The Arvada enterprise., 1915-12-23
CHAPTER VIII.
The Mine for the Golden Altar.


Vedder Court was very drunkard
among tenement groups. Its dccrepit
old wooden buildings. as if weak
kneed from dissipation and senile de.
cay, leaned against each other crook
eddy for support, and leered down at
the sodden swarms beneath. out of
broken paned windows which gave
somehow a ludicrous effect OF bleared
eyes. There had once been a narrow
strip of curbed soil in the center OF
the street, where three long.since.dc
parted trees had given the quarter its
name of court" but this space was
now as bare and dry as the asphalt
surrounding it, and, as 1t was too
small even for the purpose Of children
at play wooden bench. upon which
no one had ever sat. as. indeed, why
should they? had long ago been placed
on it, to become loose jointed and
weather.splintered and rottcd, like all
the rest Of the neighborhood.
As for its tenants; they were exactly
the sort OF birds one might expect to
many nations, but OF Just two main va
rieties: stupid and squalid. or thin and
furtive; but they were all dirty, and
they bore, in their compilations. the
poison Of crowded breathing spaces,
and bad sewerage. and unwholcsome
or insufficient food.
Into this mire there drove an utterly
outof.place little electric coupe. At
the wheel was the fresh.cheeked Gail
Sargest and with her was the twin.
kltng-syed Rufus Manning. whose
white beard rippled down to his sec
ond wais,coat button. They drove
slowly the length OF the court and
back again, the girl studying every de,
tail with acute interest. They stopped
in front of Temple Mission, which.
with its ugly red and blue lettering
nearly erased by years OF monthly
scrubbings. occupied an old store room
once used as "A saloon.
so this is the chrysalis from which
the butterfly cathedral Is to emerge"
commented Gail, as Manning held the
door open for her, and before she rose
she peercd again around the uninvit.
ing court" which not even the bright
winter sunshine could relieve OF its
dingness, rather, the sun made 1t
only the more dismal by presenting
the ugliness more In detail
This is the mine which produces
the gold which is to gid the altar" as.
serted Manning. studying the side.
| walk. i don't think you'd better come
in here. You'Il spoil your shoes"
Il want to see II all this time be.
cause I'm never coming back" insist.
ed Gail, and placed one dantily sho:
foot on the step,
"Then IN have to shame Sir Walter
Raleigh" laughed the silycry.
Manning. and. to her Gasplng Lurprise,
he caught her around the waist and
lifted her across TO the door. whcreat
several soilcd urchins laughed and
one yinegary faced old woman grinned,
IN horrible appreciation. and dropped
Manning n familiarly respectful curtsy
a. he passed
There was no one In the mission or'
copt broad shuudnred man with a
roughly hcwn face who ducEod his
head at Manning and touched his fore.
finger TO the side Of his head lie was
placing huge soup kettles In lhcig
holes In the counter at the rear Of "A.
room. and Manning called attention to
this
"A practical mission" he explained
we start In by saving the bodies"
40 you get any furthor?" inquired
Gull. CHANGING from the empty benches
and the atrOciously cOlOr"d religious"
pictures on the walls TO the windows.
past which cddIod q mass Of humanity
all but submerged In hopolessnoss.
Sometimes replied Manning
grayoly. Il have seen a soul or two
even here. II Ia because OF these two
or three possiblItios that the mission
Ii kept M, It might interest you 10
know that Market square church
spends fifteen thousand dollars "A year
In charity relief In Vadder cour,
alone"
Calls eycllds closed. her issh~s
curved on her cheeks for an instant.
and the corners Of her lips ,witched.