Part 9 (1/2)

But it meant nothing to Laurie Shafton seeking a hotel in a fas.h.i.+onable resort. And when he finally got his number it was only Opal's maid who answered.

”Yes, Mrs. Verrons was up. She was out walking on the beach with a gentleman. No, it was not Mr. Emerson, nor yet Mr. McMarter. Neither of those gentlemen had arrived. No, it was not Mr. Verrons. He had just telegraphed that he would not be at the hotel until tomorrow night.

Yes, she would tell Mrs. Verrons that he had met with an accident. Mrs.

Verrons would be very sorry. Number one-W Sabbath Valley. Yes, she would write it down. What? Oh! The gentleman Mrs. Verrons was walking with?

No, it was not anybody that had been stopping at the hotel for long, it was a new gentleman who had just come the night before. She hadn't heard his name yet. Yes, she would be sure to tell Mrs. Verrons at once when she came in, and Mrs. Verrons would be likely to call him up!”

He hung up the receiver and looked around the room discontentedly. A stinging twinge of his ankle added to his discomfort. He gave an angry snarl and pushed the wavering curtain aside, wis.h.i.+ng those everlasting bells would stop their banging.

Across the velvet stretch of lawn the stone church nestled among the trees, with a background of mountains, and a studding of white gravestones beyond its wide front steps. It was astonis.h.i.+ngly beautiful, and startlingly close for a church. He had not been so near to a church except for a wedding in all his young life. Dandy place for a wedding that would be, canopy over the broad walk from the street, charming architecture, he liked the line of the arched belfry and the slender spire above. The rough stone fitted well into the scenery. The church seemed to be a thing of the ages placed there by Nature. His mind trained to detect a sense of beauty in garments, rugs, pictures, and women, appreciated the picture on which he was gazing. Where was this anyway? Surely not the place with the absurd name that he remembered now on the mountain Detour. Sabbath Valley! How ridiculous! It must be the home of some wealthy estate, and yet there seemed a rustic loveliness about it that scarcely established that theory.

The bells had ceased. He heard the roll of a deep throated organ skillfully played.

And now, his attention was suddenly attracted to the open window of the church where framed in English ivy a lovely girl sat at the organ. She was dressed in white with hair of gold, and a golden window somewhere back of her across the church, made a background of beaten gold against which her delicate profile was set like some young saint. Her white fingers moving among the keys, and gradually he came to realize that it was she who had been playing the bells.

He stared and stared, filled with admiration, thrilled with this new experience in his blase existence. Who would have expected to find a beauty like that in a little out of the way place like this? His theory of a great estate and a rich man's daughter with a fad for music instantly came to the front. What a lucky happening that he should have broken down close to this church. He would find out who the girl was and work it to get invited up to her house. Perhaps he was a fortunate loser of his bet after all.

As he watched the girl playing gradually the music entered his consciousness. He was fond of music, and had heard the best of the world of course. This was meltingly lovely. The girl had fine appreciation and much expression, even when the medium of her melody was clumsy things like bells. She had seemed to make them glad as they pealed out their melodies. He had not known bells could sound like happy children, or like birds.

His meditations were interrupted by a tap on the door, followed by the entrance of his host bearing a tray:

”Good-morning,” he said pleasantly, ”I see you're up. How is the sprain?

Better? Would you like me to dress it again?”

He came over to the desk and set down the tray on which was beautifully brown b.u.t.tered toast, eggs and coffee:

”I've brought you just a bite. It's so late you won't want much, for we have dinner immediately after church. I suppose you wouldn't feel like going over to the service?”

”Service?” the young man drawled almost insolently.

”Yes, service is at eleven. Would you care to go over? I could a.s.sist you.”

”Naw, I shouldn't care to go,” he answered rudely, ”I'm pulling out of here as soon as I can get that machine of mine running. By the way, I've been doing some telephoning”--he slung a ten dollar note on the desk. ”I didn't ask how much it was, guess that'll cover it. Now, help me to the big chair and I'll sample your breakfast.”

The minister picked up the young man easily and placed him in the big chair before the guest realized what was doing, and then turned and took the ten dollar bill between his thumb and finger and flipped it down in the young man's lap.

”Keep it,” he said briefly, ”It's of no consequence.”

”But it was long distance,” explained the guest loftily, ”It'll be quite a sum. I talked overtime.”

”No matter,” said the minister pulling out a drawer of the desk and gathering a few papers and his Bible. ”Now, would you like me to look at that ankle before I go, or will you wait for the doctor? He's likely to be back before long, and I've left a call for him.”

”I'll wait for the doctor,” the young man's tone approached the insolent note again, ”and by the way, I wish you'd send for a mechanician. I've got to get that car running.”

”I'm sorry,” said Severn, ”I'm afraid you'll have to wait. The only one in this region that would be at all likely to help you out with those bearings is Carter. He has a car, or had one, of that make. He might happen to have some bearings, but it is not at all likely. Or, he could tow you ten miles to Monopoly. But Carter is not at home yet.”

The young man fairly frothed at the mouth: ”Do you mean to tell me that there is no one can mend a broken machine around this forsaken dump?

Where's your nearest garage? Send for a man to come at once. I'm willing to pay anything,” he flourished a handful of bills.

The minister looked at his watch anxiously: ”I'm sorry,” he said again, ”I've got to go to the service now. There is a garage at Monopoly and their number is 97-M. You can phone them if you are not satisfied. I tried them quite early this morning while you were still sleeping, but there was nothing doing. The truth is the people around this region are a little prejudiced against working seven days out of the week, although they will help a man out in a case like yours when they can, but it seems the repair man, the only one who knows about bearings, has gone fifty miles in another direction to a funeral and won't be back till to-morrow morning. Now, if you're quite comfortable I'll have to leave you for a little while. It is time for my service to begin.”

The young man looked at his host with astonishment. He was not used to being treated in this off-hand way. He could hardly believe his ears.

Throw back his money and lay down the law that way!