Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1888-08-09


drew her arm within his own. II shall heal
my condemnation from her lips" he thought,
and he braced himself mentally to endure it,
with the assurance that whatever her blame
it would be less than his desert He was ST,
lent and She did not speak until they had left
all companions and turned into the lane lead
ing to the parsonage; then she said: 81 UNI
derstand what you said to me before church
now, and honor the man who has the cour-
age to stand by his own conviction, even in
the face of certain rejection and the ruin of
his worldly prospects 1t was grand TO see
you standing there and avowing views which
could not agree with those of your congrega-
ton. You reminded me of the young con-
fessors before tho Roman tribunals in the
time of the first prosecutions And | want
you to know that whatever may be the action
of the church upon the morrow, l admire
you and respect you with all my heart"
Halsey's heart gave a bound. This
young girl loved him. he was sure of it,
and everything else went for nothing.
What was the part he had playedl
Nothing, And before he realized what
he was doing he had told her that her good
opinion was more to him than that of all the
world beside; that with her love he could face
contumely and scorn, let il come from what
ever quarter, and it seemed to him as he
spoke that he was really martyr for the
truth, instead Of the poltroon which he had
called himself few moments before. If she
would only respond with like assurance he
could make clean breast Of everything. But
Orient only replied reassuringly that there
would be no contumely, and that even if
Ramoth Gilead did not give him call, her
fo+ iriO ~ hol
''He has a great deal of influence with the
boardn she added, "and he has some nico
appointment in view for you. He wanted
me to come up here on purpose to hear you
preach, and he was very curious for me to
give him my opinion of you. He seemed to
think that you We're still an invalid, and he
viii be glad to know that you are so strong
l suppose it was your sea voyage and foreign
travel that benefited YOU
deadly certainty grew upon Halsey's
mind. He had never heard Orient's family
name mentioned, but he was sure now that
this was DR.. Corcorans daughter, and that he
had supplanted his friend. He was not pre-
pared for this, and he tried TO put the convic-
tion from him-to believe that it was not So
Orient, he said, as the clock struck, "can
You believe that we have actually been ac-
quainted only twenty-five hours and about
the sumo number of minutesf'
"Oh, it cannot be possible she exclaimed;
'what an inprudently short acquaintance to
become engaged upon But | know your
whole life from the time you were black
smiths boy to the present, and all your wan
behring's in Palestine Halsey WINGED, but
did not interrupt her. ''And father knows
you 50 thoroughly and respects you so highly
and both he and mother have talked to me so
much about you. When l came back to my
room it was full Of reminders Of your pres
ence. That explanation Of the objectionable
sin which you left on my desk was mastery
piece of reasoning. And all the notes which
you made in my books were interesting to
me, though / confess that | was indignant
enough at first to think that you had read
my silly jottings l was not so prim as
seemed to be when declined corresponding
with you, for was secretly pleased that you
had learned to care for me in such an odd
way. OH indeed assure you that would
never have fallen in love with you III this
disgracefully precipitate way without that
long mental preparation"
Clearly it was no time now for Halsey to
explain that he had no connection with the
past she treasured He accepted the situa-
ton recblessly, with all the advantages
which it conferred upon him $50 the ac-
tual does not come up to your ideall" he
asked
"You are very different, - she replied, mu-
singly, mot a hit as | had imagined you.
You are very worldly looking. | never
would have thought you minister if / had
met you anywhere else; but then you are
handsomer than | expected, and so wonder
fully talented. | am proud to think you
should care for little me. And |, no doubt,
am very different from what you imagined.
Are you greatly disappointed.o
of course Halsey protes that he was
not, and he parted from her at the parson-
age gate with many assurances of his devo-
ton; and, however false their relations to
each other, these at least were genuine.
Ill
Halsey sat thinking deeply far into the
night. He reviewed every possible plan for
avoiding confession and for keeping up his
assumed character but he saw that this was
impossible. Orient had told him that she
was to return home upon the morrow, and he
had agreed to accompany her. On the jour-
ney the explanation must be made. Every
moment Of delay made it more difficult, and
he bitterly regretted that he had not been
more honest with her. However, to have
firmly made up his mind to throw of the
mask was something of relief and he awolle
the next morning with hopeful feeling, and
his usual confidence that some way things
would come ont right
As he was not to lay aside his role
during the morning, he determined to
deepen the gSod impression which he had
made upon Orient, and to select the sermon
which he was to preach before the fellowship
meeting solely with reference to her tastes.
He hesitated some time between "Buddha
and his Philosophy of Despair discourse
of DR.. Ncwmans, and ''The Parallels of the
Talmud,n by the Rev Charles Eaton, but
finally settled upon the first as more compli-
mentary to her intellect. lie was little dis
turbed to notice, on taking his place in the
pulpit, that Orient was not in the choir, the
eldest Miss Pearce occupying her place at
the organ. All through the sermon he kept
his eyes fixed upon the door, hoping to see
her enter, but only TO be disappointed. He
knew, too from the strong stare with which
his hearers confronted him, that his audience
did not care penny for Buddha or the re-
ligion of India. Only Miss Pearce seemed in
in the least interested, for she had Just read
"AIr. Isaacs, and had, beside, her reputation
as philosopher az stake The business meet
ing was Gated Immediately after the sermon,
and HaIee. having il to its deliberations as
to his eligibility, hurried over to the parson-
age He was Informed by the servant that
Miss Corcoran had left town on the noon
train. He was struck with sudden apprehen-
sion.
II understood that she was going on the af-
ternoon train"
The servant believed that she did intend to
do SO, but had changed her mind. Halsey
next asked after the doctor He had driven
his niece over to the station and had not vet
returned; he would come soon; would not the
gentleman wait. Halsey concluded that he
would do SO and was shown into the doctors
study. A volume Of sermons by Henry Ward
Beecher lay upon the desk, open To the very
one which he had abridged for his prayer
meeting talk. The doctor had evidently
looked it up from a haunting suspicion that
its resemblance to Beecher's stvle was not en-.
tirely accidental Orfents sudden leave TAX.
ing was explained; she had found this. and il
was enough. She did not wish to see him
again lie rose quickly anil left the house, not
caring TO face the doctor now He walked
across the fields to the deacon's house. II
was deserted, for the discussion over his case
was very warm and the meeting not vel
over. TIe sat down and wrote an nlpas-
s.oaoi isttar to Orient, making clean breast
Of c--.s-t,.iis and begging her mercy. As
ha s,eil. noticed that tho congregation
wcre sing, and the deacQ.l soon after
entege. the room.
I'm powerful sorry he said, ''but there
was good deal Of feelin', and the motion TO