Part 29 (1/2)

”And you?”

”Well, I suppose I was heartless. But it was the funniest thing I ever saw!” Esther's laughter bubbled again.

They were now at the manse gate. He saw that he must hasten.

”My dear Miss Esther, let us be serious. I do not like to disturb your mind but I have a duty in this matter. Has it never occurred to you that this so-called accident may not have been so--so--er--entirely--er--irremediable, so to speak, as it was made to appear?”

”Do you mean that he did it on purpose?” The tone was one of blank amazement. Esther's hand was upon the gate but forgot to press the latch. She was a quick brained girl and the insinuation in the minister's words had been patent. Yet that he should be capable of such an idea seemed incredible! Had he been looking at her he would have seen the clear red surge over her face from neck to brow and then recede, but not before it had lighted a danger spark in her eyes.

”You did mean that!” She went on before he could answer. The scorn in her voice stung. But the Reverend Angus was not a coward.

”That was my meaning. You are a young and inexperienced girl. You go upon an excursion with a man whom none of us know. An accident, a very peculiar accident, happens. You are led to believe that the damage is serious, but later, when the matter is investigated, it is found to have been trifling. What is the natural inference? What have you to say?”

”It has been said before,” calmly.

”Well--”

”Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”

They faced each other, the man and the girl. And the man's eyes fell.

”G.o.d forbid that I should do so,” he murmured.

Esther's face softened. Her anger was not proof against humility.

”If you are really disturbed about it,” she said slowly, ”I can rea.s.sure you. You say that you do not know Dr. Callandar. But I do know him. The whole situation rests upon that. He is a man incapable of the caddish villainy you impute. Why he could not repair the car, I cannot say. I think,” with a smile, ”that he does not know quite as much about cars as he thinks he does. But he did his best, I know that! When we found his efforts useless we took the only course possible and made at once for the canoe. We had to steal it, you remember, but the doctor showed no faltering in that. He was also prepared to shoot the dog. And you have my word for it that he made no attempt to swamp the canoe or to otherwise complicate matters. I arrived at Mrs. Burton's by ten minutes past nine. She was delighted to see me. Dr. Callandar walked over to the station and sent telegrams to Aunt Amy and Mrs. Sykes. He returned to Coombe upon the morning train. I remained with Mrs. Burton and came back in time for school on the milk train Monday morning. That is the whole story of the adventure and, to be frank, I enjoyed it immensely.”

The minister shook his head, but he could say no more. His att.i.tude had not changed, yet he felt a sense of shame before the straightforward honesty of Esther's outlook. She had no sense of the evil of the world.

That very fact seemed to make the world less evil.

”When will Mrs. Coombe be back?” he asked abruptly.

Immediately the girl's frank look clouded. ”I do not know,” she said.

”She hardly ever tells me when she is returning. She may be at home any day now. You know how impulsively she acts.”

”Yes--just so.” The minister's manner was absent. ”The fact is I wish very much to speak with your mother regarding a certain matter. Not the matter we have been discussing, we will say no more of that, but a matter of great importance to--er--to me. The importance is such indeed that I doubt if I am justified in delaying longer if you have no idea of when I may expect to see her.”

Had Esther been noticing she must have remarked the unusual agitation of his manner, but Esther was not noticing.

”Is it anything you could discuss with me?” she asked innocently.

”Mother cares less and less for business. Unless it is something quite private she will probably turn it over to me in any case.”

”But this is not--er--a matter of business. Not exactly. Not a business matter at all, in fact. It is a matter which--”

”Oh, there you are!” Miss Annabel's voice was breathless but gratified and free from the faintest suspicion of having arrived, as usual, at exactly the wrong moment. ”Are you showing Esther the new rose, Angus?

Such a disappointment, Esther, my dear! I had quite made up my mind that it was to be red. It came out pink, and such a beautifully strong plant--such a waste! I simply can't make myself care for pink roses.

They are so common. Was I very long? You must both be starved. I know I am. Won't you come upstairs, Esther, and put off your hat?”

Esther intimated that she would. Just now, she had no desire for the further company of Mr. Macnair. She was conscious even of a faint stirring of dislike. Therefore the eagerness with which she followed Miss Annabel filled that good lady with hospitable reproach.