Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-03-14
BORN TO SERVE.
By Charles NJ. Sheldon.
Aafhnr of stIN HIS STEPS, "JoHN KINGS
QUESTION Glass; edward
BLAKE, - Etc.
CHAPTER V.-CoNT1NUED.
Copyright, 1900, by Charles Il. Sheldon.)

CHAPTER V.-CoNTIEUED.
barbara found an opening and
showed away. The rest of the even
tEg She was. conscious of being largely
let alone. There was no coarse or vul-
gar objection to her; but very many of
Mrs. Vane's guests showed their feel
fHgs in a way, several of them said
afterwards, so that Mrs. Vane would
know how far she had mistaken her
osxu place in society.
AS the guests began to leave, Bar
bara nervously went to Mrs. Vane to
say good night, and found Mr.. Morton
with the Diilinghams just saying fare
well at the door. Mr.. Morton bowed
GrzseIy to Barbara as he said good
Afght to Mrs. Vane and went out, Miss
Dillingham; taking his arm as they
Rsssed down the steps.
Il am going to ride Mrs. Dilling-
ham said SO Mrs. Vane, as she waited
in the haH. ''The carriage is just COM
ang arouAd. told the young folks to
60 On Il is a beautiful evening for
esaIk-''
Barbara walked back into the sit
asng-room and sat down by the table
af prints and turned them over silent
yy- yghen the guests were all gone,
EErs. Vane came in.
what! you here, Barbara? I
1hought you had gone"
mo, / wanted to talk with you a
EffIr eVhile,' said Barbara, with an
effort
why, do believe you are almost
crying the old lady exclaimed, COM
f3g up TO her quickly. "Have you had
O. trying evening? Tell me all about it,
barbara told her, and added some
tssing more that made the sharp eyes
soften and the abrupt manner change
90 Que Of great gentleness.
Don't worry, dear. 1t will all come
aut right, I know. Just go right on
with your work. I understand it all
perfectly. I'm old enough to be your
graRdmo other, and I've seen more re-
saarkabie things happen. The Lord
<akes care of more things than we give
Him credit for. We must trust Him
when we are in all sorts of trouble.
And yours isn't the worst, bE any
s.aeans- But it's too late for you to go
knz8e NOW. I'll send William over to
fen Mrs. Ward, if anyone is up there,
9hst yoa are to stay here tonight"
So Barbara remained with the great
&earted old soul that night, and in the
RaOrning she went back to her drudg-
cry, sobered by the events of that
eventfui evening, and trembling lit
de because she had intrusted her
secret even to one so old aud so loving
as Mrs Vane. But on the whole it
eomforted her. Under other circum-
stances she would have told no one
6ut her mother. But Mrs. Clark was
x,ervous and irritable, she did not un-
- Ios1 II
protest against her choice of life
work To learn now from Barbara
shat she had come to think great
deal OF the brilliant young minister
of the great Marble Square church
would have seemed to Mrs. Clark like
smother madness, and what Barbara
ncc6ed at thisScrisis in her life was
ROT reproaches or tears, but encour
agement and good-hearted affection
She was girl who gave her owl
affection quickly. From the day she
Hnet Mrs. Vane she had understood
her. 1t was the same with Mr.. Nor
tOR. 1t is a mistake to suppose thai
the greatest feelings must develop
eioTiy- The feeling that Barbara ex
Fer5eneed was not long in point OF
cline, but she herself was the bes-
fudge of its strength. 1t is probable
chat she was afraid of its develop
sncn4 10 so comparatively short time
and osae way she took to ascertain the
fruth was to talk to Mrs. Vane frankly
abont it. Some things the old lady
gave her that evening out of her owl
experience treasured her as to hel
ewn heart. Barbara had been afrais
that her apparently sudden giving VI
ct her life as it faced this other lif,
sEas wrong. There was tremor il
che thought of unseem1y haste un
rEorthy of SO sacred an event.
But- as the days went by, she foun.
81 was not so. ole did not know al
hrrseif. but the experience that ha,
come to her lent strength to her re
solve to prove herself worthy of tn
faith he had said he had in that kin,
OF a life, the life she had chosen. A
the same time, she faced with a gray
Sly that was making her older thai
her years, the fact that the very ma
sure of her position you'd make i
enhpossible for her ever to realize a.
Guswer to her own heart from his.
Scott was with mingled feelings o
anbition that Barbara took up tn
Gaily round again. The results of tn