, 1923-04-07

Luke Quail pointed TO the ooor-
Fortesque now perceived the out
lines of the house.
There. With Hvarson. I refus-
ed to marry them. He" The Cd
voice faltered.
Fsrtesque ran at the tpor and
hurled himself against 1t, bodily. It
did not even culver under the i'm
pact of his body.
Somewhat dazed. he drew back
"Hvarsonr' he tried to shout
Once more he flung himself at the
massive solid door. This time he re-
coiIed. bruised and hurt. and lost
balance. He fell in the brown sand.
Luke Quail came up and aided him
to his feet.
Fortesque. staggering. pulled out
his automatic. staring at the door
He shook of the old mans hand.
He'll be out. and hen"
Minutes qulvered past. and Hvar-
son did not appear. More and more
terribly the conviction grew upon
Fortesque that Hvarson would not
appea until forced.
The thought of Lou-Lou. in there,
tortured him into u cold sweat.
Luke Quail was speaking. but he did
not hear what the old man was say
ing. He stared at the door with
bloodshot, hungry eyes.
A savage curse broke from For
tesque. He took a step forward,
aimed at the keyhole in the brown
door and fired. He fired again-then
the pistol clicked. 1t was empty. =
Once more Fortesque threw him
self at that massive door EMULATION
thrilled him as he saw hat the two
bullets had smashed the keyhole out
of shape. A cry broke from him as
he flung his body at the door again.
Yet again he effected nothing. save
to stager backward and tan Keeling,
~gasping, glaring at this door which
seemed like a solid wall in the stone.
What lay behind this terrible door?
He fancied that he could hear the
voice of Lou-Lou calling to him. and
the voice maddened HIM.
He threw himself at the insensate
wood. beat 1t with his fists, hammered
at it with foot and shoulder and
body. until he dropped Imply. bleed
ing and hopeless.
The door remained closed, i'm
placable. corresponding. From with
in the house came no sound. In this
very immobility there was a hideous
mockery. In this silence there was a
c-ontemptuous scorn.
He was impotent. His fury was
broken.
After a little he found Luke Quail.
bending above him. He sat up. Won
dering at the strange calm which
possessed the old man.
Don't you realize he groaned,
that we're helpless to do anything,
to aid Ter"
Then asked Luke Quail quietly.
you do realize that we arc help
less?"
Yes" assented Fortesque with a
gesture of despair.
In that case, ask tho help Of
God"
"God can do nothing. It is too
late"
Coward cried the old man stern
ly, his blurred blue eyes suddenly
shining strangely. Coward! What
do o know of the power of Godi
Have you ever tested Him? Get
down on your knees beside me and
prayi Pray? as have been pray
ing from the very deeps of your little
soul! Put your puny heart into your
play CT anu ne VIII hnSWerI
Fortesque looked at the older man
in moody despair.
IF there is any answer. that
would be a miracleF'
Miracles happen every day. Brian
Fortesque. Prayl'
1t came to Fortesque, that lust "A,
In Barak had been a friendship mofe
: powerful than torture or greed. SO
Il thera xuoa g., NII. 7 ,frx -
ligion. n faith. more powerful than
| all other things. In this moment all
, the cold exterior OF the man was
shattered and wrecked. All his
, harsh sufriciency fell away from him.
and the barriers were stripped clean
from his inner self.
/, With tears, he surrendered him
self into the guidance of this older
man at his side, this man whose
tremendous fund OF faith was a
yelling flood of unknown forcest
Just as that wooden door had re.
sisted all his attacks, SO had the
/, heart of Brian Fortesque resisted all
spiritual things: but now, in this
moment, he had been broken.
As he lnelt here in the hot sand
beneath the hot sun, he could feel
about him like n tangible force this
spiritual force which from
Luke ouail-a force more than the
man himself It penetrated into For
tesque and transformed him.
1t caused him to forget himself
10 forget what he was doing here;
1t lifted him out OF thought OF him.
/ self. M
!, He knew only that he was Joining
l In the broken u~tterances OF Luke
ouail-that he was. in truth. making
an appeal from his very soul depths,
FOR almost the first time in his life
prayer
ana presently, when he rose and
gazed toward that immobile door OF
WOOD 1t was with the rapt expression
OF one who awaits a miracle.
copyright 1923, by the Bell syndi.
cate. Inc.
ANOTHER fine instsllment touo-,