If a northeast rainstorm does n't set in before next Sunday , Mr. Trewin will not have his sermon . I shall take as my text instead , ` The flowers appear on the earth , the time of the singing of birds has come . ' '' He rose and went to his study window , outside of which a young vine was glowing in soft tender green tints , its small dainty leaves casting quivering shadows on the opposite wall where the portrait of Alan 's mother hung . She had a fine , strong , sweet face ; the same face , cast in a masculine mould , was repeated in her son , and the resemblance was striking as he stood in the searching evening sunshine . The black hair grew around his forehead in the same way ; his eyes were steel blue , like hers , with a similar expression , half brooding , half tender , in their depths . He had the mobile , smiling mouth of the picture , but his chin was deeper and squarer , dented with a dimple which , combined with a certain occasional whimsicality of opinion and glance , had caused Elder Trewin some qualms of doubt regarding the fitness of this young man for his high and holy vocation . The Rev. Jabez Strong had never indulged in dimples or jokes ; but then , as Elder Trewin , being a just man , had to admit , the Rev. Jabez Strong had preached many a time and oft to more empty pews than full ones , while now the church was crowded to its utmost capacity on Sundays and people came to hear Mr. Douglas who had not darkened a church door for years . All things considered , Elder Trewin decided to overlook the dimple . There was sure to be some drawback in every minister . Alan from his study looked down on all the length of the Rexton valley , at the head of which the manse was situated , and thought that Eden might have looked so in its innocence , for all the orchards were abloom and the distant hills were tremulous and aerial in springtime gauzes of pale purple and pearl . But in any garden , despite its beauty , is an element of tameness and domesticity , and Alan 's eyes , after a moment 's delighted gazing , strayed wistfully off to the north where the hills broke away into a long sloping lowland of pine and fir . Beyond it stretched the wide expanse of the lake , flashing in the molten gold and crimson of evening . Its lure was irresistible . Alan had been born and bred beside a faraway sea and the love of it was strong in his heart -- so strong that he knew he must go back to it sometime . Meanwhile , the great lake , mimicking the sea in its vast expanse and the storms that often swept over it , was his comfort and solace . As often as he could he stole away to its wild and lonely shore , leaving the snug bounds of cultivated home lands behind him with something like a sense of relief . Down there by the lake was a primitive wilderness where man was as naught and man-made doctrines had no place . There one might walk hand in hand with nature and so come very close to God . Many of Alan 's best sermons were written after he had come home , rapt-eyed , from some long shore tramp where the wilderness had opened its heart to him and the pines had called to him in their soft , sibilant speech . With a half guilty glance at the futile sermon , he took his hat and went out .
The sun of the cool spring evening was swinging low XXXXX the lake as he turned into the unfrequented , deep-rutted road leading to the shore .
Beyond at by despite for like of over that with