Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1901-11-22

Mr.. Morton was coming 10 the re-
lief Of her embarrassment.
mo, mother is related TO one
branch of the family. Mrs. Dilling-
ham has been very kind 10 me since
that evening" She added. ~ have
not been courteous hardly, in re-
Spouse TO her invitation"
ITS a very nice family" Mr.. Nor
ton said, quite tamely.
eyes. Miss Dillingham; is remark
ably beautiful person. don't you
think" Barbara was not quite her
self. or she would not have asked
such a question.
'She is not as beautiful as some
one else know" replied Morton, sud-
denly, and as he said il he looked
Barbara full in the face.
II was one Of those sudden yield
ings 10 temptation that the young
minister i'm his singularly strong, ear
nest. serious life could number on his
fingers He regretted il 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 a moment her
heart stood still. Then. as she walked
on. She was conscious of Mr.. Nor
tons swiftly spoken apology as he
noted her distress.
Pardon me. Miss Clark | forgot
myself. will YOU forget-wil you
forgive me?"
Then Barbara had murmured some
reply. and ne had taken of his hat
very graycly and bowed as he took
ieave of her, and She had gone on
with a flaming face and beating
heart.
'He asked me 10 forget it? | can
not" She said as she buried her face
in her hands up in her room. while
the tears wet her checks. 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 i'm the habit of pay
ing such? Was it not a real express
sion Of what he felt" She put her
hands over her ears, 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.
q Barbara, If he could only know
ROW MS plea Tor forgiveness was pc
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. lie sent 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.
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 y rs.
Ward, in whom Barbara had never con
fided, as she had in Mrs. Nane, 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 spend that time
with her mother. But on this partic-
ular Sunday following her interview
with Mrs. Nane and her talk with Mr..
Morton, she decided that she would
go out to the Endeavor meeting at the
Marble Square church. There was no
service after the Christian Endeavor
meeting on this Sunday evening, as it
was the custom one Sunday in every
month to give the whole evening to the
society and its work. The minister
was in the habit or 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 evesing,
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 a 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,
n 4