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

poured its mellow light. A faint breath
of music from the band stand in the
park foated 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 law agai1S; her mother-lc-law,
and mans foes shall be they OF his house
hold.
Be We therefore i!nitators of God, beloved
children and walk in love Christ 1lso
! 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
DIV saw 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-
ton, "What would Jesus do?' That
question was becoming with her, as
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.
.1Driye on. Don't wait for me. I 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.
.sCan't we-that is-do you want
our help? Couldn't we'-
'.No, no." exclaimed Virginia "You
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 a good deal Of
the Rectangie.
.sWhere does she liver asked Vir-
ginia.
No one answered. It occurred to Vir-
ginia afterward, when she had time to
think it over. that the Rectangle showed
delicacy in its sad silence that would
have done credit to the boulevard.
For the first 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.
ssYou shall not touch me! Leave ne!
Let me go to hell! That's where I be-
long! The devil is waiting for me! See
him!'' she exclaimed hoarsely. She
turned and pointed with a shaking fin
ger at the saloon keeper. The crowd
laughed.
Virginia stepped up to her and put
her arm about her.
sLoreen, 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.
Virginia looked around again.
tsWhere Goes Mr.. Gray live?" she
asked. She knew the evangelist board
ed somewhere near that tent.
A number Of voices gave her the cl-
rection.
..Come, Loreen. I want yo-! TO go
with me to Mrs Gray 5, she said, still
keeping her hold Of tie swayi,ls, trem-
bling creature, who still moared and
soDbed and now ciung 70 Virginia as
before she HAD re2ulsed her.
So the two moved on through the
Rectangle toward the evangelist, 5 lods-
ing place. TIE sight seemed to impress
the Rectangle seriously. It never took
itself seriously When it was drunk, but
this was different. The facr that one OF
the most beautifully dressed girls in
RAYMOND was taking care of one OF the
Rectangla's most notorious characters,
who reeled along under the influence OF
LIQUOR, was fact astonishing enough
T. throw more or less dignity and I'M
t,rtance about Loreen herself. The
event of Lorecn stumbling through the
gutter dead drunk always made the
Rectangle laugh and Jest. but Loreen
staggering alonG Will. q yoang LADY
from the society circles up town sup
porting her was another thing The
Rectanglc viewed it With so5er2ess &.d
more OF less wondering ton.
When they reaciaed ,G:r. Gray's board
ing place. the woman who answered
Virginia, knock said that both Mr. and
Mrs Gray We're ont somewhere and
would not be back Until s o clock
Virginia had not planned anything
further than a possible appeal to the