The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-03-30

pale. almost haggard face and his ex-
tremely thoughtful appearance.
MIR Hardy" said James frankly.
"you are in trouble. wish COULD"
"Thank you. No, you can't help me
any in this except" continued Mr..
Hardy, with faint smile, Except you
solve this trouble between you and
my daughter"
'There is no trouble between us, sir"
replied James simply. you know /
love her and have loved her for long
time, and l believe l am able to sup
port her and make her happy. Won't
you give your consent, sir? We are
not children. We know our minds"
James was beginning to speak very
! earnestly. He was beginning to hope
that the stern, proud man who had so
curtly dismissed him little while be-
fore would in some unaccountable
manner relent and give him his hearts
desire.
Mr.. Hardy walked along in silence
little way. Then he said almost
abruptly:
James, dc you drink?'
"No, sir"
COR gambler"
"You forget my mother, Mr.. Hardy"
The reply was almost stern.
Mrs. Cations younger brother had
been ruined by gambling. He had
come to the house one night, ana in
| fit of anger because his sister would
not give him money to carry on his
speculation he had threatened her life.
| James had interposed and at the risk
of his own life had probably saved his
mothers. Mrs. CaXton had been so I'LL
nerved by the scene that her health
had suffered from it seriously. All this
had happened when James was grow
ing out of boyhood. But not day had
passed that the young man did not see
sad result Of that great gambling
| bearing. He loathed the thought of
vice SO debasing that it ignored all the
tender ties of kindred and was ready
to stop at nothing in order to get
means for it's exercise.
Mr.. Hardy knew the story, and lie
exclaimed: ''Forgive me, James did
! not Think Then, after pause: Are
! you a Christian? l mean do you have
n faitlpin the revelation of God to men
/ through Jesus Christ, and do you try to
| live according to his teachings, with
supreme love for God controlling life?
DO you live every day as if it might be
the last you would have to live?"
James started. Was Mr.. Hardy out
Of his mind? He had never heard him
/ talk like this before. The idea of Mr..
Hardy caring about his religious char
acter in the event of his becoming
son-in-law was an idea too remote for
occurrence. He could see, however,
that some very powerful change had
taken place in Mr.. Hardy's usual de-
meanor. His words also produced
strong effect upon the young man. He
was like thousands of young men
!, temperate, honest, Industrious, free
from vices, strictly moral, but without
any decided religious faith.
IAN l Christian?" he asked him
self. echoing Mr.. Hardy's question.
/ No; he could not say that he was He
had never said so to any one. He had,
| in fact, never been confronted with the
/ question before So he replied to Mr..
Hardy:
mo, sir; l don't think am what
would be called Christian. AS for liy-
| ing as if every day were to be my last
lido you think that is possible, sir?"
Mr.. Hardy did not answer He walk
ed along thoughtfully. In the course of
the conversation they had reached the
corner where the young man turned
down to his office, and the two paused.
81 want to have another talk with
you," Mr.. Hardy said. To-day is Tues
day; say tomorrow evening. want to
see your father also, and'- Mr.. Hardy
was on the point of saying that he
wanted to ask the elder Cations for
giveness, but for some reason he stop
! ped without doing so.
James exclaimed eagerly as Mr.. Har-
! dy turned to go-
Then you don't forbid my entertain
4 ing some hope of your good will in the
matter of my love for Clara 2" He low
cred his voice and spoke very strongly
You don't forget your own youth am
TIC way III WHICH you yOufSelI began
your home?"
Mr.. Hardy answered never a word
to this appeal, but looked into the
young mans face with gaze he did
not forget all day, then wrung his hand
and turned on his heel abruptly and
walked rapidly down the street.
James looked after him as he disap-
peared among the crowds of people go
ing to their business, and then turned
to his own tasks. But something in
him gave him hope. Another something
appealed all day to his inner nature,
and he could not shake off the impress
sion of Mr.. Hardy's question, "Are you
d Christian?" And even when he went
home at night that question pursued
him more strenuously than any other
and would not give him peace
CHAPTER vi.
Robert Hardy reached his office just
in time to see Burns, the foreman go
out of side door and cross the yard.