But the organ was suddenly drowned in a burst of song: "Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the
Holy Ghost, As it was in the beginning, is now and
ever shall be--world without end, Amen!"
Somehow the words struck him with a strange awe, they were so distinct,
and almost in the room with him. He looked about half feeling that the
room was filled with people, and felt curiously alone. There was an
atmosphere in the little house of everybody being gone to church. They
had all gone and left him alone. It amused him. He wondered about this
odd family who seemed to be under the domination of a church service.
They had left him a stranger alone in their house. The doors and
windows were all open. How did they know but he was a burglar?
Some one was talking now. It sounded like the voice of his host. It
might be a prayer. How peculiar! He must be a preacher. Yet he had been
sent to him to fix his car. He did not look like a laboring man. He
looked as if he might be,--well almost anything--even a gentleman. But
if he was a clergyman, why, that of course explained the ascetic type,
the nun-like profile of the girl, the skilled musician. Clergymen were
apt to educate their children, even without much money. The girl would
probably be a prude and bore, but there was a chance that she might be
a princess in disguise and need a prince to show her a good time. He
would take the chance at least until after dinner.
So he ate his delicate toast, and drank his delicious coffee, and
wished he had asked that queer man to have his flask filled at the drug
store before he went to his old service, but consoled himself with
numerous cigarettes, while he watched the face of the musician, and
listened idly to the music.
It was plain that the young organist was also the choir leader, for her
expressive face was turned toward the singers, and her lovely head kept
time. Now and then a motion of the hand seemed to give a direction or
warning. And the choir too sang with great sweetness and expression.
They were well trained. But what a bore such a life must be to a girl.
Still, if she had never known anything else--! Well, he would like to
see her at closer range. He lit another cigarette and studied her
profile as she slipped out of the organ bench and settled herself
nearer the window. He could hear the man's voice reading now. Some of
the words drew his idle attention: "All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but
the Lord weigheth the spirits."