The minister picked up the young man easily and placed him in the big
chair before the guest realized what was doing, and then turned and
took the ten dollar bill between his thumb and finger and flipped it
down in the young man's lap.
"Keep it," he said briefly, "It's of no consequence." "But it was long
distance," explained the guest loftily, "It'll be quite a sum. I talked
overtime."
"No matter," said the minister pulling out a drawer of the desk and
gathering a few papers and his Bible. "Now, would you like me to look
at that ankle before I go, or will you wait for the doctor? He's likely
to be back before long, and I've left a call for him."
"I'll wait for the doctor," the young man's tone approached the
insolent note again, "and by the way, I wish you'd send for a
mechanician. I've got to get that car running."
"I'm sorry," said Severn, "I'm afraid you'll have to wait. The only one
in this region that would be at all likely to help you out with those
bearings is Carter. He has a car, or had one, of that make. He might
happen to have some bearings, but it is not at all likely. Or, he could
tow you ten miles to Monopoly. But Carter is not at home yet."
The young man fairly frothed at the mouth: "Do you mean to tell me that
there is no one can mend a broken machine around this forsaken dump?
Where's your nearest garage? Send for a man to come at once. I'm
willing to pay anything," he flourished a handful of bills.
The minister looked at his watch anxiously: "I'm sorry," he said again,
"I've got to go to the service now. There is a garage at Monopoly and
their number is 97-M. You can phone them if you are not satisfied. I
tried them quite early this morning while you were still sleeping, but
there was nothing doing. The truth is the people around this region are
a little prejudiced against working seven days out of the week,
although they will help a man out in a case like yours when they can,
but it seems the repair man, the only one who knows about bearings, has
gone fifty miles in another direction to a funeral and won't be back
till to-morrow morning. Now, if you're quite comfortable I'll have to
leave you for a little while. It is time for my service to begin."