lair to be sure not to forget that
thae bit bills for the Scotchmen's picnic maun be gotten oot that week.
For Lawyer Ed belonged to every organisation of the town in church or
state, except the Ladies' Aid--and he often attended even its meetings
when he wanted something, and always got what he wanted, too. So,
although he had started early, it was rather late when at last he
reached the home of his special friend, J. P. Thornton, and hammered
loudly on the gate. So late, in fact, that J. P. had gone. He went on
alone very much disappointed. When any one in Algonquin was in trouble
he went to Lawyer Ed, but when Lawyer Ed was in trouble himself, he
went to his old chum, J. P. Thornton. And he was in trouble this
morning, none the less deep that it was another's. He looked down the
street towards his office, knowing a big day's work awaited him there.

"You can just wait," he remarked to the trim red brick building. "I've
got to get Angus off my mind;" and he whirled in at the Manse gate and
went up the steps in two springs.

The Manse was a broad-bosomed, wide-armed house, opposite the church,
looking as if it wanted to embrace every one who approached its big
doorway. Its appearance was not deceiving. No matter at what hour one
went inside its gate, one found at least half the congregation there,
the sad ones sitting in the doctor's study, the happy ones spread out
over the lawn. As Lawyer Ed remarked, the Lord had purposely given the
Leslies no children, so that they might adopt the congregation and
bring it up in the way it should go.

Mrs. Leslie was at the other end of the garden, cutting roses; she
waved a spray at him, heavy with dew, and he took off his hat and made
her a profound bow. He would have shouted a greeting to any other
woman in Algonquin, but he never roared at Mrs. Leslie. There was
something In the stately old-world atmosphere surrounding the lady of
the Manse, that made even Lawyer Ed treat her with deference.

The door was open and he went straight in and along the hall towards
the minister's study. As he did so a door at the opposite end of the
hall opened suddenly and admitted a round black face and an ample
red-aproned figure.

"Good mawnin', Missy Viney!" drawled the visitor. "I done wanta see de
ministah, bress de Lawd!"

Viney's white eyeballs and shining teeth flashed him a welcome.

"Laws-a-me, Lawya Ed! Is you-all gwine get marrit?"

Viney was a fat, jolly young