other women too. Even on Sunday morning in church, you were aware of Mrs. Nawn. She had some sort of chronic catarrhal difficulty evidently, and was constantly coughing and clearing her throat.
Beyond Mrs. Nawn sat Gretchen Nawn, Felix's older sister. Gretchen always wore big hats and fur pieces, and fuzzy wool coats, and ribbons and bows on her dresses. She never looked neat and trim, but as if shears would improve her, or a thorough plucking. Gretchen was engaged to be married to the sexton's son.
The sexton and Mr. Nawn appeared to be very intimate. Mr. Nawn often helped the sexton with the hymn-books and chairs after Sunday-School, and at the Sunday morning service Mr. Nawn passed the plate in the east gallery, while the sexton passed it in the west, but neither Mr. Nawn nor the sexton appeared before the pulpit afterwards. They delivered their boxes to a waiting deacon below in private, and stole modestly back to their seats.
Two years ago, when Sheilah had first heard that Gretchen Nawn was engaged to be married to the sexton's son, she made up her mind to find out about sextons. And plumbers. Mr. Nawn was a plumber. She made some inquiries of her mother. She was barely thirteen then.
'Would you ask the sexton and his wife to one
