woman, whom Mrs. Leslie had lured from the
little negro settlement in the township of Oro, a few miles from
Algonquin. She felt the responsibility of her position fully, and
showed a marked interest in the affairs of every one of the
congregation. But of all living things she loved Lawyer Ed most. His
presence never failed to put her in the highest spirits, and his
bachelorhood was her perennial joke.

"Yassum," he answered, hanging his head shyly, "if you done hab me,
Viney. I bin wantin' you for years, but I bin too bashful."

Viney screamed and flapped her red apron at him. "You go 'long, you
triflin' lawya-man!" she cried, going off into a gale of giggles; but
just then the study door opened, the minister's head came out, and the
cook's vanished.

"Ah, I thought it was you, Edward, by the joyful noise," said Dr.
Leslie, smiling. He took his visitor by the hand and drew him in.

"Come away, come. I was hoping you would drop in this morning."

They sat down, the minister in his arm-chair before his desk. Lawyer
Ed balanced on the arm of another, protesting that he must not stay.
It was his way when he dropped in at the Manse and remained a couple of
hours or so, to bustle about, hat and stick in hand, changing from one
chair to another, to assure himself that he was just going. Dr. Leslie
understood, and did not urge him to sit down.

Though not an old man, the minister had seen Lawyer Ed grow up from the
position of a scholar in his Sabbath School, and quite the most riotous
and mischievous one there, to the superintendency of it, and to a seat
in the session; and he had a special fatherly feeling towards his
youngest elder. Dr. Leslie was the only man in Algonquin, too, folk
said, whom Lawyer Ed feared, and to whose opinion he deferred without
argument.

"And have you heard from Angus this morning,--or the wee lad?"

"Archie came home about an hour ago. The little rascal's all right,
except for a sore arm. I guess he nearly put it out of joint,
paddling. Angus was better, too; but I'm bothered about Angus, Dr.
Leslie. That's what I came in for."

He moved about the room, fingering ornaments, picking up books and
laying them down again.

"Archie Blair says the anxiety was so bad for his heart, that he's got
to stop work right away, for all summer anyway, and perhaps longer.
And his place is all planted, and yesterday, at my advice, he put a
mortgage on it."

He stopped before his minister