The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-20

6"iocu "ohuer stdreu at the TWO girls.
Over the scene the warm sun of spring
poured its mellow light A faint breath
OF music from the band stand in the
park fioated into the Rectangle The
concert had begun, and the fashion and
wealth Of Raymond were displaying
themselves up town on the boulevards.
CHAPTER vi.
For came to set man at variance against his
father. and the daughter against her mother. and
the daughter'in'law against her mother in law.
and mans foes shall be they OF his own house.
hold.
BE we therefore imitators OF God, as beloved
children, and walk in love even as Christ also
loved you.
When Virginia left the carriage and
went to Loreen, she had no definite idea
as to what she would do or what the
result Of her action would be. She sim
ply saw q soul that had tasted of the
JOY Of better life slipping back again
into its old hell of shame and death,
and before she had touched the drunken
girls arm she had asked only one ques-
tion. "What would Jesus DOR That
question was becoming with her, AZ
with many others, habit Of life.
She looked around now as she stood
close by Loreen. and the whole scene
was cruelty vivid to her She thought
first OF the girls in the carriage.
"Drive on. Don't wait for me. am
going to see my friend here home" she
said, calmly enough.
The girl with the red parasol seemed
to gasp at the word friend" when Vir-
ginia spoke it. She did not say any
thing The other girls seemed speech
less.
"Go on. I cannot go back with you."
said Virginia.
The driver started the horses slowly.
One Of the girls leaned a little out of
the carriage
Cant we-that is-do you want
our helpf Couldn't we''-
mo, moi" exclaimed Virginia. lyon
cannot be of any use to me-"
The carriage moved on. and Virginia
was alone with her charge.
She looked up and around. MANY
faces in the crowd were sympathetic.
They were not all cruel or brutal The
Holy Spirit had softened good deal of
the Rectangle.
"Where does she liver" asked vir-
ginia.
No one answered. It occurred to Vir-
ginia afterward. when she had time to
think 1t over, that the Rectangle showed
a delicacy in its sad silence that would
have done credit to the boulevard.
For the frst time it flashed upon her
that the immortal being who was flung
like wreckage upon the shore of this
earthly hell called the saloon had no
place that could be called home
The girl suddenly wrenched her arm
from Virginia's grasp. In doing it she
nearly threw Virginia down.
"You shall not touch Inc Leave ne! (!
Let me 60 to hell That's where be-
longl The devil is waiting for mel See
himr' she exclaimed hoarsely. She
turned and pointed with shaking fin
ger at the saloon keeper. The crowd
laughed.
Virginia stepped up to her and put
her arm about her.
"Loreen, she said firmly. "come
with me. You do not belong to hell.
You belong to Jesus. and he will save
you. Come.
The girl suddenly burst into tears.
She was only partly sobered by the
shock Of meeting Virginia
ntx,to
"Where does Mr.. Gray liver" she
asked. She knew the evangelist board
ed somewhere near that tent.
A number Of voices gave her the di-
rection.
"Come. Loreen. / want you to go
with me to Mrs Gray's. she said, still
keeping her hold Of the swaying, trem-
bling creature, who still moaned and
sObbed and now clung to Virginia as
before she had repulsed her
So the two moved ON through the
Rectangle toward the evangelist lodg-
ing place. The sight seemed to impress
the Rectangle seriously. 1t never took
itself seriously when it was drunk. but
this was different The fact that one of
the most beautifully dressed girls in
Raymond was taking care of one of the
Rectangle's most notorious characters,
who reeled along under the influence Of
liquor, was fact astonishing enough
u throw more or less dignity and i'm
('rtance about Loreen herself. The
event OF Loreen stumbling through the
gutter dead drunk always made the
Rectangle laugh and jest, but Loreen
staggering along with a young lady
from the society circles up town sup
porting her was another thing The
Rectanglc viewed it with .soherness and
more or less wondering admiration.
When they reached Mr. Gray s board
ing place, the woman who answered
Virginia's knock said that both Mr.. and
Mrs. Gray were ont somewhere and
would not be back until o'clock.
Virginia had not planned anything
further than a possible appeal to the
Grays either TO take charoe Of J,croop