Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-04-21

= h4AAA
ROMANCE -
: Author Of The Best Man
grain carpet. The table was covered
with a magenta. felt cover stemped
with q vine Of black leaves and
were hung with old prints and steel
engravings suspended by woollen
cords and tass4ls. The furniture was
d~ilapidated. Everything. was covered
with dust, but there were finger
marks in the dust here and there that
showed the place had been recently
visited. Through an open doorway an
old square piano was visible in what
must be the parlor. The place seemed
to Shirley fairly teeming with mem
cries Of some family now departed
She leaped to the quick conclusion
that the house had been long deserted
and had only recently been entered
and used as a rendezvous for illegal
conferences. It occurred to her that
there might be an opportunity for her
to hide her precious papers some
where safely X it came to 1t that she
must be searched How about that
piano Could she slip some of them
between the keys? But 1t was hardly
likely that there would be oppor-
Itunity for anything like that.
She felt strangely calm as she look
ed about upon her prison.
HIN! He amt come yeti" re.
marked her guide as he glanced into
the front room. well. you can set
down. He won't be long now. Joe,
you jest look about a bit and see II
you can find the Secretary, and tell
him the young lady is here"
The man flung himself full length
on The carpet.covered couch and look
ed at her with satisfaction.
What train was that you said you
must make?. I'm afraid now you
might be going to be just a trifie late
1t he don't get a hustle on, but you
can't hurry a great man like that you
know"
ooh, it's no matter!" said Shirley
cool!y, looking around her with the
utmost Innocence: What quaint
a long time?"
The maj looked at her amusedly.
You're a cute one!" he, remarked
affably. Il believe you're a pretty
good sport! You know perfectly well
you're in my power. and can't do a
turn to help yourself, yet you sail
around here as calm a 8 a queen!
You're some locker, too! Blamed if
I'm not enjoying myself. l wouldn't
mind a kiss or two from those pretty
lips"
But Shirley had melted through the
doorway into the other room and her
voice f1oated back with charming in
difference as if she had not heard.
though she was ready to scream with
loathing and lear of the man:
"Why, isn't >this a delightful old
piano? The keys are actually moth
er-of-pearl. Isn't it odd Would Mr..
Baker mind II 1 played on it?"
And before her astonished captor
could get himself to the doorway she
had sat down on the rickety old hair
cloth stool and swept the keys light
shivered as if awaiting from a tomb,
and uttered forth a q%uavering, sweet
sound like ancient memories.
The man was too much astonished
to stop her. amused too, perhaps, and
interested. Her white fingers over the
dusty pearls in the growing dusk had
a strange charm for the hardened
%reprobate, like the wonder Of a flower
dropped into the foulness Of a prison.
Before he could recover, he was
startled again by her voice soaring out
Rock Of ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee,
Let the water and the blood
From Thy rivenAside which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure,
Save me Lord and make me pure!.
Perhaps those dim, gloomy WALL
had echoed before to- the grand ole
tune, but never could it have beer
sung in direr strait, or with more
She had chosen the first words thai
seemed to At the chords she hac
struck. but every syllable was a pray
er to the God in whom she trusted
It may be the man felt the power o.
her appeal as he stood rooted in tn,
doorway and listened while she sans
through all the verses she could re
member. But the last trembling mote
was broken harshly by J~oe'ssvoice a
the kitchen door in sharp, raspint
orders:
Hist, there! Can that noise! D,
you want to raise hell here? Walk
up, Sam! Get onto your job. Hen
MES comm"
That's all right, Joe! Dry Up
This is good Sunday School dope
This won't rouse no suspicious. G,
to the devil and mind your business
l know what I'm about"
Shirley was almost ready to cry, bu
she drew a deep breath and starte,
on another song:
Jesus, Lover OF my soul, ri
Let me to Thy bosom. fly,
While the nearer waters roll,
While the tempest still is high!
Hide me, oh. my Savious hide,
Till the storm of life is past.
On through the time-worn word
she sang, while the sin~-hardened ma
stood silently and listened. His eye
had gradually lost their leer an
grown soft and tender. as if som
childhood memories of home an
mother and a time when he was inno
cent and good were looking out hi
eyes. reminding him of what he ono
intended to be before he ate the appl
of wisdom and became as the god
and devils. Shirley gradually becam
aware that she was holding he
strange audience; and a power beyon
herself steadied her voice, and ker
her fingers from trembling on the oil
pearl keys, as she wandered on fror
song 10 song; perhaps happening o
the very ones-who knows?-tha
this man, standing In the dying twi
light Of the odd gloomy house, ha
sung beside his mothers hearth or /
church during his childhood? Ger
tain it is that he stood there silen
and listened for at least half an hou
without an Interruption, while til
light in THE big room grew dimme
and DINNER and all about the hous