Katherine's Sheaves Part 21

Her lips quivered and her voice broke with those last words.

Her husband reached out his hand and laid it caressingly against her face, drawing her head down upon his shoulder.

"I know it, sweetheart," he said, with tremulous tenderness, "and my own heart rebels against it every day of my life. Perhaps I have seemed arrogant in my att.i.tude toward what you have suggested. I feel so. I am utterly intolerant of Christian Science and will have nothing to do with it."

"But why, Will? You do not state any reason. Why do you condemn it without a trial--without investigation? You know nothing about it- ---"

"I know all I wish," the man interrupted, with curling lips. "I have never mentioned the fact, but I have read the Christian Science text-book and have found it to be a conglomeration of the most absurd statements, theories and contradictions it has ever been my lot to peruse. As a matter of principle, as a Christian, I abjure its teachings, for they are diametrically opposed to my religious views; and as a D.D. and a Ph.D. I feel that I should be subjecting myself to the rankest criticism and ridicule were I to give it countenance in any way whatsoever. I do not stand alone in my att.i.tude, by any means, for the book has been discussed in our Philosophical a.s.sociation, which, as you well know, is composed of some of the brightest men and most profound thinkers in the State; and it was utterly repudiated and denounced as fallacious and un- Christian in its teachings, and calculated to do inestimable harm.

The idea of an obscure woman setting herself up as a reconstructor of the religious faiths of the world! It is simply the height of presumption and absurdity," he concluded, with considerable heat.

"But when you think of it, how much better it would be if there was only 'one Lord, one faith and one baptism' in the world, instead of hundreds. How is anyone to know which is the right one?" said Mrs. Seabrook, thoughtfully. "We claim to be Presbyterians, but we can offer no proof that our creed is better than any other, while the Christian Scientists claim that their healing proves their religion to be the Christianity taught by the Master."

"Yes, they claim a great deal; but they want to overturn altogether too much for me to accept it," dryly observed her husband.

"But they maintain that it is founded on the Bible."

"True; and that is wherein it is most harmful. It is the false teaching calculated to 'deceive the very elect.' Emelie, it irritates me to talk about it; let us drop it, please," and with a frowning brow the man arose and restlessly paced the floor.

"Then you will not consent to try the healing for Dorothy?" and there was a plaintive note in the weary mother's voice which smote painfully upon the husband's ears.

"No."

That ended the conversation, and with a heavy heart Mrs. Seabrook went back to her child to take up her accustomed night vigil, but with a secret sense of injustice and rebellion such as she had seldom experienced.

That same evening, after supper, when Katherine went to her room she found Sadie dressing to go out.

The girl looked flushed and excited, a condition so at variance with her usual composure and languid manner that Katherine regarded her with surprise. She was also making a rather elaborate toilet, and she wondered where she could be going.

"Oh! honey," she exclaimed, as her chum appeared in the doorway, "don't you want to come with me?"

"Where? Is there a theater party on the tapis?" Katherine inquired, as she watched a labored effort to tie a coquettish bow at her throat.

"Oh! no; I have to go down to Madam Alberti's for my new hat. I want it for church to-morrow," Sadie explained. "I have permission, but can't go alone, you know. Annie Fletcher was going with me, but her brother has just come--so that's off."

"Why, yes; I'd like the walk," said Katherine, with animation.

"But I supposed, from the 'fuss and feathers' you are putting on, that you were bound either for the theater or to make a fas.h.i.+onable call."

"Well--you know it doesn't get dark very early now, and one meets so many people on the street, especially on Sat.u.r.day evening, one must look pa.s.sable," Sadie returned, but the flush on her cheeks grew brighter while she spoke.

Katherine hastily donned her hat, and, taking a light wrap on her arm, signified her readiness to accompany her.

On their way downstairs Miss Minot stopped at Miss Williams' door.

"I've got to tell her that Annie can't go, and I am taking you in her place," she said, as she rapped for admittance.

"Of course, Miss Minturn can go if she has no special duties,"

Miss Williams observed, when the matter was explained to her.

"And," she added, archly, "I think the change is all for the best, for when I allow two mischief-loving girls, like you and Annie, to go off by themselves, I sometimes have rather more of a sense of responsibility than is comfortable."

"Now, Miss Williams, that is rather hard on Annie and me," drawled Sadie, while the quick color flew to her face again, "though I'm sure it's a right smart compliment to Katherine. But thank you all the same for permission, and--I reckon you'll feel perfectly 'com- fortable'--you'll not be afraid there's any mischief brewing now,"

she concluded, demurely.

"No, indeed; I know you are in excellent hands," smiled Miss Williams, and the two girls went on their way.

The walk "downtown" was delightful, for the evening was balmy and fragrant with unfolding flowers and foliage. Arriving at Madam Alberti's, they found her fas.h.i.+onable rooms filled with customers, and were obliged to wait sometime before Miss Minot could be served.

Then, when the hat was finally brought, there was something that did not quite suit her fastidious taste and had to be changed. By the time this was effected it had grown quite dark outside; but as they started out Sadie lingered by the door and looked up and down the street with an air of expectation, mingled with some anxiety, Katherine thought.

"Let us go into Neal's for a soda and some candy," Sadie at length proposed, and, as candy was also one of Katherine's weaknesses, they stepped into a confectioner's, next door, and made their purchases. While waiting for their change a young man, stylishly attired, approached Sadie and, lifting his hat, saluted her with much empress.e.m.e.nt.

Sadie smiled, blushed, and addressed him as "Mr. Willard," then introduced Katherine, who was beginning to understand some things that had puzzled her, and to feel quite uncomfortable.

They stood chatting together until their change was handed them, when they pa.s.sed out of the store, Mr. Willard taking possession of Miss Minot's bandbox with an air of proprietors.h.i.+p which, to say the least, was suggestive.

When they reached the first corner Katherine halted.

"I suppose we will take a car, Sadie, it is getting so late," she quietly remarked.

"Oh, it is so fine, let us walk back," said the girl, appealingly.

Katherine was dismayed, particularly as Mr. Willard supplemented, affably:

"I hope you can be persuaded, Miss Minturn. It will give me great pleasure to see you safely home."

Katherine knew it would never do. It would be a rank violation of the rules, which explicitly stated that no young lady could receive attention from young men without permission direct from the princ.i.p.al, on penalty of expulsion.

"Thank you, Mr. Willard; but I think we will take a car," she courteously but decidedly replied.

"Oh, come now, Katharine, don't be disobliging," Sadie here interposed; "there can be no harm in our walking quietly back to the seminary together. Ned--er--Mr. Willard has met Prof.

Seabrook, and it will be all right."

The slip which revealed Mr. Willard's first name, and also betrayed something of the intimacy which existed between the young couple, appalled Katherine, and confirmed her suspicions that the meeting had been previously planned, and drove her to radical measures.

She turned politely to the young man and observed:

"Mr. Willard, if we had Prof. Seabrook's permission, no doubt the walk would be very enjoyable; but since we have not, and the rules are explicit, I am sure you will appreciate our position and excuse us. There is our car. Will you kindly signal for us?"

Of course there was nothing for the gentleman to do but obey, which he did with an icy:

"Certainly, Miss Minturn, and pray pardon my intrusion."

They were obliged to wait a moment for some people to alight, and during the delay Katherine heard him say in an aside to her roommate:

"Next time, Sadie, don't bring a prude with you."

"Next time!" Katherine repeated to herself, with a, heart-bound of astonishment. These meetings, then, were of frequent occurrence, and there was no telling what regret and disgrace her friend was storing up. For herself, for it was only a question of time when she would be found out.

Of course, she could not talk the matter over with her on the car, but when they alighted and were entering the school grounds she felt she must speak a word of caution.