[The Prodigal Judge by Vaughan Kester]@TWC D-Link bookThe Prodigal Judge CHAPTER II 4/12
She reined in her horse abreast of his cart. "Aren't you Mr.Yancy ?" she asked. "Yes, ma'am, that's me--Bob Yancy." He regarded her with large gray eyes that were frankly approving in their expression, for she was more than commonly agreeable to look upon. "I am Mrs.Ferris, and I am very pleased to make your acquaintance." "The same here," murmured Yancy with winning civility. Mrs.Ferris' companion leaned forward, her face averted, and stroked her horse's neck with gloved hand. "This is my friend, Miss Betty Malroy." "Glad to know you, ma'am," said Yancy. Miss Malroy faced him, smiling.
She, too, was very good to look upon, indeed she was quite radiant with youth and beauty. "We are just returning from Scratch Hill--I think that is what you call it ?" said Mrs.Ferris. "So we do," agreed Yancy. "And the dear little boy we met is your nephew, is he not, Mr.Yancy ?" It was Betty Malroy who spoke. "In a manner he is and in a manner he ain't," explained Yancy, somewhat enigmatically. "There are quite a number of children at Scratch Hill ?" suggested Mrs. Ferris. "Yes, ma'am, so there are; a body would naturally notice that." "And no school--not a church even!" continued Mrs.Ferris in a grieved tone. "Never has been," rejoined Yancy cheerfully.
He seemed to champion the absence of churches and schools on the score of long usage. "But what do the people do when they want to go to church ?" questioned Mrs.Ferris. "Never having heard that any of 'em wanted to go I can't say just offhand, but don't you fret none about that, ma'am; there are churches; one's up at the Forks, and there's another at Balaam's Cross Roads." "But that's ten miles from Scratch Hill, isn't it ?" "It's all of that," said Yancy.
He sensed it that the lady before him, was a person of much force and energy, capable even of reckless innovation.
Mr.Yancy himself was innately conservative; his religious inspiration had been drawn from the Forks and Balaam's Cross Roads.
<<Back Index Next>> D-Link book Top TWC mobile books
|