They ran on the soft turf by the wayside, and only halted to listen
when they reached Tredinnis's great gates. The sound of feet running
far up the road set them off again, but now in opposite ways.
Honoria sped down the avenue, and Taffy headed for the Parsonage,
across the towans. Ordinarily this road at night would have been
full of terrors for him; but now the fear at his heels kept him
going, while his heart thumped on his ribs. He was just beginning to
feel secure, when he blundered against a dark figure which seemed to
rise straight out of the night.
"Hullo!"
Blessed voice! The wayfarer was his own father.
"Taffy! I thought you were home an hour ago. Where on earth have you
been?"
"With Honoria." He was about to say more, but checked himself.
"I left her at the top of the avenue," he explained.
CHAPTER XII.
TAFFY'S CHILDHOOD COMES TO AN END.
The summer passed. There was a talk in the early part of it that the
Bishop would be coming, next spring, to consecrate the restored
church and hold a confirmation service. Taffy and Honoria were to be
confirmed, and early in August Mr. Raymond began to set apart an hour
each day for preparing them. In a week or two the boy's head was
full of religion. He spent much of his time in the church, watching
the carpenter at work upon the new seats; his mind ran on the story
of Samuel, and he wished his mother had followed Hannah's example and
dedicated him to God; he had a suspicion that God would be angry with
her for not doing so.
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