The elder was filling the vacant pulpit that day by mere chance, as he told me; but I guess he was really candidating a little after all.

It would have been a bad thing for Monterey Centre if he had received the call.
They greeted Virginia and me with warm handclasps and hearty inquiries after our welfare; and we were passing on, when Grandma Thorndyke headed us off and looked me fairly in the face.
"Why," said she, "you're that boy! Wait a minute." She stepped over and spoke to her husband, who seemed quite in the dark as to what she was talking about.

She pointed to us--and then, in despair, she came back to us and asked us if we wouldn't wait until the people were gone, as she wanted us to meet her husband.
"Oh, yes," said Virginia, "we'll be very glad to." "Let us walk along together," said grandma, after the elder had joined us.

"Ah--this is my husband, Mr.Thorndyke, Miss--" "Royall," said Virginia, "Virginia Royall.

And this is Jacob Vandemark." "Where do you live ?" asked grandma.
"I'm going out to my farm in Monterey County," I said; "and Virginia is--is--riding with me a while." "We are camping," said Virginia, smiling, "down by the river.