The Ally had been busy to some purpose. The Ladies' Aid, having reached
the point of declaring that something must be done, did something. The
Elders of Memorial Church, in their official capacity, called on their
pastor.
Dan was in the garden when the Elders came. The Doctor's wife declared
that Dan spent most of his time in the garden now, and that, when there,
he did nothing because that nurse was always helping him. Good Martha
has the fatal gift of telling a bit of news so vividly that it gains
much in the telling.
Miss Farwell was in the garden that afternoon with the minister and so
was Denny, while Grace Conner and Deborah were sitting on the front porch
of the little cottage when the two church fathers passed. Though neither
of the men turned their heads, neither of them failed to see the two
women on the porch and the three friends in the garden.
"For the love of Heaven, look there!" exclaimed Deborah in an excited
whisper. "They're turnin' in at the minister's gate, an' him out there
in the 'taters in his shirt, a-diggin' in the ground an' a-gassin' wid
Denny an' Miss Hope. I misdoubt there's somethin' stirrin' to take thim
to his door the day. I must run an' give him the word."
But Dan had seen and was already on his way to the front gate, drawing
on his coat as he went. From the other side of the street the Doctor
waved his hand to Dan encouragingly as the young man walked hastily down
the sidewalk to overtake the church officials at the front door.
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