Page:The unhallowed harvest (1917).djvu/109

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104
THE UNALLOWED HARVEST

which she had long been curious to see. She found Mrs. Farrar there in temporary charge of the youngest member of the family who had just fallen asleep.

"What a lovely child!" exclaimed Miss Chichester in a whisper, bending over the crib.

"Yes, he's a dear. He doesn't mind in the least having people talk in the room when he's asleep," said Mrs. Farrar.

"How comforting that is!" Miss Chichester took a chair near the window where she could look out across the rectory lawn to the street. "We missed you so at the Parish Aid Society Tuesday afternoon at Ruth Tracy's. You weren't ill, were you?"

"Oh, no. Mr. Farrar discovered another poor family up in the eight hundred block. The mother's bedridden, and nothing would do but I must go up and see her Tuesday afternoon."

"How kind Mr. Farrar is to the poor. What a pity it is that the vestry isn't in sympathy with him in his concern for the lower classes."

"Isn't it? I didn't know."

"I'm told it isn't. That's what led to the trouble last evening."

"What trouble, Miss Chichester?"

"Why, the trouble at the vestry meeting. Hasn't Mr. Farrar told you about it?"

"Not a word. He rarely tells me about unpleasant happenings; they worry me so. What was the trouble at the vestry meeting?"

"Perhaps I ought not to tell you, either."

"Oh, I suppose I'll hear about it sooner or later; you might as well tell me." She settled herself back in her chair with a sigh.

"Well, they all got into a dreadful quarrel."

"Is it possible? What about?"

"About free pews. Mr. Farrar wanted the pews declared free, and they all opposed him but Mr. Emberly and Mr. Hazzard."