Page:The unhallowed harvest (1917).djvu/237

232 firmation, for the purpose of discussing specifically the charges against the rector, and generally the unhappy situation in the parish. It must not be supposed that he had failed to inform himself, privately, before coming to the city, of the exact nature of the trouble. It would have been unwise not to have done so. Nor was he likely to remain in ignorance concerning the opinions of certain parishioners now that he was here. A succession of callers, mostly of the wealthier class, who had had the privilege of a personal acquaintance with him, occupied his attention during the greater part of the day. In the early afternoon Barry Malleson came to see the bishop. He felt that his voice might be potent in obtaining episcopal favor for the rector toward whom his loyalty had increased day by day. He was ushered into the reception room and told that the bishop, who was engaged with a caller in the library, would see him in a few minutes. While he was waiting, who should come in but Jane Chichester. She was rejoiced to find Barry there. It was an opportunity that she had been seeking, and that he had been avoiding, for a full week.

"I'm so glad you're here," she said. "I've been wanting awfully to see you, and it's been ten whole days since I've had the remotest glimpse of you. Where in the world have you been?"

"Why," replied Barry, "we've been pretty busy down at the mill lately."

"But I've called you up a dozen times and they always tell me you're out."

"That's the fault of Miss Bolckom, the telephone girl. I must speak to her about it."

If the truth must be told, Barry had spoken to her about it, suggesting mildly that if any one whose voice resembled that of Miss Chichester should call him up, and he should unfortunately happen to be out, why, she needn't go to the trouble or having him paged. Miss Bolckom, being an ordinarily clever girl, had