The Washington herald., 1909-05-09

show. He had fought manfUlly, yet he
could not free himself from the haunting
presence Asleep OF waking. in the study
o. on the lonely hillside. he was conscious
ever of that presence by his side. He
saw the fair face in the manse pew as he
preached on the Sabbath mornings: he
saw her AZ the head Of the table as he
ate his solitary meal. Time had failed
utterly 10 dim the impression. and as the
days crawled into weeks he became more
and more convinced that It would never
be given 20 him 10 look on the embers Of
q dead or dying love.
At the same time. he still looked upon
his love as frivolous. illiCi;. UngOdly; yet
strangely enough the compensation OF
self-SaCrifce never came 70 heaTten him
in the struggle.
With a weary sigh he sank back In his
chair 10 think out mis- PRAYER meeting sd-
dress. L CHANGED II be the story OF the
Rich young ruler but somehow he
could no concentrate his mind or the pa
thetic incident He had hoped that Il. the
musty little vestry he might be relieved
for an hour Of the presence, but instead
il was more real TO him than ever. His
thoughts were not Of the man who went
away sorrOwing. but Of the wholly frivol-
Gus but adorable siren that lived in Dali
veen House
Lucy ChaneeUor's penitent mood had
PASSED away ike a summer cloud. and he
was not surprised She still kept 10 the
old life Of free. joyous responsibility
The company at Dalveen House was OF
the same queer mixture as Of old It Is
true that during these last days rumors
were rife that the nondescript crowd had
left almost in body. and soma color was
given 20 the same by the appearance, for
the first time for years, Of Lucy herself
in the Dalveen pew on the Sabbath that
had just passed.
And yet. on the other hand It was a
matter Of common knowledge that she
was arranging some amateur theatricals.
and had already been among the simple
lassies OF Wanlock. beguiling them with
Ter winning smile and turning their silly
| heads with dream and hopes and annbi-
tons The minister was troubled about
| L all. and a great regret rose in his heart
as he brOoded over the influence Of this
girl who had stolen into the peaceful fold
Ike a wolf in sleeps clothing. And.
above all. what troubled him most was
that he could not keep aglow in his heart
that righteous indignation that conscience
told him he ought 10 feel.
He drew his chair a little nearer the
sizzling gas FIRE and again applied himself
10 the lessons 20 be drawn from the story
of the rich young ruler. and at that in
stant there was a knock at the vestry
door. Mechanically he said Come In, -
thinking il might be Miss Hetty Syning-
ton for the tunes. He bounded from his
chair as soon as he realized in the dim
light that the demure figure in black who
stood before him with eyes downcast was
10 other than the girl OF his dreams.
IL hope you are alone she said in a
falteTing voice looking round the dingy
little room. no one saw me coming in.
II jumped the fence at the back. Look"
and she held out her sleeve. revealing q
IcnE tear where the barbs had caught the
fabric. "Isa't II annoying?' she said
with q light laugh 1T came from Worth
only last week. and was so becoming
There was a charming naivete in all her
words. and he felt that he could have
listened gladly 10 her adorable prattle the
whole night long.
''Phew." she said. shifting, what a
nusty little place. But I suppose you
viii feel supremely happy here and good
As for me, 7 could not be good within ten
Yards Of horrible gas FIRE. Ugh"
OF set determination. he was silent
v tile she Sservously drew of one Of her
gloves.
''YoD are wondering why 1 have come
70 torment you?" she said with just a
trace Of treuor in her voice.
7 am he replied curtly
'Oh. out you are a man Of flint" she
said petuiantiy, or ice, frozen, cold.
hesrtleSSI"
he crushed back the word that leaped to