Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1900-04-16
TN HIS STEPS.
"What Would Jesus DO?"
By CHARLES M. SHELDON.

ginia sat in the hall thinking over the
confidence her friend had just shown
her. There was something still to be
told, Virginia felt sure from Rachel
manner, but she did not feel hurt that
Rachel had kept back something. She
was simply conscious of more on Ra-
chefs mind than she had revealed.
Very soon Rollin came back, and he
and Virginia, arm in arm, as they had
lately been in the habit of doing, walked
up and down the long hall.
1t was easy for their talk to settle
finally upon Rachel because of the place
she was to occupy in the plans which
were being made for the purchase of
the property at the Rectangle.
f'Did you ever know a girl of such
really gifted powers in vocal music who
was willing to give her whole life to
the people, as Rachel is going to do?
She is going to give music lessons in
the city, have private pupils to make
her living and then give the people in
the Rectangle the benefit of her culture
and her voice"
''It is certainly very good example
of self sacrifice, - replied Rollin, little
stiff1y.
Virginia looked at him a little
sharply.
''But don't you think it is a very
unusual example2 Can you imagine"
here Virginia named half dozen fa
nous opera singers doing anything
of this sort p
''No; I can't" Ro1lin answered
briefly. Neither can imagine Miss
he spoke the name of the girl with
the red parasol who had begged Vir-
ginia to take the girls to the Rectangle
-"doing what you are doing, Vir-
ginia.
''Any more than I can imagine Mr.. -
Virginia spoke the name of young
society leader-''going about to the
clubs doing your work, Rollin."
The two walked on in silence for the
length of the hall.
Coming back to Rachel" began
Virginia, fRollin, why do you treat
her with such a distant precise man
ner2 think, Rollin-pardon me if I
hurt you-that she is annoyed by it.
You used to be on easy terms 1 don't
think Rachel likes this change"
Rollin suddenly stopped. He seemed
deeply agitated. He took his arm from
Virginia's and walked down to the end
of the hall. Then he returned, with his
arms behind him, and, stopping near
his sister, he said:
Virginia, have you not learned my
secret2'
Virginia looked bewildered. Then
over her face the unusual color crept,
showing that she understood.
81 have never loved any one but Ra-
chel Winslow.' Rollin spoke calmly
enough now. ''That day she was here,
when you talked about her refusal to
join the concert company, I asked her
to be my wife, out there on the avenue.
She refused me, as I knew she would,
and she gave as her reason the fact that
/ had no purpose in life, which was
true enough. Now that / have a pur-
pose, now that I am a new man, don't
you see, Virginia, how impossible it is
for me to say anything? owe my very
conversion to Rachels singing and yet
that night while she sang I can honest
ly say that for the time being 1 never
thought of her voice except as Gods
message. / believe all my personal love
for her was for the time merged into a
personal love to God and my Saviour. -
Rollin was silent. Then he went on
with more emotion, 81 am still in love
with her, Virginia, but do not think
she could ever love me- He stopped
and looked his sister in the face with a
sad smile.
81 don't know about that, - said Vir-
GINA to herself. She was noting Roll
Inns handsome face, its marks of dissi-
patton nearly all gone now, the firm
lips showing manhood and courage, the
clear eyes looking into hers frankly, the
form strong and graceful. Rollin was
a man now. Why should not Rachel
come to love him in time? Surely the
awo were well fitted for each other,
especially now that their purpose in
life was moved by the same Christian
source.
She said something of all this to Rol-
lin, but he did not find much comfort.
When they closed the interview, Vir-
ginia carried away the impression that
Rollin meant to go his way with his
chosen work, trying to reach the fash
ionable men at the clubs and, while not
avoiding Rachel, seeking no occasion
for meeting her. He was distrustful of
his power to control his feelings, and
Virginia could see that he dreaded even
the thought that his love was still the
same.
The next day she went down to The
News office to see Edward Norman and
arrange the details of her part in the
establishment of the paper on its new
foundation. Henry Maxwell was pres
ent at this conference, and the three
agreed that, whatever Jesus would do
in detail as editor of daily paper, he
would be guided by the same general
principles that directed his conduct as
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