I don't know where Mr. Trott stands,
anyway. He is bound to see the light sooner or later, and then he won't
have to be begged to read the grandest Book the world ever saw, or be
slow about joining a class like this, either. As many of you know, with
pride, it is the best and biggest in the county, if not in the state."

Cavanaugh proceeded to read the verse, and the book went over to Mrs.
Whaley and then to her daughter. And as Tilly read in her clear,
unruffled voice John was conscious of a certain twinge of shame for his
avoidance of a thing so simple as she made the act seem.

The reading was concluded, and Whaley set in to analyze the text, line
by line. He would read a verse, and then ask the class what particular
significance it held to their understanding. Answers came rapidly from
all the class, and sometimes John noticed that, when all the others had
failed to grasp Whaley's particular version, he would call on Tilly to
reply and what she said always met with her father's approval, the
reason being that the girl had already gone over the chapter with her
parents at home. The lesson was concluded by a long-winded lecture from
Whaley, and then the bell was rung for the regular service.

John failed to hear what the aged minister was saying, but he did note
that Whaley now and then called out, "Amen!" in deep, self-satisfying
tones. John could not keep his eyes from the back part of Tilly's head.
He worshiped her hair, the very ribbons of her simple straw hat, the
curve of her brave little shoulders. What a marvel she was in human
form! It was almost impossible to realize that only a few hours before
she had been alone with him, telling that dazzling story of her
inability to love another man. He wondered if he might walk home with
her. He was afraid not, and yet could not tell whence his fears came,
unless they were due to his vague sense of having opposed her father's
religion.

When the service was over, however, the opportunity came. It might have
been brought about by deliberate design on the part of the contractor,
for Cavanaugh drew the husband and wife into conversation about the
sermon, and that threw Tilly and John together. The Whaleys seemed to
forget Tilly's existence, and John and she fell in behind the three.

"I wondered what you were going to do when father went back after you,"
Tilly said, with a smile. "I was afraid to look around."

"What did you think when I refused to read in the class