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If you can't dance maybe you can-oe! 7 Tribute cont'd from pg. 6 sure we're not making too free of your hospitality? "I hate to leave the house. It's just so pleasant to be here with someone else for company," the minister admitted, A shadow crossed over Frank's face for a moment, mirroring his thoughts. *| was hoping that was how you feit. Other than to clear out a few things from Mom's family and things that we want to remember her by, | don't want to go into that house again." "That's settled then. You'll stay as long as youwant to." They ate in companionable silence, enjoying the hot biscuits and each other's company. "Why have you never married?" Joan blurted out be- tween bights. "Good grief, Joan!" Frank almost choked on his tea. "What a thing to ask." "But if John is so lonely, and such a thoroughly nice guy, why hasn't he married," Joan explained to her husband, as if John was not there. "I's okay," John laughed. *l just haven't found any woman willing to share the life of a parish priest. It's like putting awoman into saint's garb and then sending her out to the mercy of amateur drama critics....they'll always find something wrong with her portrayal of the part." "Weill," Joan said brusquely, "there must be someone willing to give the part a try." "Watch out John, I've seen that gleam in Joan's eye before. It means she's going to try to match you up with someone. Hates to see a good man go to waste," Frank chuckled, but his warning was real. "She'll have to compete with half the congregation." "Laugh if you like gentlemen, but single blessedness is a bore." Joan poured more tea into their cups. "I thought we'd have dinner after we've put Teddy to bed, so have an extra biscuit to hold you." "Speaking of Teddy, where is he?" Frank asked, "Mrs. Higgins young niece came over and took him to the playground at the school. They'll be back at five," Joan said. "| think Mrs. Higgins must have phoned her. The girl knew Teddy's name and seemed to be prepared to take him... she even had a popsicle to give him. That won his heart." "Speaking of Mrs. Higgins, she's generally still here at this time of day. What became of her?" John asked. Joan began clearing the tea things from the table. There wasn't as much for her to do, and since | was making dinner, she was finished early." "I don't expect you to take on all the housewerk while you're here," the rector protested. 'Now John | can't just sit around and do nothing," she assured him. "And anyway, I'm not doing anything | wouldn't be doing at home." "Well....if you're sure," he agreed. "There that's settled. Now you two go off and do whatever. | want to get a start on dinner before, Teddy comes heme. She chooed the two men from the kitchen, 1 "Ch...should we invite Hilda over for dinner?" she called after them, "I'll call her," John offered. Moments later he was listen- ing to the insistent tone on the line as he waited for Hiida to answer her phone, Not getting an answer, he laid the phone back own in its cradle. Joan was setting outthe ingredients for one ofthe dishes they would have for dinner. "Did you get Hilda?" "No answer. I'll try again if vou like." "That's that then. We'll just have to put up with each other's company," she laughed. "Anyway, Mrs. Higgins says that Hildaand Mr. Thorn are 'seeing alot of each other' to use her words, so that's probably where Hilda is." *Mrs. Higgins does like to keep an eye on theworld. One thing, she never passes on information that she can't vouch for," John said. "I can't quite figure out Hilda and Will Thorn. Hilda is such an out going person, and William gives me the impression that he doesn't like to share either his time or himself, but does it to keep up appearances...odd sort of fellow." "Hmmm," Joan agreed. "Amy seemed a bit concerned about how her father would take Dr. Fegan's attention to Hilda. The funny thing is, | think Hilda sees either man as just a friend." "She does treat everyone much the same..man or woman," John agreed. "She addresses the server with the same friendly interest as she does the bishop. A very considerate lady." *And | suspect, very loyal to her friends. "Yes, well, | had better leave you to your work. | thought I'd stroll over to see how our friendly sexton was doing. Mr. Monday curtails his sideline business on my day off....just in case | notice what he's doing, John couldn't help but grin. Samuel Monday did indeed close up shop on Mondays. Between the rector puttering around the rectory flower beds, and Mrs. Higgens hanging out wash, there were just too many opportunities for his activities to be chserved, It was not his customers he wished to protect, but his hiding places. He had told old Charlie so this early this morning when he stopped by. Told him he'd have to wait until ten when the liquor store opened like the rest of the werld. Charlie hadn't been too happy about that. He imagined the look on Pearl Grayson"s face if she were to discover that his supply was kept snug and safe in old Jebediah Steele's crypt in the family mausoleum. He kept the hard stuff in with old Jeb and the beer in the vault under the floor slab. The very spot that awaited the present generation of Steele descendants. The vault beneath had been constructed equal in size and capacity to that which stood above ground, thus offering ample storage. It was close to the river so he didn't have to carry it far from the boat that delivered it in the quiet of the night, vet offered plenty of cover behind the old granite columns that had been all the fashion in the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds as tomb stones, that clustered in the Tribute cont'd pg. 8