Evening star., 1925-05-13

IA young woman appeared. with a
robe. turban and sandals that MT;
Bancroft recognized with surprise and
Interest. This Mr.. Drake was a dis
aTming young man. engaglngly en-
thusiastic. vet evidently stirred by
serious purpose.
1.-THE costume of the Prophet
Ieaiah." he explained eagerly. The
young woman withdrew. And now
have an unusual request to make, slr;
Would YOU be so good as TO put 1t on!
Mr.. Bancroft did not reply, merely
locked. The situation was moving
rather more rapidly than he could
think.
Il think, sir, it is in your power to
help in the great work L have unoer-
taken"
After all there could be no great
harm in putting on the costume OF
Isaiah. 1t was all rather oewlioerlls.
The young man drew out a screen
about a chair in a corner of the ROOM
and there Mr.. Bancroft removed ms
outer clothing and donned the robe
and sandals of the prophet.
Now if YOU don't mind l want TO
photograph you. Just come tins way.
I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your
name"
Horace bancroft" The simple sub
touched with beauty. Drake 1elt IT,
and responded as a chameleon re
sponds TO color. His eye rested on the
little book that lay on a chair beside
the old straw hat, and now ne saw
the words, The New Testament.
He saw, too. that 1t was bound IN
boards of polished yellow-brown wood.
THAT is a very unusual blndlns,
sir
..va. u;sl,o,, CaD,p,itt brought If a s
a gift from the Holy Land nearly
40 years ago. 1t is wood from the
Mount of Olives
''You are a clergyman, sir
Mr.. Bancroft inclined his head
gravely.
INV picture is to be called Isaiah.
l intend to show the warfare between
Hezekiah and Sennacherib, and the
fall of Babylon There will be mod
ern sc-les as we'll. Civilization, as
YOU have seen better than I. is crum-
bling about US. 1t is an age of mate
rialism, of lawlessness, of corruption
and disintegration. The church no
longer guides. There is no faith, and
without faith how can the peoples
live on the earth? Babylon stands to-
day. Babylon is New York. l plan
to show New York destroyed as Baby
lon was destroyed. A prophet must
YOU come this way, sir?''
He opened the door. They We're to
go to some one of the other buildings.
Strange young people moved
about in the sunshine.t Motion pic
lures. Still, there couldt be no harm
in this. He followed.
A beautiful young woman in trim
suit was crossing an areaway leading
a little girl. With a quick. Excuse
lyn n
She raised her curving eyebrows.
Isaiah, Sylvy?"
He nodded. BE careful, though,
Sybil He's a child. Hasn't an idea
what's happening to him."
What did you think I'd do-kick
his turban off? He's wonderful"
I'm going to make a quick test.
He'd never heard of me. Think Of
that
MY word"
Come over here. I'll introduce him"
wait a minute, Sylvy." She turned
away from the child and lowered her
voice I'm still wondering why you
didn't call up last night. l waited
"Simply couldn't. Awfully busy"
Il know all that. But
mot now, dear! See you tonight.
Well run into the Ambassador for
dinner Come over here.-Dr. Ban
croft, 1 want to make you acquainted
with Miss Sybil Strange. Miss
Strange is to play the Woman of
Babylon in Isaiah"
A confused memory arose back of
the patient eyes. Horace Bancroft
had somewhere heard that name. A
picture came, indistinctly-a provoca-
tive young woman on a glaring red
poster. wearing almost no clothing.
They had had it removed from every
billboard in Crochettville.
Its a pleasure to meet YOU" said
the quiet young woman. This is
my little girl. Come here. Dorothy
The child curtsied charmingly. AS
he followed the curiously nervous and
eager young man into a spacious dim
interior, Mr.. Bancroft passed thin
hand across his eyes.
They nut Daint on his face. above