The Princeton union., 1900-08-30
CHAPTER NI-COntinued.

the church building looked pitifully
small to Malcom as he thought Of the
little congregations that had so often
met there for worship or the prayer
service And still he could not even
there, as he viewed what seemed like
a failure in life, he could not shut out
of his sight the picture Of Dorothy and
himself as they had gone into the
church that first night Of their az
rival in Conrad three years before and
had there made together their solemn
promise to redeem the lost Of Conrad.
Were they about to break that prom
ise because difficulties had come into
the struggle? Was it possible that
they We're going to declare themselves
beaten in the attempt to overcome?
Were they about to choose the easy,
comfortable physical life and shun the
agony Of the spiritual conflict with
evil forces? Were they about to run
away from duty as towards? Was it
duty to remain in Conrad? How about
his duty to the temperance conflict?
If he had any real strength that way,
ought he to abandon the cause at this
critical time? But how could Dorothy
live this life of privation? How could
he go on with his meager salary, hu-
inflated by being in debt to the trades
people and dependent for his living on
the spasmOdc giving Of the churches
that "indorsed'' home missions, to be
sure but left the Home Missionary Of
ten unpaid or the recipient of boxes
which sometimes We're so clearly in
the nature of charity that no self re-
specting man could take and use the
contents?
All this and more crowded into NAL
CONS mind as he stood there that night
by the ruins of his church and home.
The same thoughts We're also in the
mind of Dorothy, and with it all it
seemed, too, as if to both of them came
a half suppressed doubt as to the
course Malcom was on the point of
taking.
Don't you feel that we have tried
our best to keep that promise we made
that night in the church," Dorothy
asked, as she nervously pushed her
foot against one Of the stones at the
corner or the tOunQatlOn.
MalcOm did not answer at first. Then
he said evasively, as if he had been
thinking Of something else, "I'm sure
can do as much with my pen as I can
in a church,
Dorothy did not look up or speak for
some time. Then she said with rather
eager emphasis:
why not write at once to the editor
and tell him that you will accept his
offer?'
81 WILL" said Malcom in low Tone
They stood a little while longer by
the ruins, and then turned away and
went home. Somewhere in the great
spaces of the infinite to Malcom and
Dorothy it almost seemed as if a sigh
from an angel Of light breathed over
the sleeping town that lay on the black.
ened surface of the prairie. What they
felt was the inner uneasiness of spirit
that the promise they had made three
years before had been, if not broken
at least not lived out as it might have
been. In Malcom's heart as he said tt
Dorothy, ~ WILL" there was a distinc,
uncertainty of feeling. There was {
lack of spontaneous Joy at his actor
which he knew well enough meant tha
somewhere he had not been true to thu
best that was in him.
Nevertheless in the morning he wrote
the letter in answer to the editor, &C
cepting the position and asking him tt
give him time to sever his relation:
with the church, etc.
He took the letter and went out early
after breakfast to mail it. He would
hand in his resignation at the weekda,
church meeting and write to the super
intendent later in the day.
He was thinking it all over as b,
neared the main stret, when a farm
wagon drove up noisily and stopped
near him.
"Oh. Mr.. Kirk, will you come righ
out to The Forks with me? Phil is il
a terrible way and has been calling 70
you all night!'
1t was Mrs. Barton, and her thin
eager face looked down at Malcom a
she sat there looking at him anxiously
Into Malcom Kinks heart there cam
- NAoSAAANe "oAONA, tAAAAOoI IL uS Id
been detected in doing a selfish thine
Here again was this appeal for he'll
coming at time when it seemed t
him as if the burden he was carryin
was too great for him.
He looked up at Mrs. Barton.
"Why, certainly, I'll go right ou
with you," he said, every instinct Q
helpfulness in him rising and going ou
toward the cry for help.
Just then Carver came walking by
Kirk had the letter he was going t
post in his band.
"Say, Carver, will you mail this le
ter for me as you go by the office?
Malcom asked, and Carver eagerl
took the letter, more than willing to d
Mr.. Kirk favor
Malcom at once got up into the wal
on with Mrs. Barton, and they drov
out of town rapidly. Carver stoo
watching them a moment, then
turned and went on down the stree
At the first saloon he hesitated, b,
finally went in. Before noon he ha
gone into three or four different saloo1
that 1av hntween him and tho nOStO