Evening star., 1931-02-22

white moved in the width of the valley But
the church stood there Strangely it stood sur
rounded by utter desolation. The savages were
superstitious He had not remembered that.
They must have feared at the last to burn the
house of the white mans Great Spirit. But
Lucy; he must find Lucy.
He hurried his horse downward into the
valley He rode toward the solitary church OF
his building. But he rode no longer controlling
hiH Uirv caylse. The exhaustion of the past
swo weeks finally had its way with him. The
feins fell from lax hands, his head dropped
over the pommel, he moaned like some stricken
animal.
Suddenly Childres Parker heard the peal of
a bell. He thought he must be going mad. He
raised his head The bronze bell swung back
and forth IN its squat tower, back and forth.
Below it the heavy doors were thrown open.
Men, women and children streamed cut to
meet him. Killingsworth and Barton helped
him from the saddle. hubbub of voices rose
about him:
We thought you were killed"
"Lucy?" he asked simply.
Inside
And the voices went on: Barton saying,
"Killingsworth thinks now he's the one planned
such a stout church. Killingsworth saying,
We'll, you know if it hadn't been for my
arguing with you all, we'd have had nothing
but shack"
so you've argued yourself into believing that,
have you?" the crowd ieered at Killingsworth.
And finally plump Mrs. Killingsworth touch
ing his sleeve Come with me, Elder" she
said
The church with it's deep-cut windows was
dusky after the bright outside.
"Childres." low voice reached hinA-
He fell on his knee beside her cot.
"Childres, SON."
"A fine child" Mrs Killingsworth hustled,
born in the church" And when she had ex-
hibited the puckered mite that was his first
born, she tiptoed away.
He could see more plainly now Lucys sweet
eyes him, the tight fist of his son waving
above the coverlet. Two hot tears splashed on
Lucys forehead
your hour of greatest need" said Childres
Parker, "and not here to help you"
But Childres"-she reached out and patted
his huge hands with her white small ones
"even while you gone your love and yuw
strength protected me-"
Protected? I don't understand"
She smiled. Because you do everything
completely. Don't you remember nursing Ium-
water Toms until he was entirely weH
Childres, so that even if they put him in the
sweat house and plunged him into the river it
wouldn't hurt him?"
Yes, but Tom-'
"He gave me warning"
Tom? He threatened my life"
ITO deceive the Indians with him so that
he could warn us without being suspected You
saved his son, so he saved us"
I nave done him grave injustice In my mind"
said Chidres Parker
90 we rang the DELL People were frightened
TO hear 1t. They came from all over the valley"
THE farthest settlers heard it?"
Every one. When the attack came we were
all gathered here. They were terrible, Childres"
Her hand gripped his. Terrible in their war
bonnets and paint. The men wanted to rush
out and stop them when they burned ctSr
homes and crops. The worst was when they
found we were in the meeting house. But they
did not kill single person, for the church is
strong as fort You built so well, Childres,
when you built this church, a citadel unto-the
Lord"
Agonized night after agonized night she had
lain awake listening for his step, the boom of
his voice. Now that he was here she drowsed
His big plain face hung over her, its inherent
determination Overlaid with gentleness. She
couldn't know just what she was saving as she
dropped to sleep, Childres Parker thouht
That's what-you are-yourself ChildreS
Copyright, 1917 " :