Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-01-08

The first event was his deepening &C.
quaintancc with Grace Andrews.
Working together side by side during
those three days, they rapidly grew to
respect and have confidence in each
other. Grace Andrews amazed Gordon
by her courage, her infinite patience,
her profound pity for suffering, her en-
durance under circumstances so terri
BILE that more than one of the men resi-
dents in the house tainted away at the
sight of some of the bodies taken from
the ruins. In several instances Gordon
felt confident that Miss Andrews loved
the dying back into life. She moved
among them like an angel of God. At
the most painful examinations. Mt the
most critical operations, she was pres
cnt. II bencdiction and n peace. More
than once during those days Gordon
found himself thinking of Grace An.
drcwS in II way he had never vet
thought. He had never given her cred
1t for sweet hearted tenderness. fas-
cinntinc in its disclosure of an abso-
lutely pure and gentle nature, feeling
for all the woes of life. He had al
ways admired her steadincss of pur-
pose, her untcrrified patience. her deep
seriousness of motive But he had new
er before witnessed her womanly scnti-
ment brought into prominence by this
sudden stroke of suffering. 1t all add
ed to the definition he was making of
her. 1t all enriched his faith in her
purpose and her sacrifices. In all this
there was not hint of anything scnti-
mental on his own part. The awful
ness of all those surroundings during
that memorable week would have
made any such thought impossible
even IL he had been other than he was.
the farthcst possible removed from sus-
ceptibilty. The one impression that
he received from a nearer view OF her
character was Il conviction that she
was Il woman who had rare capablity
for loving and being loved. and he
even went so far in his thinking as Il
result of this impression that he tried
To imagine the character of the man
who might possibly win such a great
ana atfcctionate nature
The other event was an unexpected
interview with Luella Marsh. The
Rev. Paul Falmouth had come down
to see Gordon and offer help of various
kinds to Miss Andrews from his church
young peoples society. AS he was
getting ready to leave he said to Cor
don: 1T seems to me now is the time
for Miss Andrews and you to bring
pressure to bear on Mr.. Marsh. While
the horror is still keen and public
sentiment is favorable you ought to
persuade him to do something. He
will probably rebuild. DO You know"
Il don't know anything about it.
Why has he not been down here"
"Gordon' spoke with quiet
earncstucsS-''do YOU know Mr.. Marsh
intimately: I understand your relation
to the family. I believe | know his
characteristics better than you do. At
tive in the matter of viewing human
suffering. DO you SUPPOSE
GOrdon's face darkencd. Was it pos
sibe that any man would run away
from duty like this? All his respect for
Marsh and his feeling for him as the
father Of Luella werc at once swept
away by the thought Of the mans con.
tcmptiblo cowardice. \ tremendous tide
of Indignation took possession of him
as he recalled Marsh'S pitiable action
at the time he visited the tenement.
Would he deliberately shir; his rcspon-
siblity in the matter of the fire and the
opportunity now offered him to re
build:
"Ill 20 ana see him if YOU say So"
Falmouth volunteered as he went
away.
Il wish you would Gordon replied.
And he added in tone that spoke Of a
personal passion that was nearer anger
than any feeling he ever experienced:
IF he doesn't come down here before
night, mean to 80 and see him myself.
! want to know from his own lips the
cause of his absence
The day went by, and Mr.. Marsh did
not appear. That evening Gordon told
Miss Andrews his intention. She made
10 comment of any kind. Gordon wait
cd moment and then asked n ques
ton:
How far is Mr.. Marsh responsible
for all this suffering. for these deaths: :"
God will judge him. not L. she an
Swercd. her blue eyes filled with light
that more than once during the week
Gordon had noticed as peculiar to her
Il want To say the right thing to him.
But am afraid shall lose my iudg-
mCnt IN the NATTER he said as he hes
itateu. Miss Andrews did noe offer any
suggestion. and Gordon at once went
out and took the first car that made
connections with uptown lines.
1t was not until he stood on the IA
millar steps that he realized in some
degree what he was about To do. The
chance of meeting Lucia was so small
that he had not given it any thought.
lie had not seen her since his inter
view with her, and while lie was heart
hungry for the kind of love that was
being denied him, the experiences
through which he had been since go
ing to Hope House, the appalling char
acter Of the disaster for which Luelli, 5
father was at least in large part re
sponslble, for the time being obscured
his personal affairs. 1t can truly be
said that as he gave his name to the
servant and asked to see Mr.. Marsh
he was nerving himself for the inter
view, with Lucia in second place ut
least
Ia ,,.t t,.t .,n loo,