Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-04-17

path one night, and 1t was n night OF
great beauty to me. found you lying
over there close by the mouth of that
pit. l caught you up and carried you
down to safety. And for little while
you We're mine in my hearts thought,
and you could not say me nay" His
voice broke In sob. A man can sob
only under certain emotions. Stuart
had never felt that before.
AS for Rhena, she caught her breath
and then stood pale and still. "They
told me DR.. Saxon brought me in. Why
did they not tell me the truth? Why
did he not tell me? owe you my life"
It was both question and a state
ment. Stuart would not even now an
ticipate the love that might yet be hts
He stood there facing her, silent after
that one outburst. At last he said
gently, II would like to keep the glove;
may II"
She did not answer him. He put the
glove back in his pocket. She was
very, very pale.
He said one more word, "You believe
Hove your
''Yes; believe it." she answered in a
very low voice.
II shall always love you," he said.
lie took off his hat. The act was one
of reverence. "Some time when have
won your love, as know have not
yet, shall speak again." he added
slowly. And then he turned and went
back over the trail, never once looking
behind. If lie had
When he disappeared behind clump
of frs, Rhena knelt down by the old
stump and laid her head upon 1t, and
her prayer was very much like the
prayer of that night when Louise had
called upon her. After awhile she rose
and went down the trail. But she was
not the same woman. Her heart was
shaken for the first time in her life by
the love of a great and good man. All,
1t is possible IL he had said to her,
"Rhena!' she might have said, "Stu.
artg' and given him all. It was dan
gerous for her to think Of him. She
felt as never before. And then the
glove, the knowledge Of her safety due
to him-she trembled. There were
times in her feeling when II Stuart had
come back she would have said to himi
II love you. Let US go on our way
through life togetherr' And she went
on into the next cottage, look In her
eyes that was new to them and an
emotion in her heart that she could not
suppress.
AS for Stuart, he went down into
Champion with a feeling that was not
that Of defeat or discouragement. II
had been crisis with him. He had at
last spoken. He had nothing to regret
in all he had said. And in spite Of the
fact that his answer had been no some
thing told him IT. was not final. he
was the last man In the world to try
to argue the woman lie loved into Low.
ing him. He was not and could not he
n pleading sutton for the heart Of this
woman of all persons In the world. BE
said to himself the time would come
although he did not attempt to picture
when or how. when she would be his
us he wanted her to DO. With that
great thought burning in him he enter
ed upon one Of the busiest and most
| significant weeks of his life.
| In the first place, when Sunday CANT
he Joined the church. He had already
two weeks before gone into the pre-
paratory meeting with Andrew and
there recited his experience. 1t seemed
the most necessary act In the worl6
that he should identify himself openly
and boldly with other Christians In the
organization which Christ loved. There
was not moments hesitation in Stu
arts mind about the duty and privilege
Of church membership. That was {
notable day in his life when Andrew
asked him to rise and give assent t.
the church covenant.
The news that Stuart Duncan wa.
| going to Join the church was interest
Ing enough to cGll out large part o,
the population OF Champion. Andrew
had never seen such congregation
st. Johns was crowded. very largely
with the miners and their families
Stuart was the only person received n
this communion. When he rose at An
drew's invitation, his face was cain
and even beautiful. 1t was n splendid
sight to see these two men facing eacl
other at the communion service. Whel
Stuart kneeled to receive the baptism
Andrews voice trembled for secont
over the words, 81 baptize thee. Stuart
my brother, disciple of Jesus" ant
many an eye In the audience moisten
ed. When the bread was passed, Stu
art received 1t from one of the miner,
who had worked in Champion minel
ever since Stuart was n boy. he wa
n deacon in st. Johns, and Stuart new
er forgot the look on the old mans fact
as he handed the plate In at the end o.
the pew. More than half of Andrews
membership were Cornishmen. It wa.
day long remembered by them.
And to Stuart there came also as he
partook for the first time Of the ele
ments new and serious thought OF
the fellowship he had begun with
these men, nearly all Of whom had
been In his fathers employ. 1t was
true they were Of the rudest, most un
educated sort. Their type of Chris
tianity as church members was moi
very exalted. They were at this very
moment engaged in method OF strug
gle against capital which was contrary
to all Stuart's real convictions. lut he
had reached point where he looked
upon the struggle from different ba.
sis. The men in the church were 70.
the most part praycrful. honest and
above all generous with what they pos
sessed. Stuart did not know 1t, but
Deacon Sam Penryck. who passed the
bread and wine, had that very morning
given one of the suffering families In
Cornishtown a third of his own saw
! ings which he had stored up for the
winter to take him through the strike.
But 1t was not about the type Of Chris.