He
shrugged his shoulders, with a puzzled sigh. An expression of pity
crossed his face which he hardened into one of purely professional
interest, and he went on questioning 'Manda Grier in a low tone.
Statira had slipped her hand into Lemuel's, and she held it fast, as
if in that clasp she were holding on to her chance of life.
XXXII.
Sewell returned to town for the last time in the third week of
September, bringing his family with him.
This was before the greater part of his oddly assorted congregation
had thought of leaving the country, either the rich cottagers whose
family tradition or liberal opinions kept them in his church, or the
boarding and camping elements who were uniting a love of cheapness
with a love of nature in their prolonged sojourn among the woods and
fields. Certain families, perhaps half of his parish in all, were
returning because the schools were opening, and they must put their
children into them; and it was both to minister to the spiritual
needs of these and to get his own children back to their studies
that the minister was at home so early.
It was, as I have hinted already, a difficult and laborious season
with him; he himself was always a little rusty in his vocation after
his summer's outing, and felt weakened rather than strengthened by
his rest. The domestic machine started reluctantly; there was a new
cook to be got in, and Mrs.
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