Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-11
BY A. B. WARD.
Copyright 1905. by Little. Brown company9

needed only this last touch to make 1t
Discarding the notes he had prepared. and
accepting as his text the words that the
child had put into his mouth. he stretched
out his arms with a tender, compelling ges-
ture and bade them come as little children.
confident of what they were sure to receive.
With one of his swift. sudden inspirations.
he described their own thirst and their IN
ability to quench It, and pleaded with them,
who felt their need and longed to
satisfy 1t. to drink of the living water
which Christ alone could give. Every atom
OF him vibrated. He was like a flame.
The vision passed. The light went out OF
him. He faltered- the final prayer. Many
of the congregation fingered A score or
more went UP to speak to him. Katharine
waited for them to be through with what
they had, to say, meanwhile laying con-
trolling hand on Elsie and ignoring Miss
EmmeliRe's qaavering reminder that Jerry
and the horses were outside
At length the loterers withdrew, all but
Jack Perry, whom Katharine knew only by
sight. This, she told herself. would be
good opportunity to meet him and to con-
descend to the strange world In which the
young preacher lived and worked
Stay with auntie4 dear" she whispered
to Elsie and sailed up to ,theg two men, hold
ing out her hand to the younger Il came
to bring you sympathy, and you gave me
inspiration" she said earnestly.
Vaughan showed his pleasure at seeing
her. though he only said, You are always
A4hA llS luItleu ~ tntfOuucS JACK SnS
put out small gloved hand. II am very
glad to meet so prominent a citizen of
Eur eka, she said gracously; st Is strange
we haven't met before
The big gray man eyed her suspiciously.
Not so strange our meeting now" he
said bluntly.
She was too we'll cared for, too we'll
dressed, too sure of herself. What did she
want with the parson. anyway? Reluct-
artly he moved away and gave her an OPP
portunity for the private. personal words
You were very kind to come" said
Vaughan wistfully.
II couldn't keep away" she answered
with a little quick indrawing of the breath.
am-oh so sorry Her voice was low
and sweet
Il know, I feel 1t. 1t is help" he said
with feeling. You have been always kind
and goOd-a true friend"
l am glad you feel that returned
Warmiy: am going away tomorrow. but
l shall think Oh you often. doing your won
derful work" Her voice sank stfll lower
"But-do be careful, You give yourself too
| generously. You are Buddha- with the
| tiger, and / don't believe the tiger appre-
ciates IT, I shall want to find you here in
the fall when l come back
Their hands met again N farewell. Their
| eyes did not meet; they were lowered
| yielding to the inner sight with which at
that moment each dtscerned the other.
Il must say he's RENAL kable preacher"
granted Miss Emmeline as they drove
home, but eccentric is no nar-e for ft!'
Katharine went to her own room and re-
malned there alone all he afternoon. Elsie,
arter investigating through crack in the
door. reported that mamma was asleep,
| There was a stiffness, a silence like that Of
sleep over and around her, but within it
sac kept vigil with her own thoughts Late
In the afternoon she arose and went to
the plano. over which the outline of the
Prometheus showed family in the growing
darkness. She played the melody of the
little song and sang softly under her
breath the one verse she had written
fer it,
Another verse she added as she sat
there. bat this she did not sing, not even
under her breath, alone as she was. in the
darkness.
(To be continued tomorrow.