Captain Pott's Minister Part 5

"Good evening, Mr. McGowan. We are so glad you could come. Father will be right down."

The minister's emotions played leap-frog with his heart, and he stumbled awkwardly on the upper step. He made some stupidly obvious observation concerning the condition of the weather as he followed his hostess into the library. He realized that he was acting strangely for one who had reached the supposedly practical view of life where all sentiment is barred from social intercourse with the fair s.e.x, but he also realized that he was powerless to check the surge of what he now felt within.

With kaleidoscopic rapidity there flashed through his mind every occasion when he had been with Miss Fox, from the first meeting beneath the elm-tree in the Captain's yard to the present time, and he recognized what it was that had sent scurrying his practical views of life. He was in love, not with the beauty of this girl, but with her.

That love had come like the opening strains of a grand symphony, subtly and gently disturbing his emotional equilibrium, but with acc.u.mulative effect the transitions had come with the pa.s.sing weeks, till now every interest in his life seemed to be pouring out into the one emotion he felt.

Elizabeth had preceded him into the library, and was standing motionless before the mantel. She became suddenly aware of what was going on within the mind of Mr. McGowan, and a shy embarra.s.sment crept into her eyes.

Simultaneously, an unreasoning determination took possession of the minister. Unconsciously, he began to move in her direction, unmindful of the sound of footfalls on the stair. Only one step remained between Mr.

McGowan and Elizabeth when Elder Fox entered the room.

"I trust I'm not intruding----"

The Elder began nervously to stroke his chops. His breath came heavily, shutting off his words. A hunted look leaped into his eyes as he studied the tense face of the eager young man. Could it be possible that the fears of the Reverend Mr. Means--privately made known to the Elder after the installation service--had foundation in fact? Or had the suggestion of Mr. Means lodged in the Elder's mind, playing havoc with his imagination?

Mr. McGowan drew off to the far end of the mantel, and began, figuratively, to kick himself. He had often declared that a man in love was the biggest mule on earth, and now here he was, the king of them all, a genuine descendant of Balaam's mount with all his asinine qualities, but lacking his common mule sense.

"I--I beg your pardon," he stammered.

"There is no occasion for excuses," graciously replied the girl.

"Father, Mr. McGowan and I were----" She paused, blushing in confusion.

"Really, Mr. McGowan, what were we saying?"

She laughed, and it was so infectious that the men forgot to look serious, and joined with her.

"I should say--er--that you have put the matter in a very diplomatic way," observed the Elder, apparently once more himself. "No explanations are necessary--er--I a.s.sure you. I was once a young man, and have not forgotten that fact. I apologize, Mr. McGowan, if by my att.i.tude I appeared--er--to misjudge you. The trouble was with me, not with you. An odd fancy momentarily got the upper hand of me, and upset me for an instant. Make yourself quite at home, sir."

It was not long till they were called to table, and in the discussion of parish matters the strangeness of the Elder's action was for the time being relegated to the background.

"You have doubtless heard a hundred times to-day how proud we all were of the way you answered the questions yesterday," commented the Elder enthusiastically. "You showed a fine spirit, too, sir, one--er--which some of the older men might well emulate."

"I feel greatly indebted to you, Mr. Fox, for the final outcome."

The Elder waved his hand as though lightly to brush aside such words of praise, and yet in the same movement he modestly acknowledged that without his aid the young minister could have done nothing.

"I might also add, that we are delighted with the work you are doing at the church," continued the Elder magnanimously. "It is--er--very good.

Though I am still a little dubious about your a.s.sociations down at the club, still----"

"Father's ambition is to have all the pews filled," broke in Elizabeth, attempting to divert her father from a delicate topic.

"No, my dear. That is hardly my position. There must never be a sacrificing of principle, even for the sake of full pews. A full church--er--is not the most important part of parish work. Am I not right, Mr. McGowan?"

"Quite right, if that is the end sought in itself."

"I am convinced from what you said yesterday that you will furnish us--er--with both. I am confidently looking forward to one of our most prosperous years."

"Both?" queried the minister.

"Yes. I am old-fashioned enough to believe in the need of--er--the saving power of the gospel. Full pews without that would make our church the sounding of bra.s.s and the tinkling of cymbal. We must have the old-time power in our churches to-day, Mr. McGowan."

"You think Little River needs reforming, Father?"

"That is exactly the point I make: it is more than reformation we need, it is conversion. Take the Athletic Club, for example. Will reform stop them? No, sir, no more than a straw-stack would stop a tornado. They need--er--a mighty thunderbolt from heaven, and I hope that you will let G.o.d use you, sir, as the transmitting agency."

A picture of himself occupying the place of Zeus, holding in his hand the lightnings of heaven, flitted through the minister's mind. He smiled faintly. Elizabeth evidently caught what was in the young man's mind, for she met his glance with a merry twinkle.

"Really, Father, don't you think Mr. McGowan would look out of place as a lightning-rod, even on Little River Church?"

"I was speaking figuratively, my dear," he replied, somewhat crestfallen that his reference should be thus irreverently treated.

"The boys in that club are a reckless lot, and they are doing the work--er--of the devil. They must be brought to repentance."

"I don't think that is fair, Father. The church is not wholly without blame for what those boys have done," declared Elizabeth emphatically.

"What did we do to keep them from going out and organizing as they have?"

"No doubt we did make mistakes in the beginning, but our errors do not atone for their sins."

"But, Father----"

"There, Beth, never mind. We can never agree on that point, and we should not entangle Mr. McGowan in our differences. I only hope he will do all in his power to make them see the sinfulness of their ways."

Conversation turned into other channels under the direction of Elizabeth. They were discussing modern fiction when the door at the end of the hall swung back with a bang and a loud halloo echoed through the house. Elizabeth sprang up from her place and ran to the dining-room door just as a tall young man bounded through. He came up erect at sight of the stranger.

"Harold!" cried Elizabeth. "When did you come?"

"Just now. Didn't my war-whoop announce me?"

"But how did you get over from Little River station?"

"Walked."

"Why didn't you telephone? I'd have come over to meet you."

"Needed the exercise. h.e.l.lo, Dad."

The Elder greeted the young man with a cold nod. His hand trembled slightly as he stiffly extended it.

"We are just a short time at table. Will you join us?"

"Be glad to, Dad. I'm starved," he declared, eyeing the minister as he drew up a chair.

"Oh, Mr. McGowan, please excuse us!" cried Elizabeth. "This is my brother. Harold, this is our new minister, Reverend Mr. McGowan. Harold comes home so seldom that I fear his unexpected arrival demoralized our manners."

"Delighted to meet you, Mr. McGowan," cordially greeted Harold. "Heard of you before I got in sight of the house."

The young men gripped each other's hands. Consternation took possession of the Elder. Had his son fully understood?

"Mr. McGowan is the minister at our little church," he said significantly.

"That's what Beth just said. Didn't I say the right thing to him, Dad?

Want me to start all over again like I had to when I was a kid?"