They had been deeply interested in him so long as it seemed likely that he was to come to them--before their clearly expressed desire for him had been so monstrously ignored.

But now what became of him was no earthly concern of theirs.
After the Doxology had been sung and the Conference formally declared ended, the Wares would fain have escaped from the flood of handshakings and boisterous farewells which spread over the front part of the church.
But the clergymen were unusually insistent upon demonstrations of cordiality among themselves--the more, perhaps, because it was evident that the friendliness of their local hosts had suddenly evaporated--and, of all men in the world, the present incumbent of the Octavius pulpit now bore down upon them with noisy effusiveness, and defied evasion.
"Brother Ware--we have never been interduced--but let me clasp your hand! And--Sister Ware, I presume--yours too!" He was a portly man, who held his head back so that his face seemed all jowl and mouth and sandy chin-whisker.

He smiled broadly upon them with half-closed eyes, and shook hands again.
"I said to 'em," he went on with loud pretence of heartiness, "the minute I heerd your name called out for our dear Octavius, 'I must go over an' interduce myself.' It will be a heavy cross to part with those dear people, Brother Ware, but if anything could wean me to the notion, so to speak, it would be the knowledge that you are to take up my labors in their midst.

Perhaps--ah--perhaps they ARE jest a trifle close in money matters, but they come out strong on revivals.

They'll need a good deal o' stirrin' up about parsonage expenses, but, oh! such seasons of grace as we've experienced there together!" He shook his head, and closed his eyes altogether, as if transported by his memories.
Brother Ware smiled faintly in decorous response, and bowed in silence; but his wife resented the unctuous beaming of content on the other's wide countenance, and could not restrain her tongue.
"You seem to bear up tolerably well under this heavy cross, as you call it," she said sharply.
"The will o' the Lord, Sister Ware--the will o' the Lord!" he responded, disposed for the instant to put on his pompous manner with her, and then deciding to smile again as he moved off.