Helen had very little patience with him, and used to answer his slowly uttered remarks with a quickness which confused him.
"It would be more mysterious if it were not frozen, at this time of year," she replied, almost before he had finished speaking.

She was in haste to reach Mrs.Davis, and she had no time to hear Elder Dean's platitudes.
He began to open his beak-like mouth in an astonished way, when a by-stander interrupted him: "I suppose this here sudden death in our midst" (it was easy to fall into pious phraseology in the presence of Elder Dean) "will be made the subject of the prayer-meeting to-night ?" "It will," said Mr.Dean solemnly,--"it will.

It is an awful example to unbelievers.

An' it is a lesson to the owners not to allow smoking in the yards." Then, with a sharp look at Helen out of his narrow eyes, he added, "I haven't seen you at prayer-meeting, lately, Mrs.Ward.It is a blessed place, a blessed place: the Lord touches sinners' hearts with a live coal from off his altar; souls have been taught to walk in the light, in the light of God." Mr.Dean prolonged the last word in an unctuous way, which he reserved for public prayer and admonition.
Helen did not answer.
But the elder was not rebuffed.

"I hope we will see you soon," he said.
"A solemn season of revival is approaching.