sacrifice their dignity for that.

CHAPTER XIX

COUNTERCLAIMS

"I declare, Ruth! that was a ridiculous thing to do," exclaimed Helen,
when they were on their way back to the Point. "But it certainly brought
the sewing circle women all up standing."

"I've been wondering all day what Ruth was up to," said Tom, who was
steering the big car. "I was in on it without understanding her game."

"Well, it was just what the directer needed," chuckled Jennie. "Oh, it
takes our Ruth to do things."

"I wonder?" sighed the girl of the Red Mill, in no responsive mood.

She had something very unpleasant before her that she felt she must do,
and nothing could raise her spirits. She did not speak to anybody about
the hermit's sce