Page:The unhallowed harvest (1917).djvu/186

Rh that his neglect, if it was such, did not appear to hamper the corporation to any appreciable extent in the carrying on of its business. He knew that the resolution for the rector's dismissal was to come before the vestry for action on that Friday evening. Every one in the city who had any interest at all in the case knew it. But there were few who were as greatly disturbed by the knowledge as was Barry Malleson. He went in the afternoon to see a majority of the vestrymen concerning the matter, but, with the exception of Emberly and Hazzard, they were all either obdurate or reticent. His protests against the proposed action fell generally upon stony ground. The next morning he picked up the morning paper and ran his eyes over the columns until they fell upon the brief but sensational account of the action of the vestry the night before.

"Well," he said, "I see they've done it."

It was at the breakfast table. The members of the family were gathered for the morning meal.

"Who's done what?" asked his sister, Miss Veloura.

"Why," was the reply, "the vestry has resolved to put Farrar out."

"It'll be a good riddance," was the comment of Barry's mother.

"If they could only do the same thing to Ruth Tracy," said the elder sister.

"And the Bradley woman," added Miss Veloura.

Mr. Malleson, the elder, ate his grapefruit and remained discreetly silent.

"Why the Bradley woman?" asked Barry, bridling up.

"Because she's a nuisance and a nobody," was the reply.

And then little Miss Ramona, aged fifteen, who had heard some of the gossip of the town, rebuked her sister in this wise:

"You shouldn't say such things about Mrs. Bradley, Veloura. She may be your sister-in-law yet."