Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-02-10


did they not tell me the truth? Why
did he not tell me? l owe you my life"
1t was both Il question and state
nent. Stuart would not even now an
. ticipate the love that might yet be his.
& He stood there facing her, silent after
s That one outburst. At last he said
Igently, II would like to keep the glove;
/. nay ~
She did not answer him. He put the
glove back in his pocket. She was
very. very pale.
lie said one more word, "You believe
love you?'
Eyes; 1 believe it," she answered in
very low voice.
IL shall always love you" he said.
y Tie took off his hat. The act was one
|of reverence. "Some time when have
won your love, as l know L have not
vet, l shall speak again." he added
slowly. And then he turned and went
back over the trail, never once looking
behind. If he had
When he disappeared behind a clump
of frs, Rhena knelt down by the old
stump and laid her head upon it, 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 n great and good man. All,
it is possible if he had said to her,
"Rhenaw she might have said, "Stu-
-artw and given him all. 1t was dan
Ccrous 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 if Stuart had
come back she would have said to him:
IL love you. Let us go on our way
through life together! And she went
on into the next cottage, a 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 n feeling that was not
that of defeat or discouragement 1t
had been q 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 he loved into low
ing him. He was not and could not be
a pleading sutton for the heart of this
woman of all persons in the world. He
said to himself the time would come,
although he did not attempt to picture
when or how, when she would be his
as he wanted her to be. 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 came
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 world
that he should identify himself openly
and boldly with other Christians in the
organization which Christ loved There
j was not q moments hesitation in Stu
arts mind about the duty and privilege
of church membership. That was q
notable day in his life when Andrew
asked him to rise and give assent tC
the church covenant.
The news that Stuart Duncan was
going to join the church was interest
ing enough to call out n large part Of
the population of Champion. Andrew
had never seen such a congregation
st. Johns was crowded, very largely
with the miners and their families
Stuart was the only person received a
this communion. When he rose at An
drew's invitation, his face was cain
and even beautiful. 1t was a 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 a secOnt
over the words, Il baptize thee, Stuart
my brother, disciple of Jesus" AM
many an eye in the audience mosten
ed. When the bread was passed, Stu
art received it from one of the miner
who had worked in Champion mine
ever since Stuart was n boy. He wa
n deacon in st. Johns, and Stuart new
er forgot the look on the old mans fac
as he handed the plate in at the end 0
the pew. More than half of Andrew
membership were Cornishmen. 1t wa
a day long remembered by them.
And to Stuart there came also as b
partook for the first time of the elt
ments n new and serious thought G
the fellowship he had begun wit
these men, nearly all of whom ha
been in his fathers employ. 1t wa
true they were of the rudest, most III
.n1r1ootn6 NJ Thair of ('hr
tianity as church members was NJ
very exalted. They were at this yer
moment engaged in a method of strui
gle against capital which was contrar
60 all Stuart's real convictions, but
had reached a point where he locke
upon the struggle from different b
sis. The men in the church were fl
the most part prayerful, honest ar
above all generous with what they pc
SpsSed Stuart did not know it. bl