The Iola register., 1901-11-01

VI
Barbara full in the face.
It was one of those sudden yield
ings to temptation that the young
minister in his singularly strong, ear
nest, serious life could number on his
fingers. He regretted it the minute
the words were spoken, but that
could not recall them. Over Barbara's
face the warm blood flowed in deep
ening wave, and for n moment her
heart stood still Then, rs she walked
on. she was conscious of Mr.. Nor
toms swiftly spoken apology as he
noted her distress.
pardon me. Miss Clark. forgot
myself. will you forget-will you
forgive mep"
Then Barbara had murmured some
reply, and he had taken off his hat
very gravely and bowed as he took
leave of her, and she had gone on
with a flaming face and beating
heart.
"He asked me TO forget it? I cam
not" she said as she buried her face
in her hands up in her room, while
the tears wet her cheeks. "He asked
me to forgive it. Forgive him for
saying what he did? But it was not
anything very dreadful" She smiled,
then frowned at the recollection. -
silly compliment that gentlemen are
in the habit of paying. But was it
silly. or was he in the habit Of pay
ing such? Was it not a real express
SION Of what he felt" She put her
hands over her cars, as If to shut out
whispers that might kill her ambi-
tions and put something else in their
place. But when she went down to
work a little later she could not shut
out the picture of that afternoon.
She could neither forget nor forgive.
Barbara! II he could only know
how his plea for forgiveness was be-
ing denied; and with smile, not a
frown in the heart!
The rest of that week Mr.. Morton
stayed away from Mrs. Wards. al
though Mr.. Ward had expected him
! to tea on Friday. He sent a note
| pleading stress of church work. Mr..
Ward commented on it at the table.
Morton is killing himself already.
He seems to think he can do every
| thing. He won't last out half his
days at the present rate"
"He needs a good wife more than
anything else" Mrs. Ward said, care
lessly. Some one ought to manage
him and tell him what to do"
"Yes, / suppose every woman in
the church knows just the girl for
him, and is ready to hint her name"
Mr.. Ward remarked.
"If he marries anyone in Marble
Square parish it will create trouble.
1t always does" said Mrs. Ward.
81 think Morton has sense enough
to look out for that" replied Mr..
Ward briefly.
Barbara heard every word as she
was serving at the table, and feared
her face might betray her. But Mrs.
Ward, in whom Barbara had never con-
fded, as she had in Mrs. Vane, did not
detect anything; and Barbara found
relief by retiring soon to her kitchen.
The following Sunday she had an ex-
perience which added to her knowl-
edge of the position she occupied as a
servant, and led up to the great crisis
of her life, as she will always regard it.
Since entering Mrs. Wards family
she had not attended evening service
in any of the Crawford churches,
owing to her desire to speRd that time
with her mother. But ON this partic-
ular Sunday following her interview
with Mrs. Vane and her talk with Mr.
Morton, she decided that she would
| g. Inu Z ha
Marble Square church. There was no
service after the Christian Endeayor
meeting on this Sunday evening, as il
was Che custom one Sunday in every
month to give the whole evening to the
society and its work. The minister
was in the habit OF attending this
service and giving it his special notice,
sometimes by making a direct address
on the topic of the evening, or by TAX
ing part assigned to him beforehand
by the leader.
When Barbara went in that evening
the large, handsome chapel of the
Marble Square church was rapidly fill
ing up. The talented, earnest, hand
some young preacher was very popu'
lar with the young people, and the so
ciety had increased rapidly in mem
bership and attendance since Morton s
arrival.
The usher showed Barbara to seat
about half way down the aisle. AS she
sat down she noticed Mr. Morton talk
ing with a group of young people
down in front. When they separated
he looked up and saw her, and, coming
down the aisle, he gravely shool
hands, and then introduced her to the
young woman next to her. He theI
went to the door, greeted some of the
members coming in, and then wen
around by side aisle and sat down OF
front seat just as the meeting be
gan.
1t had been long time since Bar
bara had attended Christian Endeav
or meeting. She felt that she wal
growing rather old for it, but to-nigh
she enjoyed it thoroughly. When thu
time came for Mr.. Morton to speak
she was surprised to find how her an
ticipation of what he had to say wal
| not snoiled by ANYTHING he said L