The elder was filling the
vacant pulpit that day by mere chance, as he told me; but I guess he was
really candidating a little after all. It would have been a bad thing
for Monterey Centre if he had received the call.
They greeted Virginia and me with warm handclasps and hearty inquiries
after our welfare; and we were passing on, when Grandma Thorndyke headed
us off and looked me fairly in the face.
"Why," said she, "you're that boy! Wait a minute."
She stepped over and spoke to her husband, who seemed quite in the dark
as to what she was talking about. She pointed to us--and then, in
despair, she came back to us and asked us if we wouldn't wait until the
people were gone, as she wanted us to meet her husband.
"Oh, yes," said Virginia, "we'll be very glad to."
"Let us walk along together," said grandma, after the elder had joined
us. "Ah--this is my husband, Mr. Thorndyke, Miss--"
"Royall," said Virginia, "Virginia Royall. And this is Jacob Vandemark."
"Where do you live?" asked grandma.
"I'm going out to my farm in Monterey County," I said; "and Virginia
is--is--riding with me a while."
"We are camping," said Virginia, smiling, "down by the river. Won't you
come to dinner with us?"
3
Grandma ran to some people who were waiting, I suppose, to take them to
the regular minister's Sunday dinner, and seemed to be making some sort
of plea to be excused. What it could have been I have no idea; but I
suspect it must have been because of the necessity of saving souls; some
plea of duty; anyhow she soon returned, and with her and the elder we
walked in silence down to the grove where our wagon stood among the
trees, with my cows farther up-stream picketed in the grass.
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