The young man laughed lightly: "Well, perhaps I had a jag on. I'm not surprised. I'd been driving for
hours and had to drink to keep my nerve till morning. There were some
dandy spilling places around those mountain curves. One doesn't care to
look out and see when one is driving at top speed."
Heavens! What had he said now? The girl's eyes came round to look him
over again and went through to his soul like a lightning flash and away
again, and there was actually scorn on her lips. He must take another
line. He couldn't understand this haughty country beauty in the least.
"I certainly did enjoy your music," he flashed forth with a little of
his own natural gaiety in his voice that made him so universal a
favorite.
The girl turned gravely toward him and surveyed him once more as if she
were surprised and perhaps had not done him justice. She looked like
one who would always be willing to do one justice. He felt encouraged: "If it hadn't been for this blamed foot of mine I'd have hobbled over
to the--service. I was sorry not to hear the music closer."
"There is another service this evening," she said pleasantly, "Perhaps
father can help you over. It is a rather good organ for so small a
one." She was trying to be polite to him. It put him on his metal. It
made him remember how rude he had been to her father the night before.
"Delightful organ I'm sure," he returned, "but it was the organist that
I noticed. One doesn't often hear such playing even on a good organ."
"Oh, I've been well taught," said the girl without self-consciousness.
"But the children are to sing this evening. You'll like to hear the
children I'm sure. They are doing fairly well now."
"Charmed, I'm sure," he said with added flattery of his eyes which she
did not take at all because she was passing her mother's plate for more
gravy. How odd not to have a servant pass it!
"You come from New York?" the host hazarded.
"Yes," drawled the youth, "Shafton's my name, Laurence Shafton, son of
William J., of Shafton and Gates you know," he added impressively.
The host was polite but unimpressed. It was almost as though he had
never heard of William J. Shafton the multi-millionaire. Or was it?
Dash the man, he had such a way with him of acting as though he knew
everything and nothing impressed him; as though he was just as
good as the next one! As though his father was something even greater
than a millionaire! He didn't seem to be in the least like Laurie's
idea of a clergyman. He couldn't seem to get anywhere with him.