The Red Lock A Tale of the Flatwoods Author:David Anderson General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1922 Original Publisher: Bobbs-Merrill Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can s... more »elect from more than a million books for free. Excerpt: CHAPTER IV WHISPERING SPRING The venerable widow, like the rest of the village, must have been on the lookout for the new preacher, for she was at the door to meet him as he came up the walk with the others. The old banker presented him. "So glad to have you come, Brother Hopkins. It has been so dreadfully lonesome since -- !" The mild old eyes floated full of tears. The preacher seemed not to notice. "I saw your husband's obituary in one of the church papers." The widow dabbed at her eyes with a black bordered handkerchief; the preacher, in his hesitating, jerky way, went on. "I immediately wrote to Mr. Colin offering to come on a -- ah -- sort of vacation trip and serve the congregation until the vacancy could be filled. I was the more attracted to the thought of coming because my health had given wayunder the dual strain of preaching and teaching. And then, too, I had heard much about Buckeye and the Flatwoods from a -- ah -- classmate of mine while a student in the college in which I now have the honor to hold a professorship." The banker frowned thoughtfully; Texie glanced at Jack. Evening shadows were gathering thick in the corners of the room. The old man, becoming aware of them, glanced about him and turned to the widow. "Well, Sister Mason, if you don't mind, I'll jist show Brother Hopkins the study, and then you better g' 'long over with us t' supper." With the fine courtesy of one trained to the parsonage, she excused herself; the old banker went on: "I b'lieve you said he was t' have the use of the study?" The Widow Mason was only too well used...« less