Every minister that 's ever been in Rexton has had a try at it . The old cousin met every one of them at the door and told him nobody was at home . Mr. Strong was the most persistent -- he did n't like being beaten . He went again and again and finally the Captain sent him word that when he wanted parsons or pill-dosers he 'd send for them , and till he did he 'd thank them to mind their own business . They say Mr. Strong met Lynde once along shore and wanted to know if she would n't come to church , and she laughed in his face and told him she knew more about God now than he did or ever would . Perhaps the story is n't true . Or if it was maybe he provoked her into saying it . Mr. Strong was n't overly tactful . I believe in judging the poor girl as charitably as possible and making allowances for her , seeing how she 's been brought up . You could n't expect her to know how to behave . '' Somehow , Alan resented Mrs. Danby 's charity . Then , his sense of humour being strongly developed , he smiled to think of this commonplace old lady `` making allowances '' for the splendid bit of femininity he had seen on the shore . A plump barnyard fowl might as well have talked of making allowances for a seagull ! Alan walked home with Isabel King but he was very silent as they went together down the long , dark , sweet-smelling country road bordered by its white orchards . Isabel put her own construction on his absent replies to her remarks and presently she asked him , `` Did you think Lynde Oliver handsome ? '' The question gave Alan an annoyance out of all proportion to its significance . He felt an instinctive reluctance to discuss Lynde Oliver with Isabel King . `` I saw her only for a moment , '' he said coldly , `` but she impressed me as being a beautiful woman . '' `` They tell queer stories about her -- but maybe they 're not all true , '' said Isabel , unable to keep the sneer of malice out of her voice . At that moment Alan 's secret contempt for her crystallized into pronounced aversion .
He made no reply and they went the rest of the way XXXXX silence .
At about as by down if in into of to