Captain Pott's Minister Part 41

Mr. Fox had not yet returned from Riverhead. He had telephoned that he might get home for dinner. But the dinner hour came and went, and still he did not return. After the silent, and all but untasted, meal, Elizabeth left the house by the rear entrance. She hurried along the walk, out through the wicket gate at the back, and down to the beach.

From here she turned into the path that zigzagged across town-lots, over sand-dunes, through brush heaps, to the rear of the Captain's place.

She walked round the house to the side door. She lifted the heavy knocker, and held it tightly as though fearing to let it drop against the rusty iron plate. What if Uncle Josiah had forgotten his engagement, and was not home? But Uncle Josiah had never yet forgotten a promise he had made her. She let the piece of iron fall. The sound echoed through the house. It frightened her, and she poised as though of a mind to run.

Instead of the usual hearty boom for her to "Come in," the door swung wide, and she stood face to face with the minister.

"Oh!" she cried, stepping back into the shadows.

"I've been expecting you, Miss Fox. Will you come in?" he cordially invited.

"You were expecting me? But I----"

Hardly knowing what she did, and certainly not realizing why she did it, she accepted the invitation and entered. Her eyes slowly widened as he closed the door. She stood poised like a wild thing ready for flight at the slightest warning.

"I trust that your father isn't ill again?" said the minister solicitously.

"No-o. That is, not yet. He's quite well, thank you. He isn't home, or wasn't when I left."

"I'm glad."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm glad your father isn't ill," he explained, growing quite as embarra.s.sed as she.

"Oh! Yes. Thank you."

"Miss Fox, something must be wrong. May I help you?"

"No. Really, no. That is, not bad wrong, yet," she stammered. "Only he promised to be home, and--well, he isn't."

"The Captain will be back soon. He asked me to entertain you till his return. I fear I'm not doing it very well."

"Indeed, you are. That is, I guess you are. Is the Captain far away?"

"He took Miss Pipkin over to Miss Splinter's. Miss Splinter is very ill.

Won't you be seated?"

"Yes, thank you. No, I think I'll stand. Dear me! What can be the matter with me? I'm acting quite stupid and silly, am I not?"

She tried to laugh, but her dry throat gave a cracked sound. Mr. McGowan noticed, and did not complete the smile that was beginning to form about his own lips.

"Really, I think I'll be going, and come back again. I feel so very queerly, and--uncomfortable with--with----"

"With me in the room?" he finished with a sad smile. "I'm sorry. I'll step into my study. If you need anything, please call."

He had reached the door and the k.n.o.b had turned under his hand when she gave a cry, between a sob and a plea. He swung quickly about.

"Don't leave me, please!" she pleaded. "I mean, don't go on my account."

"But I seem to be disturbing you, and I don't wish to do that," he said kindly.

She broke down completely. "Oh, I do need you so much! Please stay! I'm afraid, afraid of everything, afraid of myself! You said one should keep a cool head, but I can't! I can't! I've tried so hard. Oh, Mack--Mr.

McGowan, please help me!"

She finished her broken plea in m.u.f.fled sobs in the folds of his coat.

He drew her against him till his arms ached. She knew now that she could make of her love for this man no voluntary offering in order to save her father humiliation. All afternoon and evening she had been forming that resolution. But this love that had come to her, pure and undefiled from the hand of G.o.d, could not be denied for the sins of one man, even though that man be her own father. She felt herself being swept out into an engulfing current, nor did she wish to stay its overwhelming power.

For the first time that afternoon she was conscious of real strength.

Mr. McGowan tried to lift her face from his shoulder, but she clung the closer.

"I want to look at you," he said jubilantly.

"Not just yet!" she sobbed. "I want to get used to this."

"Then, let me hear you say you love me!" entreated the man.

"Mack McGowan, I love you!" She drew back a pace. "Now, you may look at me just once, though I don't look like much with my eyes all swelled up and red."

He drank in the beauty of the face before him. "Thank G.o.d! You do love me! It isn't just pity."

She nodded her head so vigorously that the wisps of fair hair fell about her large blue eyes. "Yes, I love you, Mack. There, now, you've looked long enough. Kiss me, please." She lifted her face.

Mr. McGowan was unstintingly obeying the command when a loud knock jarred the side door. They started and sprang apart.

"Who can that be knocking like that?" asked the girl, hastily tucking away the stray locks of hair.

"It must be the Captain. But I wonder----"

Elizabeth laughed, and pointed toward a window where the curtain was above the lower sash. The Captain had seen them!

"I don't care if he did see. Let me go to the door."

She had taken one step in that direction when the door flew back and in came Mr. James Fox.

"Father! You!"

Without replying, Mr. Fox glared ferociously at the minister. His hand trembled on the head of his walking-stick. The blood surged into his face. Elizabeth, growing alarmed, started toward her father. But the Elder waved her back. Mr. McGowan broke the awful silence.

"We can't help it, Mr. Fox. I'm very sorry that this has come against your will."

"So it is true. G.o.d help me!" The Elder's words came with surprising calm, but his tone was harsh and hard. "So it is as I was warned. It is hard to believe that my little Beth has proven untrue to me." He was breathing hard. Pointing his stick in the direction of the minister, he finished with savage calm, "My little girl here alone, and with a man like you! G.o.d help me!"

"Be careful!" ordered Mr. McGowan. His words were sharp, as with blazing eyes he met the glare of the Elder.

"Father, you must not talk and look like that."

"Alone with him!" repeated Mr. Fox. "I saw the whole shameless proceeding through that window, and it is needless for you to deny what has happened."

"We are not trying to deny it, Father. I'm proud of it. We tried so hard not to love each other, too, when we found out how set you were against it. But we couldn't help it. We did try, didn't we, Mack?"