mean hurting my shoulder. That doesn't matter. I mean hurting me! So cold to me! And I thought maybe if we were married— I'd do everything to make you happy. I'd go wherever you did. I wouldn't mind if we had the tiniest little small house—"
"And you—you—expect a minister of the gospel to share any house with a liar! Oh, you viper that— Oh, hell, I won't talk like a preacher. I don't suppose I have done altogether right, maybe. Though I noticed you were glad enough to sneak out and meet me places! But when a woman, a Christian, deliberately lies and tries to deceive a man in his deepest feelings— That's too much, no matter what I did! Don't you ever dare to speak to me again! And if you tell your father about this, and force me into marriage, I'll—I'll— I'll kill myself!"
"Oh, I won't! Honest, I won't!"
"I'll repent my own fault in bitter tears and as for you, young woman— Go and sin no more!"
He swung round, walked away from her, deaf to her whimperings. She desperately trotted after his giant strides for a while, then leaned against the trunk of a sycamore, while a passing grocery clerk snickered.
She did not appear at church the next Sunday. Elmer was so pleased that he thought of having another rendezvous with her.
Deacon Bains and his good wife had noticed how pale and absent-minded was their normally bouncing daughter.
"Guess she's in love with that new preacher. Well, let's keep our hands off. Be a nice match for her. Never knew a young preacher that was so filled with the power. Talks like a house afire, by golly," said the deacon, as they yawned and stretched in the vast billowy old bed.
Then Floyd Naylor came fretting to the deacon.
Floyd was a kinsman of the family; a gangling man of twenty-five, immensely strong, rather stupid, a poor farmer, very loyal. For years he had buzzed about Lulu. It would be over-romantic to say that he had eaten his faithful heart out in lone reverence. But he had always considered Lulu the most beautiful, sparkling, and profound girl in the universe.
