"
The minister sat down with an assumption of ease he did not feel,
facing the stranger who had already possessed himself of the one
comfortable chair in the room.
"The library," he said, "was given to the village by a Miss Orr, a
young woman who has recently settled in Brookville. She has done a
good deal for the place, in various ways."
"What ways?" asked the stranger, with an air of interest.
Wesley Elliot enumerated briefly the number of benefits: the purchase
and rebuilding of the old Bolton house, the construction of the
waterworks, at present under way, the library and reading room, with
the town hall above. "There are," he stated, "other things which
might be mentioned; such as the improvement of the village green,
repairs on the church, the beginning of a fund for lighting the
streets, as well as innumerable smaller benefactions, involving
individuals in and around Brookville."
The man listened alertly. When the minister paused, he said:
"The young woman you speak of appears to have a deep pocket."
The minister did not deny this. And the man spoke again, after a
period of frowning silence:
"What was her idea?-- Orr, you said her name was?--in doing all this
for Brookville? Rather remarkable--eh?"
His tone, like his words, was mild and commonplace; but his face wore
an ugly sneering look, which enraged the minister.
"Miss Orr's motive for thus benefiting a wretched community,
well-nigh ruined years ago by the villainy of one man, should be held
sacred from criticism," he said, with heat.
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