The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-12-29

Tor few moments, but presently sh
said,
I'VE will not stay long this time
but l will see you very soon again
Ii you will be so kind as TO empt,
the basket | know that Mr.. Gre,
will gladly return it to Stones, anC
save you the walk in the morning.
Mr.. Grey bowed acquiescense. A
they rose to go Mrs. Marion SPOKE
with deep feeling, Miss Huntley
you must let me thank YOU again
for your sympathy and helpful
words to-day, even more than TO
your gifts. And | thank the dea
Lord for sending you to me in my
bitterest need
you have trusted Him, Mrs. Ma
rion, and he does care for those who
east their care on Him
1t was spoken in the tone Of calm
assurance, of certain experience Of
the thing she said. There was some
thing in it that, TO one hearer. recall
ed her singing, in the anthem that
evening.
He found himself asking again
the question of an hour ago-was il
then, truly, the fullness of devotion
that inspired that tone? This time
he found a conviction growing in
him that it must be so, although he
had drifted so far from faith himself
as almost to disbelieve its very ex-
istence in others. He looked with
interest at the woman whom, apart
from her voice, he had thought
scarce worthy of remembering be-
fore. They walked in almost entire
silence TO her home, each busy with
thought. At her door he calmly
spoke:
Miss Huntley! is this faith then
real to you? Is what you said
and sang-to-night an actual thing
in you? Do you really believe all
that is implied in your words to
that poor woman 2"
With all my heartw she answer
ed. in & steadtast, serious voice.
Forgive me for such abrupt ques-
tioning. You would if YOU knew
Good night"
Good night!'
He was gone, pacing the streets
with unquiet steps. He could not
resolve his own mood. 1t was some
thing very different from that with
which he had walked his study
when he said he had forgotten what
the Christmas spirit was like
when he had adopted Tennyson's
lament with such bitter emphasis.
How should he know that the Lord
cares even for those who have not
learned to cast their care on him?
How should he guess the early
evening to be buta a preparation for
that which was still to come-that
the song OF songs to which he had
listened, the incident OF its practical
carrying out he had witnessed, bore
a lesson for him?
1t was nine o'clock when he en-
tered Percy Wallis parlOr.
He found his sister there, and the
promised supper waiting That
over they adjourned to Mrs. Wallis
coy sitting room.
On some excuse Of unfinished
Christmas preparations the ladies
disappeared. The host
paced the room deep in thought
while his guest read. At last Percy
spoke:
Grey. l need not ask you wheth-
er YOU remember Mrs. Winstanley
Helen Alton-though YOU never
speak her name. No. YOU need not
motion me to silence. / have some
thing to say that must be said We
al lost sight of her after she went to
T KS with her husband. Two
months ago she came back to Riy
erdale, and the very next day she
sent for Mrs. Vail.
"Winstanlev had died a year be
fore, and she was herself dying. She
had 4 little girl with her, five years
Did, her only child. Before her death,
and she lived only a few days, she
old my wife and your sister Laura,
her story of your separation. There
Ire none of Us who think that the
iault was wholly hers.
Il think your own heart must
nave told you you were too exact
ng and suspicious that summer at
Nahaut. She has gOne-and that |
,annot be recalled. But she left her
little girl unprovided for. She has
been with Us since her mothers
leath, for Mrs. Vail promised to
are for her, and told Helen so. She
las waited till Christmas, hoping
he season might help TO plead her
,ause."
There was dead silence in the
-oom.
Spencer Greys face was hidden
n his folded arms. His friend went
,ut and left him 10 wrestle with the
angels.
Who can guess how the hygone
years marshalled themselves be-
ore him, bringing the face and the
sweet voice and the winning ways
Of his early love!
He had parted from her in bitter
ness. and he had let that bitterness
,ubmerge almost his whole life He
had allowed il to sweep away his
faith in all women. More than
hat he had suffered il to undermine
his trust in God.
Was not the fault, as Vail had
said, at least in part his own? And
she had gone away from life, out OF
he reach of reconciliation or for
giveness If he could but call her
back long enough for that!
But her little girl-Winstsnley's
,hildi bearing her fathers name,
Derchance her fathers face! How
could he take and keep before him
such a remembrance of the past2
Laura wished it, and Laura and
Helen had been friends, closer than
Helen and Mrs. Vail The storm in
MS soul waged fercer vet.
Suddenly across the storm swept
he sound Of the Christmas anthem,
l. a orr,ol'- vorc, Ia caaroaI ar,ofr, I