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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dfc964a --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #68722 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/68722) diff --git a/old/68722-0.txt b/old/68722-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 000504f..0000000 --- a/old/68722-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8278 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of “In the twinkling of an eye”, by -Sydney Watson - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: “In the twinkling of an eye” - -Author: Sydney Watson - -Release Date: August 9, 2022 [eBook #68722] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Richard Hulse and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive/American - Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK “IN THE TWINKLING OF AN -EYE” *** - - - - - - - “IN THE - TWINKLING - OF AN EYE” - - By Sydney Watson - - _Author of_ - - “The Mark of the Beast” - “Life’s Lookout”, “Wops, the Waif”, - Etc. - - Copyright 1918 - - THE BIOLA BOOK ROOM - BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES - 536-558 South Hope Street - Los Angeles, Cal. - - - - -AUTHOR’S FOREWORD - -[Illustration] - - -Some years ago, I received from an important Southern town, a letter -from a Ladies’ Temperance Committee, to this effect:—“Sir, We, the -undersigned, are a committee of Ladies, who, for many years, have -purchased your “Stories for the People” in very large numbers, for free -distribution and loan; always assuming that you were to be thoroughly -relied upon as an upholder of strict Total-abstinence principles. But -your latest story has sadly undeceived us, as regards your usefulness as -a worker in the great cause we are pledged to uphold and further. On _pp_ -—— of your last story, you make your hero, returning from a day’s run -with the hounds, come upon a woman lying in a lonely place, who has been -injured in a trap accident. You say, speaking of your hero’s prompt help -to the woman, that “taking his hunting flask from his pocket, he forced -a few drops of the brandy between the woman’s lips, etc.” Now, sir, we -contend that had you had the cause of Total-abstinence fully at heart, -you would have made that huntsman’s flask to have contained _water_.” - -So much for the letter. The moral of it lies on the surface. There are -some persons who seem unable to see anything from the side of _real, -actual_ life—that Ladies’ committee could not—whose vision is narrowed -down to the tiny slit of their own cramped, cabined life and thought, -they have no true _out_look upon life, as a whole. - -I preface this foreword with the above incident, because I am perfectly -certain that the standpoint from which I have written this book will be -utterly, absolutely misunderstood by many earnest, loving-hearted people, -whose eyes, with my own, have caught the _up_ward gaze “from whence we -look for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.” - -I would at once acknowledge that the inceptive idea of writing such a -book as this was born within me from reading “Long Odds,” that wondrous -little half-penny booklet written by the late General Robertson, I -believe, a booklet that has been so marvellously “owned and blessed.” - -For five or six years the idea for this present volume has been simmering -and seething in my mind. The first and only real problem I had to face in -the matter was that of the _principle_ involved in using the fictional -form to clothe so sacred a subject (for, to me, the near Return of our -Lord is the _most_ sacred of all subjects.) But the problem of the -_principle_ was speedily settled, as I remembered how wondrously God had -owned and blessed “Long Odds,” in which the fictional is the vehicle of -the teaching. - -Then, too, there are, I know, myriads of people into whose hands “Long -Odds,” could never, by any chance, fall—for there are multitudes who -will not so much as glance at, or touch a tract, while a volume will -easily win its way among all classes. There is an enormous percentage of -attendants at our churches and chapels, and many otherwise very earnest -Christian workers, to whom the whole subject of the Lord’s Second Coming -is an absolutely unknown realm of Truth—and these I would fain reach and -arouse with the message of this book. - -To those Christians who are looking for the Return of the Lord, to -whom the subject is the most tenderly sacred of all subjects, who will -at first sight condemn the use of the fictional element, the dramatic -colour in this book—and many good people will, I am assured—I would -say, first, that the book is not written for them, and second, that, -our Lord Himself, speaking of His own Return, used two very remarkable -illustrations from life’s strangest dramas. First, “_As it was in the -days of Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. -They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, until -THE DAY_, etc.” Now, think what a myriad _dramas_ were being enacted -when the flood came. And had the disciples asked their Lord, privately, -after His utterance, to explain more fully what He meant, what thrilling -stories He _could_, He _doubtless WOULD have sketched_. If any Christian -cavils at the dramatic in this book, I would refer him or her to Christ’s -own pointing in the picture of Noah’s time, then bid them fill out, by -help of the feeblest, simplest imagination, the picture of the myriad -dramas that were being enacted when that flood came, of old time. Then, -if the objector is honest, and is _capable_ of the least imagination, he -will say “I see! and, now that I see this fact, my wonder is _not_ that -there is a certain dramatic freedom in this book, but that the writer has -kept so powerful a restraint upon his pen.” - -Again, Christ said:—“_As it was in the days of LOT_,” etc. Now think over -_this_ saying of our Lord’s, and remembering what is actually recorded -in Genesis, of the _vice_ and _crime_ of Sodom, (and how, alas! even -when saved from the doomed city, Lot and his daughters brought away much -of the vicious, criminal essence of the place with them,) think how the -Return of our Lord, presently, will mean the snatching away of many of -His own out of scenes infinitely more awful than anything I have used -herein, or ever hinted at. A book written on the subject here chosen, -and written in the vein our Lord Himself suggests in the two passages -referred to above, could not have been written in any other way—to be -true to life, and to the subject. - -Should any reader object to the expository lectures of Major H——, as -the chief vehicle for the doctrinal teaching, I would say that personal -experience has proved the style to be infinitely more acceptable to -readers than that of the dialogue mode. - -I have purposely placed special emphasis on the Jewish side of the -subject, since the Jewish question is infinitely more closely enwrapped -with the fact of our Lord’s near return, than many speakers and writers -give prominence to. - - SYDNEY WATSON. - -“THE FIRE,” VERNHAM DEAN, HUNGERFORD, BERKS. - - - - -CONTENTS - -[Illustration] - - - Chapter Page - - I.—TAKEN AT THE FLOOD 11 - - II.—“THE COURIER” 20 - - III.—FLOTSAM 26 - - IV.—“I ONLY REAPED WHAT I SOWED” 33 - - V.—“LILY WORK” 38 - - VI.—AN INTERESTING TALK 44 - - VII.—“COMING” 55 - - VIII.—REVERIE 64 - - IX.—A THREAT 75 - - X.—IN THE NICK OF TIME 82 - - XI.—“LONG ODDS” 93 - - XII.—THE CENTER OF THE EARTH 101 - - XIII.—A DEMON 110 - - XIV.—MAJOR H—— ON “THE COMING!” 118 - - XV.—THE ADDRESS 124 - - XVI.—HER CABIN COMPANION 136 - - XVII.—CASTING A SHOE 142 - - XVIII.—TOLD IN A CAB 154 - - XIX.—TOM HAMMOND REVIEWING 164 - - XIXa.—“MY MENTOR” 176 - - XX.—THE PLACARD 185 - - XXI.—WAS HE MAD 189 - - XXII.—FROM THE PROPHET’S CHAMBER 195 - - XXIII.—PASSOVER! 200 - - XXIV.—“THIS SAYING SHALL COME TO PASS” 209 - - XXV.—FOILED! 218 - - XXVI.—A CASTAWAY 221 - - XXVII.—A STRICKEN CITY 226 - - XXVIII.—“HALLELUJAH LASS” 232 - - XXIX.—IN ST. PAUL’S 238 - - XXX.—CONCLUSION 246 - - - - -“IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE” - -[Illustration] - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -TAKEN AT THE FLOOD. - - -The man walked aimlessly amid the thronging press. He was moody and -stern. His eyes showed his disappointment and perplexity. At times, about -his mouth there lurked an almost savage expression. As a rule he stood -and walked erect. Only the day before this incident one of a knot of -flower-girls in Drury Lane had drawn the attention of her companions to -him as he strode briskly along the pavement, and in a rollicking spirit -had sung, as he passed her: - - “Stiff, starch, straight as a larch, - Every inch a soldier; - Fond o’ his country, fond o’ his queen, - An’ hawfully fond o’ me.” - -But to-day there is nothing of the soldier in the pose or gait of Tom -Hammond. - -Yet the time and place ought to have held his attention sufficiently to -have kept him alert to outward appearance. It was eleven in the forenoon. -The place was Piccadilly. He came abreast of Swan and Edgar’s. The -pavement was thronged with women on shopping bent. More than one of them -shot an admiring glance at him, for he had the face, the head, of a king -among men. But he had no eyes for these chance admirers. - -Tom Hammond was thirty years of age, a journalist, and an exceptionally -clever one, at the time we make his acquaintance. He was a keen, shrewd -man, was gifted with a foresight and general prescience that were almost -remarkable, and hence was commonly regarded by his journalistic friends -as “a coming man.” He had strongly-fixed ideas of what a great daily -paper should be, but never having seen any attempt that came within -leagues of his ideal, he longed—lusted would not be too strong a term—for -the time and opportunity when, with practically unlimited capital behind -him, and with a perfectly free hand to use it, he could issue his ideal -journal. - -This morning he seems farther from the goal of his hopes than ever. For -two years he had been sub-editor of a London daily that had made for -itself a great name—of a sort. There were certain reasons which had -prompted him to hope, to expect, the actual editorship before long. But -now his house of cards had suddenly tumbled about his ears. - -A change had recently taken place in the composition of the syndicate -that financed the journal. There were wheels within wheels, the existence -of some of which he had never once guessed, and which in their whirling -had suddenly produced unexpected results. The editor-in-chief had -resigned, and the newly elected editor proved to be a man who had, years -before, done him, Tom Hammond, the foulest wrong one journalist can do to -another. - -Under the present circumstances there had been no honourable course open -for Hammond but to resign. That morning he had found his resignation not -only accepted, but he found himself practically dismissed. - -Enclosed in the letter of acceptance of his resignation was a cheque -covering the term of his notice, together with the intimation that his -services would cease from the time of his receipt of the cheque. - -His dejection, at that moment when we meet him, was caused not so much at -finding himself out of employment as from the consciousness that the new -editor-elect had accomplished this move with a view to his degradation in -the eyes of his profession—in fact, out of sheer spite. - -To escape the crowd that almost blocked the pavement in front of Swan and -Edgar’s windows, he turned sharply into the road, and literally ran into -the arms of a young man. - -“Tom Hammond!” - -“George Carlyon!” - -The greeting flew simultaneously from the lips of the two men. They -gripped hands. - -“By all that’s wonderful!” cried Carlyon, still wringing his friend’s -hand. “Do you know, Tom, I am actually up here in town for one purpose -only—to hunt you up.” - -“To hunt me up!” - -“Oh, let’s get out of this crush, old man,” interrupted Carlyon. - -The pair steered their way through the traffic, crossed the Circus, -stopped for a moment at the beautiful Shaftesbury Fountain, then struck -across to the Avenue. In the comparative lull of that walk Carlyon went -on: - -“Yes, I’ve run up to town this morning to find you out and ask you one -question: Are you so fixed up—excuse the Americanism, old boy. I’ve a -dashing little girl cousin, from the States, staying with my mother, -and—well, you know, old fellow, how it is. Man’s an imitative creature, -and all that, and absorbs dialect quicker than anything else under the -sun. But what I was going to say was this: are you too fixed up with your -present newspaper to forbid your entertaining the thought of a real plum -in the journalistic market?” - -Hammond’s customary alert look returned to his face. He was now “every -inch a soldier,” as he cried, excitedly, “Don’t keep me in suspense, -Carlyon; tell me quickly what you mean.” - -“Let’s jump into a gondola, Tom. I can talk better as we ride.” - -Carlyon had caught the eye of a cab-driver, and the next moment the two -friends were being driven along riverwards. - -“Someone, some Johnnie or other,” began Carlyon, as the two men settled -themselves back in the cab, “once called the hansom cab the gondola of -London’s streets——” - -He caught the quick, impatient movement of Hammond’s face, and with a -light laugh went on: - -“But you’re on thorns, old boy, to hear about the journalistic plum. -Well, here goes. You once met my uncle, Sir Archibald Carlyon?” - -Hammond nodded. - -“He is crazy to start a daily,” said Carlyon. “It is no new craze with -him; he has been itching to do it for years. And now that gold has been -discovered on that land of his in Western Australia, and he is likely to -be a multi-millionaire—the concessions he has already sold have given -him a clear million,—now that he is rich beyond all his dreams, he won’t -wait another day; he will be a newspaper proprietor. It’s a case of that -kiddie in the bath, Tom, doncher-know, that’s grabbing for the soap—‘he -won’t be happy till he gets it.’” - -“He wants to find at once a good journalist, who is also a keen business -man; one who will take hold of the whole thing. To the right man he will -give a perfectly free hand, will interfere with nothing, but be content -simply to finance the affair.” - -An almost fierce light was burning in the eyes of the eager, listening -Hammond. A thousand thoughts rioted through his brain, but he uttered no -word; he would not interrupt his friend. - -“I told Nunkums last night, when he was bubbling and boiling over with -his project, that I had heard you say it was easier to drop a hundred or -two hundred thousand pounds over the starting of a new paper than perhaps -over any other venture in the world. - -“Nunkums just smiled as I spoke, dropped a walnut into his port glass, -and said quietly, ‘Then I’ll drop them.’ - -“He hooked that walnut out of his wine with the miniature silver -boathook—he had the thing made for him for the purpose,—devoured the -wine-saturated nut, then smiled back into my face, as he said: ‘Yes, -Georgie, I am quite prepared to drop my hundred, two hundred, three -hundred thousand, if needs be, as I did my walnut. But I am equally -hopeful—if I can secure the right man to edit and manage my paper,—that I -shall eventually hook out an excellent dividend for my outlay. I want a -man who not only knows how to do his own work well, as an editor, but one -who has the true instinct in choosing his staff.’ - -“Of course, Tom, I trotted you out before him. He remembered you, of -course, and jumped at the idea of getting you, if you were to be got. -The upshot of it is, nothing would satisfy him but that I should come -up by an early train this morning—early bird catches the worm, and all -that kind of business, you know,—and now, in spite of the fact that my -particular worm had wriggled and squirmed miles from his usual habitat, -I’ve caught him. Now, tell me, are you open to treat with Sir Archibald?” - -“Yes, and can begin business this very day!” Hammond laughed with the -abandon of a boy, as he told, in a few sentences, the story of his -dismissal. - -“Good!” Carlyon, in his own exuberant glee, slapped his friend’s knee. - -“Sir Archibald,” he went on, “was to come up by the 10:05 from our place, -due at Waterloo at 11:49. He’ll be fixed up—“Hail Columbia!” again—at the -hotel by this time. That’s where we are driving to now, and—ah! here we -are!” - -A moment later the two men were mounting the hotel steps. One of the -servants standing in the vestibule recognized Carlyon, and saluted him. - -“My uncle arrived, Bates?” Carlyon asked. - -“Yes, sir, and a young lady with him!” - -Carlyon turned quickly to Hammond. - -“That’s Madge, my American cousin, Tom. I’m awfully glad she has come; I -should like you to know her.” - -Turning to the servant, he asked, “Same old rooms, Bates?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -Three steps at a time, laughing and talking all the while, Carlyon, -ignoring the lift, raced up the staircase, followed more slowly by his -friend. - -Hammond never wholly forgot the picture of the sitting-room and -its occupant, as he entered with Carlyon. The room was a large one, -exquisitely furnished, and flooded with a warm, mellow light. A small but -cheerful-looking wood fire burned upon the tiled hearth, the atmosphere -of the room fragrant with a soft, subtle odour, as though the burning -wood were scented. From a couch, as the two men entered, a girl rose -briskly, and faced them. She made a picture which Tom never forgot. The -warm, mellow light that filled the room seemed to clothe her as she stood -to meet them. “America” was stamped upon her and her dress, upon the -arrangement of her hair, upon the very droop of her figure. She was tall, -fair, with that exquisite colouring and smoothness of complexion that is -the product of an unartificial, hygienic life. - -Her face could not be pronounced wholly beautiful, but it was a face that -was full of life and charm, her eyes being especially arrestive. - -“Awfully glad you came up, Madge!” cried Carlyon. “I’ve run my quarry -down, and this is my own particular, Tom Hammond.” - -He made a couple of mockingly-funny elaborate bows, saying: “Miss Madge -Finisterre, of Duchess County, New York. Mr. Tom Hammond, of—oh, shades -of Cosmopolitanism!—of everywhere, of London just at present.”—Tom bowed -to the girl.—She returned his salute, and then held forth her hand in a -frank, pleasant way, as she laughingly said, “I have heard so much of -Tom Hammond during the last few days, that I guess you seem like an old -acquaintance.” - -Tom shook hands with the maiden, and for a moment or two they chatted as -freely and merrily as though they were old acquaintances. - -The voice of Carlyon broke into their chat, asking: “Where’s Nunkums, -Madge?” - -Before the girl could reply, the door opened and Sir Archibald entered -the room. - -One glance into his face would have been sufficient to have told Tom the -type of man he had to deal with, even if he had not seen him before. -A warm-hearted, unconventional, impulsive man, a perfect gentleman in -appearance, but a merry, hail-fellow-well-met man in his dealings with -his fellows. - -With a bit of mock drama in the gesture, Madge Finisterre flourished her -hand towards the newcomer, crying, - -“Sir Archibald, George? Lo, he is here!” She flashed a quick glance to -the piano as she added, “If only I had known you were about to enter, -uncle, I would have treated you to a few crashing bars of stage-life -entree-music.” - -“Go away with your nonsense!” laughed the old man. - -“Nonsense, indeed!” the girl laughed as merrily as the old man. Then, -with a sudden, swift movement, she crossed to the piano, struck one sharp -note upon it, and whispered in well-feigned hoarseness, “Slow music for -the three conspirators as they retire to plot the destruction of London’s -press, and the accumulation of untold millions by their own special -journalistic production!” - -Her fingers moved over the ivory keys, and low, weird, creepy music -filled the room with its eerie notes. - -Sir Archibald and George Carlyon fell in with the girl’s mood, and crept -doorwards on tiptoe. - -“Number three,” hissed the girl. - -And Tom Hammond laughingly followed with the two other men. - -“She is a treat, is Madge!” laughed George Carlyon, as the three men -passed through the doorway and made for the study-like room of Sir -Archibald. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -“THE COURIER.” - - -For two hours the three men held close conference together. At the end -of that time all the preliminaries of the new venture were settled. Tom -Hammond had explained his long-cherished views of what the ideal daily -paper should be. Sir Archibald was delighted with the scheme, and, in -closing with Hammond, gave him a perfectly free hand. - -“You were on the point of saying something about a striking poster to -announce the coming paper, Mr. Hammond,” said the old baronet. - -“Yes,” Tom replied; “I think a great deal may be done by arresting -the attention of the people—those in London especially. My idea for -a poster is this: the name of the paper is to be ‘The Courier.’ Very -well, let us have an immense sheet poster, first-class drawing, striking -but harmonious colouring, and bold, arrestive title of the paper and -announcement of its issue. Following the title, I would have in the -extreme left a massive sign-post, a prominent arm of the structure -bearing the legend ‘To-morrow.’ On the extreme right of the picture I -would put another sign-post, the arm of which should bear the words ‘The -Day After To-morrow.’ I would have a splendidly-drawn mounted courier, -the horse galloping towards the right-hand post, having left ‘To-morrow’ -well in the rear.” - -The old baronet exclaimed, “Rush the thing on! Flood the hoardings of -London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Cardiff—all the -large towns, and the smaller ones as well, if you can get hoardings big -enough. Don’t study the expense, either in the get-up or in the issue of -the picture. Don’t let the pill-sellers or cocoa or mustard people beat -us.” - -The old man sprang to his feet and paced the floor, rubbing his hands, -crying continually, - -“Good! good! We’ll wake old England up. We’ll——” - -“Toddle into lunch,” interrupted George Carlyon. “That’s the third -summons we’ve had!” - -Tom Hammond sat next to Madge at luncheon, and was charmed with her easy, -unconventional manners. But his mind was too full of the new paper, of -the great opportunity that had come to him so unexpectedly, to be as -wholly absorbed with the charm of her personality as he might otherwise -have been. - -He did not linger over the luncheon table. - -“There are one or two fellows, Sir Archibald,” he explained, “whom I -should like to secure on my staff at once. I don’t want to lose even an -hour.” - -As he bade Madge Finisterre good-bye, he expressed the hope that he might -see her again soon, and the girl in reply allowed her eyes unconsciously -to express more than her words. - -“She is the most charming woman I ever met,” he told himself, as he -followed Sir Archibald into his room for the final word for which the -baronet had asked. George Carlyon had remained behind with Madge. - -“It was about the first working expenses I wanted to speak to you, Mr. -Hammond,” the baronet began. They were seated in the baronet’s room. - -“I will have fifty thousand pounds—or shall we say a hundred -thousand?—deposited, at once, in your name at—what bank?” - -“Any good bank you please, Sir Archibald, so long as the particular -branch is fairly central.” - -“Capital and Counties—how will that do?” the baronet asked, adding, “I -always bank with them myself.” - -“That will do, sir.” - -“How about the Ludgate Hill branch, Mr. Hammond?” - -“Could not be better, sir.” - -“Settled, then, Mr. Hammond!” There were a few more words exchanged -between master and man, and then they parted. - -As Tom Hammond strode along the Embankment towards Waterloo Bridge, his -heart was the heart of a boy again. - -“Is life worth living!” he cried inwardly, answering his own question -with the rapturous words: “In this hour I know nothing else that earth -could give me to make life more joyous!” - -People passing him saw his face radiant with a wondrous joy. It’s rare -to see peace, even, in faces in our great cities. It is rarer still to -see joy’s gleam. He allowed his glance to flash all around him, as he -murmured, “I am glad, too, that I am in London. Who dare say that London -is dull, or grim, or sordid? Who was it that wrote, “No man curses the -town more heartily than I, but after travelling by mountains, plain, -desert, forest, and on the deep sea, one comes back to London and finds -it the most wonderful place of them all!” - -“Ah! It was Roger Pocock, I believe, wrote that sentiment. Roger Pocock, -‘I looks towards yer, sir. Them’s my senterments!’” - -He laughed low and gleefully at his own merry mood. Then as his eyes took -in the river, the moving panorama of the Embankment, and caught the throb -of the mighty pulsing of life all about him, Le Gallienne’s lines came to -him, and, while he moved onward, he murmured: - - “London, whose loveliness is everywhere. - London so beautiful at morning light, - One half forgets how fair she is at night. - - “London as beautiful at set of sun - As though her beauty had just begun! - London, that mighty sob, that splendid tear, - That jewel hanging in the great world’s ear. - - “Ah! of your beauty change no single grace, - My London with your sad mysterious face.” - -He moved forward in a strange rapture of spirit. He forgot even -“beautiful London”; he was momentarily unconscious how he travelled -or whither. He might have been blind or deaf for all that he now saw -or heard. The drone of a blind beggar’s voice reading the Scriptures, -however, presently had power to break his trance. He paused a moment -before the man. - -“This same Jesus,” droned the blind man’s voice, “who is taken up from -you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go.” - -Hammond dropped a sixpence into the beggar’s box, and moved away, the -wonder of the words he had just heard read arresting all his previous -thoughts of his glad success. - -“Shall so come in like manner!” he murmured. “I wonder what it means?” - -The next instant a woman’s pitiful voice filled his ear, crying: - -“For the love of God, good sir, give me the price of a piece of bread.” - -He turned sharply towards her. Her face was haggard and hunger-filled; -her eyes were wells of despair. He slipped his finger and thumb into the -fob of his coat. The first coin that came to his touch was a shilling. He -dropped it into the emaciated, outstretched palm. - -The wretched creature gazed at the coin, then at him. Her lips moved, but -no words came from them. Her eyes filled with a rush of tears. He passed -on. But the incident moved him strangely. - -“If Christ,” he mused, “ever comes back to earth again, surely, surely He -will deliver it from such want and misery as that!” - -He paused and looked back at the woman. Her face was buried in her hands. -Her form was shaking with sobs. Curiosity tempted him to go back. - -As he came abreast of her, a child, a girl about nine, barefooted and -tired-looking, was saying to the woman, “What’s the matter, missis? -Wouldn’t that swell giv’ yer nuffink w’en yer arst ’im?” - -“Give me nothing?” The woman glanced down at the child. “Why, he is -kinder than Gawd, fur he give me a shilling!” - -At this Tom Hammond hurried away. - -“Kinder than God!” he murmured. “Oh, God, that we should have it in our -power to buy such happiness for so small a sum!” - -“Kinder than God” he repeated to himself. He was now mounting the granite -steps to the bridge. “Of course, one knows better; yet how difficult of -proof it would become, if one had to explain it to that poor soul, and -to the thousands like her in this great city!” - -For the first time since leaving Sir Archibald his own joy was forgotten. -The awful problem of London’s destitution had supplanted London’s beauty -in his thoughts. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -FLOTSAM. - - -“Only nine hours!” - -Tom Hammond laughed amusedly at his own murmured thought. It seemed -ridiculous almost to try to believe that only nine hours before he had -been a discharged journalist, while now he was at the head of what he -knew would be the greatest journalistic venture London—yea, the world—had -ever seen. - -He had just dined. He felt that he wanted some kind of movement, some -distraction, to relieve the tension. He was in that frame of mind when -some kind of adventure was necessary, although he did not tell himself -this, being hardly conscious of his own need. He knew that the haunts of -his fellows—club, theatre, music-hall—would only serve to irritate him. -Some instinct turned his feet riverwards. - -It was now a quarter past seven o’clock. Night had fallen upon London. -Tom Hammond crossed the great Holborn thoroughfare. The heavier traffic -of London’s commercial life had almost ceased. The omnibuses going west -were filled with theatregoers, and other pleasure-seekers. Hansoms -flitted swiftly either way, each holding a man and a woman in evening -dress. - -Having crossed the roadway, he paused for a moment at the corner of -Chancery Lane, and let his eye take in all the scene. And again Le -Gallienne came to his mind, and he softly murmured: - - “Ah! London! London! our delight, - Great flower that opens but at night, - Great city of the midnight sun, - Whose day begins when day is done. - - “Lamp after lamp against the sky - Opens a sudden beaming eye, - Leaping alight on every hand, - The iron lilies of the Strand, - - “Like dragonflies the hansoms hover - With jewelled eyes to catch the lover; - The streets are full of lights and loves, - Soft gowns and flutter of soiled doves.” - -He turned with a faint sigh, and began to pass on down Chancery Lane. - -“Oh, London!” he mused, “thy surface may be wonderful and beautiful; but -below—what are you below the surface?” - - “The human moths about the light - Dash and cling in dazed delight, - And burn and laugh, the world and wife, - For this is London, this is life! - - “Upon thy petals butterflies, - But at thy root, some say, there lies - A world of weeping, trodden things, - Poor worms that have not eyes or wings.” - -He moved onwards in the direction of the Law Courts. Presently he neared -the Waterloo Bridge approach. He had, all unrealized by himself, since he -left the restaurant where he had dined, been walking towards the river. -A moment or two after, and he was leaning on the parapet of the bridge, -looking down into the dark waters. Sluggish, oil-like in appearance, as -seen in the dull gleam of the lamps, the river moved seawards. A sudden -longing to get out upon those dark waters came to him. - -“If only——” he mused. Then, turning briskly, he came face to face with a -man in a blue guernsey, who was crossing the bridge. It was the very man -of his half-uttered thought. “If only I could run up against Bob Carter!” -he had almost said. - -“Good evening, Mister Ham’nd.” The man in the guernsey saluted with a -thick, tar-stained forefinger as he recognized Tom Hammond. - -“Good evening, Carter.” Hammond laughed as he added, “I was just wishing -I could meet you, for I felt I should like to get out on the river.” - -“I’m jes’ going as fur as Lambeff, sir. Ef yer likes ter go wif me, -you’ll do me proud, sir; yer know that, I knows!” - -A few minutes later the two men sat in Carter’s boat. Hammond, in the -stern, was steering. The man Carter, on the first thwart, manipulated the -oars. Hammond had known the man about a year. He had done him a kindness -that the waterman had never forgotten. - -“Aw’d go to ther world’s end fur yer, sir,” he had often said since. - -The man was ordinarily a silent companion, and to-night after a few -exchanged words between the pair, he was as silent as usual. - -Down the wide, turgid river the boat, propelled by Carter’s two oars, -shot jerkily, the rise and fall of the glow in the rower’s pipe-bowl -synchronizing with the lift and dip of the oars. - -Hammond enjoyed the silence. There was a weirdness about this night -trip on the river that fitted in with his mood. His brain had been -considerably overwrought that day. The quiet row was beginning to soothe -the overwrought nerves. Where he sat in the stern of the boat, he -faced the clock-tower at Westminster. The gleaming windows of the great -embankment hotels lay behind him. A myriad electric lights were on his -right hand. The gloom and darkness of the unlighted wharfage on the -Surrey side were on his left. - -Only by a waterway miracle Carter cleared an anchored barge that, defying -the laws of the river, carried no warning light. - -“Drat ’em!” growled the man Carter. “They oughter do a stretch in -Portlan’ or Dartmoor fur breakin’ the lor. There’s many a ’onest waterman -whose boat’s foun’ bottom-up, or smashed to smithereens, an’ whose body’s -foun’, or isn’t, jes, as the case may be, all becos’ they lazy houn’s is -too ’ide-boun’ to light a lamp, cuss ’em!” - -His growl died away in his throat. The glowing fire of his pipe rose and -fell quicker than ever, telling of a fierce anger burning within him. - -“Ssh!” he hissed. Hammond saw that his face was turned shorewards. He -heaved aft towards Hammond, and whispered, “Kin yer see that woman, sir?” -He jerked his chin in the direction of a line of moored barges. - -Hammond had turned his head, and could plainly discern the form of a -woman standing on the edge of the outer barge of the cluster. - -The men in the boat sat still, but watchful. - -“Do she mean sooerside, sir?” whispered Carter. “Looks like it, sir. -Don’t make a soun’.” - -Even as he spoke the woman leaped into the air. There was a low scream, a -splash, a leap of foam flashed dully for one instant, then all was still -again. - -The waterman plied his oars furiously. Hammond steered for the spot where -that foam had splashed. An instant later the boat was over the place -where the body had disappeared. Carter lay on his oars, and peered into -the darkness on one side. Hammond strained his eye on the other side. - -With startling suddenness a hand darted upwards within a foot of where -Hammond sat in the stern of the boat. In the same instant the woman’s -head appeared. Hammond reached out excitedly, and caught the back hair -of the woman, twisting his fingers securely into the knot of hair at the -back of her head. - -Carter shipped his oars, and in two minutes the wretched woman was safe -in the boat. Her drenched face gleamed white where they laid her. A low -whimpering sob broke from her. - -“Turn ’er over on her face a little, sir, while I makes the boat fast fur -a minute or two, sir,” jerked out the waterman. - -“Pore soul ov ’er!” he went on, knotting his painter to a bolt in the -stern of a barge. “She ’ave took in a bellyful of Thames water, an’ it -ain’t filtered no sort, that’s sartin!” - -Hammond had by this time turned the woman over on her face. - -Carter came aft bearing a water-beaker in his hands. - -“I’ll lift her legs, sir,” he said, “and you put this beaker under her, -jes’ above her knees; that’ll ’elp her a bit.” - -That was done, and almost instantly the woman was very sick. - -“In my locker there, sir, I’ve got a drop o’ whisky. I keeps it there fur -’mergencies like this,” said Carter. - -Hammond moved to allow the man to reach a seat-locker in the stern. The -next minute, while Hammond supported the woman, the waterman poured a -few drops of the spirit down her throat. - -She coughed and sputtered, but the draught restored her. She began to cry -in a low, whimpering way. - -“We must get her ashore, Carter,” cried Hammond. “I’ll take the oars, -and, as you know the riverside better than I do, just steer into the -nearest landing-place you know.” - -Carter leaped to the bows, cast off the painter, and hurried aft again. - -“Jes’ ’long yere, sir, there’s an old landin’ as’ll jes’ serve us. Wots -yer fink ter do wi’ the pore soul, sir—not ’and her over to the perlice?” - -“No, neither the police nor workhouse, Carter. I wish I could see her -face, and see what kind of woman she is.” - -By way of reply, Carter struck a match, and lit a small bull’s-eye -lantern. When the wick had caught light, he flashed it on the face of the -woman. - -Her eyes were closed, her face was deadly pale. Her hair was dishevelled. -But in the one flashing glance Hammond took at her, he recognized her. - -“It’s Mrs. Joyce!” he muttered half-aloud and in amazed tones. - -“Know ’er, sir?” asked the waterman. - -“A little!” he replied. “Her husband is a reporter—a drinking scamp.” - -Carter shut off the light of the bull’s-eye, at that moment. - -“We’re jes’ ’ere now, sur, so’s best not to be callin’ ’tention like wi’ -a light.” - -He steered the boat into a kind of narrow alley-way between two crazy old -wharves. - - * * * * * - -Hammond, rightly gauging the kindly heart of his landlady, had brought -the drenched woman in a cab to his lodgings. She was still in a -half-fainting condition when he carried her into the house. In two -sentences he explained the situation to the landlady, whose natural -kindness and loyalty to her lodger made her willing to aid his purpose of -rescue. - -“I will carry her up to the bath-room,” he said. “Let your girl get a cup -of milk heated as hot as can be sipped, while you bath this poor soul -quickly in very hot water. Then let her be got to bed, and have some -good, nourishing soup ready. She’ll probably sleep after that. And in the -morning—well, the events of the morning will take their own shape.” - -Half-an-hour later, as Hammond took a cup of coffee, he had the -satisfaction of knowing that the woman he had saved was in bed, and doing -well. - -“Poor soul!” he mused. “That brute of a husband has probably driven her -to this attempt on her life. I wonder what her history was before she -married, for I remember how it struck me, that day when I saw her at the -office, that she was evidently a woman of some culture.” - -It was nearly ten now. He had no desire to go out again. It wanted two -hours quite to his usual bed-time. But a strange sense of drowsiness -began to steal over him, and he went off to his bed. - -“What a day this has been!” he muttered, as he laid his head on the -pillow. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -“I ONLY REAPED WHAT I SOWED.” - - -Hammond awaited the woman whom he had saved from drowning. - -“She has slept fairly well,” the landlady told him, “and I made her eat a -good breakfast that I carried up to her myself, Mr. Hammond!” - -Now he waited to speak to her. A moment or two more, and the landlady -ushered her into the room, then slipped away. - -“How can I ever repay you, sir!” cried the woman, seizing the hand that -Hammond held out to her. - -For a moment or two her emotion was too great for further speech. Hammond -led her to an armchair and seated her. She sobbed convulsively for a -moment or two. He allowed her to sob. Presently tears came. The paroxysm -passed, the tears relieved her, and she lifted her sad, beautiful eyes to -his face. - -“You know—oh, yes, you must know, Mr. Hammond—(I recognized you last -night)—how I came to be in the water. I tried to take my life. I was -miserable, despairing! God forgive me.” - -His strong eyes were full of a rare tenderness, as he said, “But, Mrs. -Joyce, you surely know that death is not the end of all existence. I am -not what would be called a religious man, but every fibre of my inward -being tells me that death does not end all.” - -He saw a shiver pass over her, as she hoarsely replied, “I, too, realize -that this morning, Mr. Hammond. But last night the madness of an -overwhelming despair was upon me. My life had been a literal hell for -years, until yesterday I could bear it no longer. I was famished with -hunger, sick with despair, and——” - -She sighed wearily. “Perhaps,” she went on, “if you knew all I have -borne, you would not wonder at my rash, mad act.” - -“Tell me your story, Mrs. Joyce,” he said, gently. “It may relieve your -overcharged heart, and, anyhow, I will be your friend, as far as I can.” - -She sighed again. This time there was a note of relief, rather than -weariness, in the sigh. - -“My father was a well-to-do farmer,” she began, “in North Hants. I was -the only child, and I fear I was spoiled. I received the best education -possible, and loved my studies for their own sake, for culture, in all -its forms, had a strong attraction for me. I had been engaged to a young -yeoman farmer for nearly a year. I had known him all my life, and we had -been sweethearts even as children. Then there came suddenly into my life -that man Joyce, for whom I sacrificed everything. God only knows how he -contrived to exercise such an awful fascination over me as to make me -leave everyone, everything, and marry him.” - -For a moment she paused, and shuddered. Her voice, when she spoke, again, -was hollow, and full of tears. - -“I killed my father by eloping on the very eve of my arranged marriage -with Ronald Ferris. Ronald left the country as soon as he could wind up -his affairs. And I—well, here in this mighty Babylon, I have ever since -been reaping some of the sorrow I had sown. Not a penny of my father’s -money ever reached me, and that brute Joyce only married me for what he -expected to get with me. He has done his best to make earth a hell for -me, and I, in my mad blindness, last night, almost exchanged earth’s -fleeting hell for God’s eternal hell.” - -A look of shame filled her eyes as she lifted them to Hammond. - -“What you reminded me of just now, Mr. Hammond, I, deep down in my soul, -know only too well—that death does not end all. My father was a true -Christian, and a lay preacher. I have travelled with him hundreds of -times to his preaching appointments, playing the harmonium and singing -solos for him in his services. More than once the sense of God’s claim -upon me was so great as almost to compel my yielding my heart and life. -Would to God I had! But my pride, my ambitions, strangled my good -desires, and, as I said just now, I broke my father’s heart. I killed -him, and ruined all my own life, though I have no pity for myself. Then -London life, my husband’s brutality, my own misery, all helped to drive -even the memory of God from my mind.” - -“Yet,” broke in Hammond, “the Christian religion teaches that sorrow and -suffering ought to drive the possessor of the faith nearer to God.” - -There was a hint of apology in his tones as he went on: - -“Don’t misunderstand me, Mrs. Joyce; I only speak from hearsay. I have -heard parsons preach it, but I know nothing experimentally about these -things myself.” - -She smiled in a slow, sad way, and, catching her breath in a kind of -quick sob, said: “Neither have I ever known anything experimentally of -these truths. I drifted into the outward form of a correct, religious, -life. I learned to like the brightness of our chapel services, the fun of -choir practice, the merry company, the adulation heaped upon me for my -solo-singing. Then there were the tea-meetings, the service of song, and -a multitude of other mild excitements which went to brighten the monotony -of a rural existence. But of God, of Christ, of the Divine life, I fear I -knew nothing.” - -Hammond smiled inwardly as he listened to this strange confession. The -phraseology was new to him. - -“It is the shibboleth of Nonconformity, I suppose,” he told himself. “And -I suppose each section of religious society has its own outward form of -things in which it trusts, thinking, caring, nothing for the great Divine -verities that should be the true religious life.” - -He did not utter his thoughts aloud, but asked with some apparent -irrelevance, “Where is your husband, Mrs. Joyce?” - -“Off on one of his drinking bouts, or maybe, locked up for drunkenness; I -cannot say.” - -Her lifted eyes were full of beseeching, as she went on, “You will keep -secret, Mr. Hammond, all this wild, mad episode of my life. If only I -could know that the sad, mad, bad story was locked up between God and -you, your kind landlady and myself, I think I could go back and face my -misery better.” - -“Do not fear, Mrs. Joyce,” he replied quickly. “The affair shall be as -though it had never been. I can answer for Mrs. Belcher, my landlady; and -for myself I give you my word, and——” - -“God reward you, sir!” she sobbed. “Already you have given me clearer -views of Him than any minister or any sermon ever did.” - -A few moments later Mrs. Joyce rose to leave. He pressed three sovereigns -into her hand, and in spite of her tearful protestations made her take -the money. - -“If you are ever in desperate need, come to me, or write me, Mrs. Joyce, -and I will help you, if I can. Meanwhile, be assured that the little I -have done for you I would have done for any stranger, for, after all, the -human race is linked by a strange, a mighty family tie. Good-bye.” - -She wrung the hand he gave her, then with a sudden, impulsive movement -she lifted it sharply to her lips and kissed it with a tearful -passionateness. - -The next moment she was gone. His hand was wet with her tears. - -“Poor soul!” he muttered. - -Passing across the room to the window, he glanced out. She was moving -down the street. Her handkerchief was pressed to her eyes. - -“How strange,” he murmured, as he turned from the window, “are -these chance encounters in life! Like ships at sea, we sight, hail, -exchange some kind of greeting, then pass on. Do we, after all, I -wonder, unconsciously influence each other in these apparently trivial -life-encounters? If so, how? Take this episode now, for instance. Will my -encounter with that poor soul have any effect on my life, or on hers? If -so, what?” - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -LILY WORK. - - -The room we now enter is a large one. It is close under the roof of a -house in Finsbury. The man there at work pauses for a moment. - -The room is a workshop. The man is a Jew—but what a Jew! He might have -posed to an artist as a model, a type of the proudest Jewish monarch over -Israel. Face, form, stature—not even Saul or David or Solomon could have -excelled him. - -The room held the finished workmanship of his hands for the three past -years. And now, as he paused in his labour—a labour of love—for a moment, -and drew his tall form erect, and lifted his face to the window above -him, a light that was almost holy filled his eyes. - -“God of our fathers,” he murmured, “God of the Holy Tent and of the -Temple, instruct me; teach my fingers to do this great work.” - -He let his hands fall with an almost sacred touch upon the chapiter he -had been chasing. He wist not that his face shone with an unearthly -light, as for a moment his lips moved in prayer. Then quietly reaching a -thick old book from a shelf, he opened it at one of its earlier pages, -and read aloud. - -“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See, I have called by name -Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I -have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, -and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to devise cunning -works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, and in cutting -of stones, to set them, and in carving of timber, to work in all kinds -of workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him Aholiab, the son -of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: and in the hearts of all that are -wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have -commanded thee: the tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark of the -testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, and all the furniture of -the tabernacle.” - -The light—it was now almost a fire—deepened in his eyes. A rare, a rich, -cadence filled his voice as he read the holy words. His fingers moved to -the middle of the book. It easily opened at a certain place, as though it -had been often used at that page. Again he read aloud: - -“And the chapiters that were upon, the top of the pillars were of lily -work, ... and the chapiters upon the two pillars had pomegranates also -above, ... and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round about -upon the other chapiter, ... and he set up the pillars in the porch of -the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called the name thereof -Jachin (”He shall establish“); and he set up the left pillar, and called -the name thereof Boaz (”In it is strength“). And on the top of the -pillars was lily work: so was the work of the pillars finished.” - -With a reverent touch the man closed the book, replaced it on the shelf, -then, lifting his eyes again to where the cold, clear light streamed down -through the great skylight in the ceiling, he murmured: - -“How long, O Lord, shall Thy people be cast off and trodden down, and -their land, Thy land, be held by the accursed races?” - -For a moment a look of pain swept into his face. Then, as he became -conscious of the touch of his lowered hand upon the chapiter, his eyes -travelled downwards to the exquisite “lily work,” and the light of a new -hope swept the pain off his face. - -“The very fact that the time has come,” he murmured, “for us to be -preparing for the next temple, is a token from Jehovah that the day of -Messiah draweth nigh.” - -His eyes lingered a moment on the rare and beautiful workmanship, then -he took up a chasing tool and continued his toil; yet, while he worked -he kept up a running recitative of Ezekiel’s description of the great -temple—for he knew by heart all the chapters of that prophet. - -As he presently repeated the words: “And the Prince in the midst of them, -when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth,” he -lifted his eyes with a deep holy rapture shining in all his face. - -He closed his recitative with a ringing note of triumph in his voice, as -he cried, “It shall be round about eighteen thousand cubits: and the name -of the city from that day shall be Jehovah-Chammah”—“The Lord is there.” - -There was a moment of absolute silence. The graver was still, the hand -that held it might have been stone, so rigid did it become. The lips of -Abraham Cohen moved, but no other sound came from him save the words -“Jehovah was there,” and he prayed aloud. - -In the midst of his rapt devotion the door of the workroom opened. The -slight sound aroused the dreamer. He turned his face in the direction of -the door, and his eyes flashed with pleasure. - -“Ah, Zillah!” he cried in greeting. The girl he addressed closed the -door, thus shutting out the odour of frying fish. She crossed the floor -quickly, with a certain eagerness, and came towards him with a rare -grace. She was singularly beautiful, of an Eastern style of beauty. Her -complexion was of the Spanish olive tone, and her melting eyes were of -that same Spanish type. Her hair—a wondrous crown of it—was blue-black. -She had a certain plumpness of form that seemed to add rather than take -from her general beauty. She was sister to his wife. - -“Supper will be ready in five minutes, Abraham,” she began. “Will you be -ready for it?” - -He smiled down into her great black eyes. He was never very keen on his -meals. He ate to live only; he did not live to eat. She knew that, and -had long since learned that his labour of love was as meat and drink to -him. Her eyes glided past him and rested on his work. - -“It is very beautiful, Abraham!” she cried. There was reverence as well -as rapture and admiration in her voice and glance. - -“It cannot be too beautiful, Zillah,” he returned. - -Her eyes were on his work. His were on her face. He read in it the -rapturous admiration of his workmanship. - -“When will the Messiah come?” she sighed. - -“Soon, I believe!” he returned. “Jehovah rested in His creative work -after six days’ labour. A thousand years with Him are as one day. May it -not well be, then, that as there have passed nearly six thousand years -(each thousand years, representing one day) that He will presently rest -in His finished work for His people, through the coming of the Messiah, -as He did at the creation?” - -He laid his tool aside, and turned to the beautiful girl, as he continued: - -“Besides, do not our sacred books say that when three springs have been -discovered on Mount Zion, Messiah will come? Two springs have lately -been discovered by the excavators in Jerusalem, and our people out there -excitedly watch the work of these men, expecting soon the discovery of -the third spring.” - -Her eager, parted lips told how she hung upon his speech. He smiled down -gratefully into her great black lustrous eyes, though a sigh escaped him -as he said: - -“Ah! I wish Leah would only show a little of the interest in all this, -that you do, Zillah!” - -“You must not blame Leah too much, Abraham,” the girl answered quickly. -“She has her children, you know. Mother always said that if ever Leah had -babies, that there would be nothing else in the world for her except the -babies. Besides, Abraham, no two of us are constituted alike, and Leah is -what the Gentiles about here call happy-go-lucky. But, Abraham, tell me -more of what you think of Messiah’s coming. Leah’s five minutes will be -sure to run to a quarter of an hour.” - -“I do think Messiah is coming soon,” cried the young fellow excitedly. -“Who knows? Perhaps when the Passover comes again, and we set His chair, -and open the door for Him to enter, that He will suddenly come. Did I -tell you, Zillah, about the date discovery at Safed, in Palestine?” - -“No, what is it?” The girl’s face glowed with a strange earnestness, her -voice rang with it. - -“Safed,” he went on, quickly, “is a little town to the north-west of -Galilee. Our Rabbi there has discovered from our sacred books, that -Messiah’s coming, and the overthrow of our enemies, will be in the -year five thousand six hundred and sixty-six—nineteen hundred and six -according to the Gentile reckoning. Our Father Moses, and all the -children of Israel sang, when Jehovah delivered them from the Red -Sea:—‘Yea, by the force of Thy swelling waves hast Thou demolished those -who arose against Thee. Thou didst discharge Thy wrath, it devoured -them up like stubble.’ Our Rabbis—and even the Christian Gentile -teachers—agree that the deliverance of our race from Pharaoh, and the -destruction of his hosts, picture our race’s future as well as its past. -And the numerical value of ‘Thou shalt overthrow’ (part of those two -song-stanzas I have just repeated) gives the date I have mentioned as the -time of our deliverance from all our troubles, when Messiah shall come.” - -There was a sudden clatter of little feet outside at that moment, and a -boy and a girl burst into the room. - -“What do you think, father?” cried the boy, with the excited -impulsiveness of a child bursting with news. “A boy—he’s a Gentile, of -course—whom I know says that Messiah has come, that the cursed Nazarene -was He, and that——” - -“We will go to supper, Reuben, and you and I will talk about that another -time.” Cohen spoke quietly to his boy. He had his own reasons for -checking the subject at that time. - -His aunt caught the boy’s hand, and danced with him out of the room. -Rachel, the little girl, a wondrous miniature of Zillah, clung to her -father, and the whole family trooped off to wash their hands before the -meal. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -AN INTERESTING TALK. - - -“The Courier” was now an established fact. As a newspaper it was as much -a revelation to the journalists as to the general public. London had -taken to it from the first moment of its issue. The provinces, instead -of following their usual course of waiting to see what London did, took -their own initiative, and adopted the new paper at once. Every instinct -about the ideal paper, felt and nursed during the waiting years by Tom -Hammond, had been true instinct. He had always felt them to be true; now -he realized the fact. He was a proud man, a happy man. - -One curious feature of the new journal had attracted much attention, -even before the publication of the first issue. In his “Foreword,” as he -had termed it, in a full page announcement that appeared in three of the -leading London dailies, Tom Hammond had said: - -“An important feature of the ‘Courier’ will be the item or items (as the -case may be) which will be found each day under the heading, ‘From the -Prophet’s Chamber.’ A greater man than the editor of ‘The Courier’ once -said, ‘Every editor of a newspaper ought to have a strain of the seer in -his composition. He ought to have the gift of prophecy up to a certain -point. He ought to be so thoroughly conversant with the history of his -own and every other nation that when history is on the point of repeating -itself—as it has a habit of doing,—he may not be caught altogether -napping.’ It is the unexpected that happens, we say. - -“True, but there are many of the so-called happenings of the unexpected -that to the spirit of the seer will have been expected and more than -half-prophesied. - -“Now, while we propose that the whole tone of ‘The Courier’ shall show -the spirit of the seer in a measure, we shall endeavour to make the -particular column to which we are now alluding essentially new. In it -we shall deal with every class of subject likely to prove mentally -arrestive to our readers, and shall make it prophetic up to the limits -of our capacities as man, citizen and editor. How far the possession of -the quality of the seer will be found in us we must leave the future—and -our readers—to decide. But we certainly anticipate that ‘The Prophet’s -Chamber’ column will be one of the most popular features of what we shall -aim to make the most popular paper of the day.” - -Tom Hammond was no believer in luck. He had left nothing to chance in the -production of his paper. There was not a department left to subordinates -which he did not personally assure himself was being carried out on the -best, the safest, lines. For weeks he literally lived on the spot where -his great paper was to be produced, taking his meals and sleeping at an -hotel close by the huge building that housed “The Courier.” - -He saw very little of Sir Archibald Carlyon during these weeks, and -nothing at all of George, or the fair American, Madge Finisterre. George -was in Scotland; Madge on the Continent. - -His thoughts often turned to the American girl, and his eye brightened -and his pulse quickened whenever he heard of her from Sir Archibald. - -Once he had been permitted by Sir Archibald to read a gossipy letter sent -by her to the old baronet. He laughed over a quotation in that letter. - -“I am not like the Chicago girl,” she wrote, “of whom our Will Carleton -writes, who, telling all about her tour in ‘Urop,’ says, - - “Old Scotland? Yes, all in our power, - We did there to be through; - We stopped in Glasgow one whole hour, - Then straight to ‘Edinborough.’ - At Abbotsford we made a stay - Of half-an-hour precisely. - (The ruins all along the way - Were ruined very nicely.) - - “We ‘did’ a mountain in the rain, - And left the others undone, - Then took the ‘Flying Scotchman’ train, - And came by night to London. - Long tunnels somewhere on the line - Made sound and darkness deeper; - No; English scenery is not fine - Viewed from a Pullman sleeper. - - “Oh, Paris! Paris! Paris! ’Tis - No wonder, dear, that you go - So far into ecstasies - About that Victor Hugo! - He paints the city, high and low, - With faithful pen and ready. - (I think, my dear, I ought to know, - We drove there two hours steady.”) - -“I feel,” Madge had written, “that one wants a life-time to ‘do’ the -Continent.” - -Tom Hammond’s thoughts often flew to the gay girl. This morning, having -seen a review of Carleton’s latest book of ballads, he had been reminded -of her, and he laid down his pen a moment, as he gave himself up to a -little reverie about her. An announcement aroused him. - -“Miss Finisterre and Mr. Carlyon, sir.” - -He smiled to himself. “Talk of angels, etc.,” he mused. - -The next moment he was greeting his callers. Madge Finisterre looked, in -Tom Hammond’s eyes, more radiant now than ever. - -“Fancy, Mr. Hammond,” she laughed, when the greetings were over, “George -and I met at Dover! He had come south to see a friend off from Dover, and -was on the pier when I landed from the Calais boat. We’ve been down to -that dear old country house, but I wanted to do some shopping, and to see -how you looked as editor-in-chief and general boss of the biggest daily -paper in the world.” - -Tom Hammond’s eyes flashed with a pleased light at her confession, which -implied that she had thought of him, even as he had thought of her. He -noted, too, how an extra shade of colour warmed the clear skin of her -cheeks as she made her confession. - -“Because,” she went on, “all the world declares that ‘The Courier’ is the -premier paper of the world, and everyone who is anyone—in the know of -things, I mean—knows that Mr. Tom Hammond is ‘The Courier.’” - -The talk, for a few minutes, was “shop.” - -“You don’t go in for a column of comic,” Madge presently said. “If you -did, I could give you an item, we, George and I, heard in the train as we -ran up to town. There were two of your English parsons in our carriage, -talking in that high-faluting note that always reminds me of your -high-pitched church service,—‘dearly-beloved-brethren’ note. - -“Well, the two parsons were telling yarns one against the -other—chestnuts were cheap, I assure you,—and one of them told a story -he tacked on to General Booth—the last time I heard it, it was told of -Spurgeon. He said that the General was going down Whitechapel, and, -seeing the people pouring into a show, and wondering what there was so -powerfully attractive to the masses in these shows, he determined to go -into this particular one. It was advertised as a ‘Museum of Biblical -Curiosities.’ Just as he got in, the showman was exhibiting a very rusty -old sword, and saying, - -“‘Now, yere’s a werry hinterestin’ hobject. This is the sword wot Balaam -’it ’is hass wiv, ’cos ’ee wouldn’t go.’ Booth speaks up, and says, - -“‘Hold hard there, my friend; you’re getting a little mixed. Balaam -hadn’t got a sword. He said, “Would that I had a sword.”’ - -“‘That’s all right, guv’nor,’ cried the showman; ‘this is the sword ’ee -wished ’ee ’ad.’” - -The girl’s mimicry of the coster-showman’s speech was inimitable, and the -two men laughed as much at her telling as at the tale itself. - -George Carlyon got up from his seat, saying, “But I say, you two, do you -mind if I leave you to amuse each other for an hour? I want, very much, -to run down to the club. I’ll come back for you, Madge, or meet you -somewhere.” - -“Bless the boy!” she laughed. “Do you think I was reared in an incubator, -or in your Mayfair? Haven’t you learned that, given a Yankee girl’s got -dollars under her boots to wheel on, it ain’t much fuss for her to skate -through this old country of yours, nor yet through Europe, come to that, -even though she has no more languages under her tongue than good plain -Duchess county American. I told the ‘boys’ that before I left home.” - -George Carlyon laughed, as, accepting his release, he nodded to the pair -and left the room. - -It was a strangely new experience to Tom Hammond, to be left alone with a -beautiful and charming woman like Madge Finisterre. - -The picture she made, as she moved round the room looking at the framed -paintings, all gifts from his artist friends, came to him as a kind of -revelation. When he had met her that day in the Embankment hotel, he -had been charmed with her beauty and her frank, open, unconventionality -of manner. He had thought of her many times since—only that very day, a -moment before her arrival,—thought of her as men think of a picture or a -poem which has given them delight. But now he found her appealing to him. - -She was a woman, a beautiful, attractive woman. She suggested sudden -thoughts of how a woman, loved, and returning that love, might affect his -life, his happiness. - -Her physical grace and beauty, the exquisite fit of her costume, the -perfect harmony of it—all this struck him now. But the woman in her -appealed strongest to him. - -“Awfully good, this sketch of street arabs!” she turned to say, as she -stood before a clever bit of black-and-white drawing. - -An end of a lace scarf she was wearing caught in a nail in the wall. He -sprang forward to release the scarf. It was not readily done, for his -fingers became infected with a strange nervousness. Once their hands met, -their fingers almost interlocked. A curious little thrill went through -him. He lifted his eyes involuntarily, and met her glance. A warm colour -shot swiftly into her face. And he was conscious at the same moment that -his own cheeks burned. - -“I guess I’ll sit down before I do any more mischief,” she laughed. - -Woman-like, she was quicker to get at ease than he was. - -“Do you know, Mr. Hammond,” she went on, as she seated herself in a -revolving armchair, “I just wanted very much to see how you were fixed up -here, and how you looked now that you are a big man.” - -He made a deprecatory little gesture. - -“Oh, but you are a really great man,” she went on. “I have heard some big -people talk of you, and say——” - -She leaned back, and smiled merrily at him, as she went on, - -“Well, I guess if there’s only a shadow of truth in the old saying, then -your ears must often have burned.” - -Madge Finisterre gave the chair in which she was sitting a half twist. - -“Why don’t you British people go in for rockers?” she asked. “I simply -can’t enjoy your English homes to the full, for want of a good rocker, -wherever I go.” - -An indiarubber bulb lay close to his hand. He pressed it without her -noting the movement. A clerk suddenly appeared. Hammond looked across at -Madge, with an “Excuse me, Miss Finisterre, one moment.” - -He drew a sheet of notepaper towards him. The paper was headed with “The -Courier” title and address. - -“Send me, at once, unpacked and ready for immediate use, the best -American drawing-room rocking-chair you have in stock. Send invoice, cash -will follow,” etc. - -That was what he wrote. He enclosed it in an envelope, then on a separate -slip of paper he wrote:— - -“Take a cab, there and back, to Wallis’s, Holborn Circus. See how smart -you can be; bring the chair, ordered, back with you.” - -From his purse he took a four-shilling piece, and gave the young fellow -the note, the slip of instructions, and the coin. - -As the attendant left the room, he turned again to Madge, who, utterly -unsuspicious of the errand on which he had sent his employee, was amusing -herself with a copy of “Punch.” She looked up from the paper as the door -closed. - -“I like ‘The Courier’ immensely, Mr. Hammond,” she cried. There was a -rare warmth of admiration in her tone. - -“Thank you, Miss Finisterre!” His eyes said more than his words, “what do -you specially like in it?” he asked; “or is your liking of a more general -character?” - -“I do like it from a general standpoint,” she replied; “I think it the -best paper in the world. But especially do I like your own particular -column, ‘From a Prophet’s Chamber.’ But, Mr. Hammond, about the Jew—you -are going in strong for him, aren’t you?” - -“From the ordinary newspaper point, yes,” he said. “I cannot quite -recall how my mind was first switched on to the subject, but I do know -this—that the more I study the past history of the race, and the future -predictions concerning it, the more amazed I am, how, past, present, and -future, the Jews, as a nation, are interwoven with everything political, -musical, artistic—everything, in fact. And I wonder, equally, that we -journalists, as a whole—I speak, of course, as far as I know my kinsmen -in letters—should have thought and written so little about them. - -“Take their ubiquitousness, Miss Finisterre,” went on Hammond. “There -does not appear to have been an empire in the past that has not had its -colony of Jews. By which I do not mean a Ghetto, simply, a herding of -sordid-living, illiterate Hebrews, but a study colony of men and women, -who, by sheer force of intellect, of brain power, have obtained and -maintained the highest positions, the greatest influence. - -“Why, in China, even, isolated, conservative China, before Christ was -born in Bethlehem, the Jews were a prosperous, ubiquitous people, -worshipping the one God, Jehovah, amidst all the foulness of Chinese -idolatries.” - -Madge Finisterre listened with rapt interest. The man before her, fired -with his subject, talked marvellously. A good listener helps to make a -good talker, and Tom Hammond talked well. - -“It is not simply that they practically hold the wealth of the world in -their hands, that they are the world’s bankers, but they are dominating -our press, our politics.” - -With glowing picture of words he poured out a flood of wondrous fact and -illustration, winding up presently with: - -“Then you cannot kill the Jew, you cannot wipe him out. Persecution has -had the effect of stunting his growth, so that the average Britisher is -several inches taller than the average Jew. But the life of the Hebrew -is indestructible. Sometimes of late I have asked myself this question, -as I have reviewed the history of the dealings of so-called Christianity -with the Semitic race—Has Christianity been afraid of the Jews, or why -has she sought to stamp them out?” - -The pair had been so engrossed with their talk that they had lost all -count of time. A half-hour had slipped by since Tom Hammond had sent his -messenger to Wallis’s. The young fellow suddenly appeared at the door. - -“Got it, Charlie?” - -Without waiting for a reply to his question, the editor bounded from his -seat and passed outside. Thirty seconds later the door opened again, and -he appeared, bearing a splendid rocker in his arms. - -Before she fully realized the wonder of the whole thing, Madge found -herself seated in the rocking-chair. Swaying backwards and forwards, and -blushing and smiling, she cried: - -“You are a wonderful man, Mr. Hammond!” - -“You said you could never fully enjoy our English houses for want of a -rocker. Now, however ‘angelic’ your visits to this room may be, you shall -have one inducement to slip in—a rocker.” - -She was beginning her thanks again, when he interrupted with: - -“But, excuse me, Miss Finisterre, what about some tea? Shall we go out -and get some, or would you prefer that I should order it in here?” - -“Oh, here, by all means! I can have tea at a restaurant every day of -my life, but with a real London lion—a real live editor—and in his own -special den. Why, it may never fall to my lot again. Oh, here, by all -means!” she cried, excitedly. - -He squeezed that rubber bulb again. To the lad Charlie, who appeared, he -gave a written order to a neighbouring restaurant. Twenty minutes later -the tea was in the room. - -Madge officiated with the teapot. Hammond watched her every movement. -A truly pretty, graceful girl never looks handsomer to a man than when -presiding at a tea-table. Tom Hammond thought Madge had never looked more -charming. The meal was a very enjoyable one, and as she poured out his -second cup he paid her a pretty compliment, adding: - -“To see you thus, Miss Finisterre, makes one think what fools men are not -to——” - -He paused abruptly. She flashed a quick glance of enquiry at him. - -“Not to what, Mr. Hammond?” - -“I wonder,” he replied, “if I ought to say what I left unsaid?” - -“Why not?” she asked. - -“I don’t know why I should not,” he laughed. “I was going to say that, to -have a bright, beautiful, graceful woman like Madge Finisterre pouring -out tea for him, makes a man think what a fool he is not to marry.” - -His tone and glance were alike full of meaning. She could not mistake -him. Her colour heightened visibly. Her eyes drooped before his ardent -gaze. The situation became tense and full of portent. - -The opening of the door at that instant changed everything. George -Carlyon had returned. At the same moment a wire was brought to Hammond, -together with a sheaf of letters—the afternoon mail. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -“COMING.” - - -George Carlyon’s entrance, the arrival of the afternoon mail, and the -telegram gave Madge Finisterre an opportunity to escape. George Carlyon -was anxious to leave, and Madge rose at once to accompany him. - -Tom Hammond did not press them to stay, for he, too, felt awkward. The -friends shook hands. The eyes of Madge and Hammond met for one instant. -Each face flushed under the power of the other’s glance. - -When the door had closed upon them, Tom went back to his old place by the -table, his eyes involuntarily sweeping the whole apartment. He smiled as -he suddenly realized how empty the room now seemed. His glance rested -upon the tea-tray, and he rang for the lad Charlie. - -“Clear all this away, Charlie, please,” he began. Then with a smile he -said, “You will find a capital cup of tea in that pot.” - -The boy grinned. At his first glance at the tray he had mentally decided -that he would be able to have a rare feast. A couple of minutes, and the -boy had gone. - -Tom Hammond gathered up his mail, and was about to drop into his ordinary -seat, when he remembered the rocker. With a smile at Madge’s occupancy of -the chair, he dropped into it. - -For fully five minutes he sat still thinking, reviewing all the -circumstances of the peculiar situation upon which the unexpected coming -of George Carlyon had broken. He asked himself whether he was really in -love with the fair Madge, and whether he would have proposed to her if -her cousin had not so unexpectedly turned up? He made no definite reply -to his own questioning, but turned to his mail. - -The telegram he had opened at once on its receipt. He turned now to the -letters. He had opened all but two. The last one was addressed in a -woman’s hand-writing. Breaking the envelope, he took out the letter, and -turned first to the signature on the fourth page. - -“Millicent Joyce,” he read. “Millicent Joyce?” he repeated. Unconsciously -he had laid his emphasis on the “Millicent,” and he forgot the “Joyce.” - -But suddenly it came to him that the letter was from Mrs. Joyce, the -woman whom he had helped to save from drowning on the night of that -memorable day when the great chance of his life had come to him. - -“Poor soul!” he muttered. “I wonder what she has written about?” The next -instant he was reading the letter. - -Tom Hammond cast his eyes over the letter which Mrs. Joyce had sent him, -and which ran thus: - - “Dear Sir, - - “I gave you my word that if ever I was in special trouble or - need I would write, or come to you for help. - - “I did not promise you, however, that if any great joy or - blessing should come to me, that I would let you know. I don’t - think I believed any joy could ever possibly come into my life - again. But joy and wondrous gladness have come into my life, - and in an altogether unexpected way. - - “You will remember how I said to you in parting, that morning, - that your strong, cheery words had given me a clearer view of - God than any sermon I had ever listened to. That impression - deepened rather than diminished when I got home. My husband, - I heard, had been sent to Wandsworth Prison for a month, for - assaulting the police when drunk. - - “And in this month of quiet from his brutalities, the great joy - of my life came to me. I began to attend religious services - from the very first night after my return home. I went to - church, chapel, mission hall, and Salvation Army. - - “One night I went to the hall of the Mission for Railway Men. A - lady was speaking that night, and God found me, and saved me. - All that I had ever heard from my dear father’s lips, when he - preached about conversion, came back to me, and that night I - passed from death to life. - - “The subject of the address was ‘The Coming of the Lord.’ I - listened in amazement as the lady speaker declared that, for - this age, God evidently meant that this truth of the near - coming of Christ should have almost, if not quite, the most - prominent place in all public preaching. - - “I was startled to hear her say that there were nearly three - hundred direct references to the second coming of Christ in the - Gospels and Epistles, and that there were thus more than double - the number of references to that subject than even to that of - salvation through the blood of the Atonement. - - “With her Bible in her hand, she turned readily to a score of - passages as illustrations of her statement, and all through her - address she never made a statement without backing it up by - Scripture. One thing she said laid a tremendous grip upon me, - and led me to an immediate decision for Christ: she said, ‘How - often is the possibility of sudden death advanced by a preacher - as an incentive to unsaved souls to yield to God! - - “‘But how poor an argument is that compared with the near - approach of Christ! Sudden death might come to one person in - a congregation before twenty-four hours, but in a sense, that - would touch that one person only. But if Christ came to take up - His people from the earth—the dead in Christ from their graves, - the living from their occupations, etc.,—this would affect - every unsaved soul in every part of the country, of the world, - even.’” - -Tom Hammond paused in his reading. - -“What on earth can she mean?” he murmured, under his breath. Then he went -on from the letter: - - “I gave myself up to God there and then, Mr. Hammond, and am - seeking now to live so that, should Christ come, even before I - finish this letter, I may be ready to be caught up to meet Him - in the air.” - -Hammond paused again. - -“What can the woman mean?” he murmured again. With the letter held in -his hand, his eyes became fixed upon space, his mind was searching for -something that he had recently heard or read bearing on this strange -topic. The clue seemed almost within grasp, yet for awhile he could not -recall it. - -Suddenly it came to him. A volume of poems had been sent to him for -review, amid the excitement of the second day’s issue of “The Courier.” -He had glanced rapidly through the book, had written a brief line for his -paper, acknowledging the receipt of the book, and promising to refer to -it fully at some later date. - -“That book,” he mused, “had something in it about—about——” - -He got up from the rocker, took his place at his table, then wheeled -about slowly in his revolving chair, and began searching his book-case. -In an instant his keen eye picked out the volume he sought. He wheeled -round again to his table, the book in his hand. - -He turned a moment to the title-page. “Ezekiel and Other Poems,” he read. -“By B. M.” - -“B. M.,” he mused, “Whom have I heard writes under those initials? Ah! I -remember! Mrs. Miller.—Barbara Miller.” - -He ran the gilt-edged leaves rapidly through his practised fingers, his -quick eye catching enough of the running pages to satisfy him. Suddenly -he paused in his search. His eye had lit upon what he sought, and he -began to read: - - “COMING.” - - “At even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the - morning.” - - “It may be in the evening, - When the work of the day is done, - And you have time to sit in the twilight - And watch the sinking sun, - While the long, bright day dies slowly - Over the sea, - And the hour grows quiet and holy - With thoughts of Me; - While you hear the village children - Passing along the street, - Among those thronging footsteps - May come the sound of My feet. - - “Therefore I tell you, ‘Watch,’ - By the light of the evening star, - When the room is growing dusky - As the clouds afar; - Let the door be on the latch - In your home, - For it may be through the gloaming - I will come.” - -He paused in his reading for a moment, for, like a voice near by, the -drone of that blind beggar’s reading came to him, as he had heard it that -day on the embankment. - -“This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go.” - -“I remember,” he mused, “how that sentence arrested me. My mind was -utterly pre-occupied a moment before, but that wondrous sentence pierced -my pre-occupation.” - -His eyes dropped to the poem again, and he read on:— - - “It may be when midnight - Is heavy on the land, - And the black waves lying dumbly - Along the sand; - When the moonless night draws close, - And the lights are out in the house; - When the fires burn low and red, - And the watch is ticking loudly - Beside the bed. - Though you sleep, tired out, on your couch, - Still your heart must wake and watch - In the dark room; - For it may be that at midnight - I will come.” - -He read rapidly, but more eagerly interested each moment. The next -section he scarcely paused upon, but the fourth he lingered over, and -then read it the second time: - - “It may be in the morning, - When the sun is bright and strong, - And the dew is glittering sharply - Over the little lawn; - When the waves are laughing loudly - Along the shore, - And the little birds sing sweetly - About the door; - With the long day’s work before you, - You rise up with the sun, - And the neighbours come in to talk a little - Of all that must be done: - But remember that I may be the next - To come in at the door, - To call you from your busy work - For evermore. - As you work, your heart must watch, - For the door is on the latch - In your room, - And it may be in the morning - I will come.” - -He read on with a strange, breathless interest the next two pages of -poem, then, with a sudden sense of hush upon him, he went carefully over -the concluding lines: - - “So I am watching quietly - Every day. - Whenever the sun shines brightly, - I rise and say, - ‘Surely it is the shining of His face!’ - And look unto the gates of His high place - Beyond the sea, - For I know He is coming shortly - To summon me. - And when a shadow falls across the window - Of my room, - Where I am working my appointed task, - I lift my head to watch the door, and ask - If He is come; - And the angel answers sweetly - In my home: - ‘Only a few more shadows, - And He will come.’” - -The face of Tom Hammond, as he laid down the book, was full of a strange, -new perplexity. “Strange, very!” he muttered. “Do you know Joyce, Mr. -Simpson?” Hammond asked a reporter. “He used to be on the staff of the——” - -“‘Daily Tatler,’” cried the man. “Knew him well years ago, sir. Old -school-fellows, in fact. Got wrong with the drink, sir. Gone to the -dogs, and——” - -“Have you seen or heard anything of him this last month, Mr. Simpson?” - -“Yes, sir. He’s grown worse than ever. Magistrate at Bow Street, -committing him for three days, said fellow ought to be put in Broadmoor. -Pity his poor wife, sir. Perfect lady, sir.” - -“You know Mrs. Joyce, then?” Hammond queried. - -The reporter sighed, “Rather, sir! Wished a thousand times I could have -had her for a wife, and he’d had mine. I should have had a happier life. -And he——” - -The man laughed grimly. “Well, he’d have had a tartar!” - -Hammond had heard something about the shrewish wife Simpson had -unfortunately married. But he had learned all he wanted to know, so -dismissed the poor, ill-married fellow. - -“I think I must call upon Mrs. Joyce, and learn more about this strange -matter of the coming Christ,” he told himself. - -He copied the address from the head of the letter into his pocket-book, -then turned to the last letter of his mail. - -This proved to be a comparatively short letter, but, to Hammond, a -deeply-interesting one. It was signed “Abraham Cohen,” and the writer -explained that he was a Jew, who had taken the “Courier” from the very -first number, and had not only become profoundly interested in the recent -utterances of the editor in the “Prophet’s Chamber” column, but he had, -for some days, been impressed with the desire to write to the “Prophet.” - - “Will you pardon me, sir,” the letter went on, “if I say that - it would be to your immense advantage, now that your mind has - become aroused to the facts and history of our race, if you - would get in touch with some really well-read, intelligent - Jew who knows our people well, knows their history, past, - present, and future, as far as the latter can be known from our - Scriptures and sacred books. Should you care to fall in with my - suggestion, I should be pleased to supply you with the names - and addresses of several good and clever men of our people. - - “Yours obediently, - - “ABRAHAM COHEN.” - -As he folded the letter slowly, Hammond told himself that there was -something in the letter that drew him towards the writer. - -“I will hunt him up, for it is evident that he is as enthusiastic over -his people’s history as he is intelligent. I will see what to-morrow -brings. Now to work.” - -He put Cohen’s letter in his pocket, and turned to the hundred and one -editorial claims upon his time. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -REVERIE. - - -In spite of the time of the year, the evening was almost as warm as -one in June. Madge Finisterre was on one of the wide hotel balconies -overlooking the Embankment. She had dined with her cousin, George -Carlyon, but instead of going out of town that evening with him—he had -pressed her strongly to go,—she had elected to spend a quiet evening -alone. - -London’s roar, subdued a little, it is true, at that hour, rose all -around her where she sat. The cup of coffee she had brought to her, -cooled where it stood upon the little table at her elbow. She had -forgotten it. - -Her mind was engrossed with the memory of the latter part—the interrupted -part—of that interview with Tom Hammond that afternoon. - -“What would have happened if George Carlyon had not turned up at that -moment?” she mused,—“if we had been left alone and undisturbed another -five minutes?” - -Her cheeks burned as she whispered softly to herself: - -“I believe Tom Hammond would have proposed to me. If he had, what should -I have replied?” - -A far-away look crept into her eyes. She was back again in the little -town where she had been “reared,” as she herself would have said. We -have many villages in England larger, more populous, more busy, than her -“town,” but, then, the people of her land talk “big.” - -Before her mind’s eye there rose the picture of her father’s store, a -huge, rambling concern built of wood, with a frontage of a hundred feet, -and a colonnade of turned wooden pillars that supported a verandah that -ran the whole length. - -Every item of the interior of the store came vividly before her mind, -the very odour of the place—a curious blend of groceries, drapery, rope, -oils and colours, tobacco,—seemed suddenly to fill her nostrils. And in -that instant, though she scarcely realized it, the first real touch of -nostalgia came to her. - -She saw the postal section of the store littered with men, all smoking, -most of them yarning. One after another dropped in, and, with a “Howdy, -all?” dropped upon a coil of white cotton rope, or lounged against a -counter or cask. “Dollars” and “cents” floated in speech all around, -while the men waited for the mail. It was late that night. - -A week before she had sailed for England, she had gone down to the store, -as she had gone every evening about mail-time, and, entering at the end -nearest her home, she had come upon the scene that had now so suddenly -risen before her mind’s eye. She had traversed all the narrow alley-way -between the stored-up supplies, from which the various departments were -stocked, singing as she went: - - “The world is circumbendibus, - We’re all going round; - We have a try to fly the sky, - But still we’re on the ground. - We every one go round the sun, - We’re moving night and day; - And milkmen all go round the run - Upon their Milky Way.” - - “We’re all circumbendibus, - Wherever we may be. - We’re all circumbendibus, - On land or on sea. - Rich or poor or middling, - Wherever we are found, - We’re all circumbendibus, - We’re all going round.” - -She had punctuated the chorus with a series of jerked steps, her high -heels striking the wooden floor in a kind of castanet accompaniment. -Every waiting man had risen to his feet as she came upon them in that -post-office section, and she had answered their rising with a military -salute. - -In the great mirror that ran from floor to ceiling of the store, she had -caught a glimpse of herself. She recalled, even now, exactly what she -was wearing that evening—a white muslin frock, a very wide sash of rich -silk—crushed strawberry colour—about her waist, the long ends of the sash -floating behind her almost to the high heels of her dainty bronze shoes. -A knot of the same-hued ribbon, narrow, of course, with streamers flying, -was fastened at her left shoulder. Her wide-brimmed hat was trimmed with -the same colour. She had known that she made a handsome picture before -she read the light of admiration in the eyes of the post-office loungers. - -“Have you heard the news, boys?” she asked. - -“Aw, guess we hev, Miss Madge.” - -It was Ulysses Fletcher who had acted as spokesman. - -In some surprise, and not altogether pleased, she had wheeled sharply -round to the lantern-jawed Ulysses and asked, - -“How did you hear the news, Ulysses? Dad didn’t tell you, I’m sure, for -he promised me I should tell you all myself.” - -“Met a coon down to the depot, an’ I guess he wur chuck full o’ it, an’ -’e ups an’ tells me.” - -“A coon told you?” she had cried in ever-increasing amazement. - -“Sartin, Miss Madge!” - -“A coon!” she had repeated. “A coon—told you—down at the depot—that—I -was—going—to Europe next week!” - -Every eye had stared in wondering astonishment at Madge Finisterre at -her announcement that she was going to Europe. Then there was a general -laugh, and one of the smartest of the “boys” had cried:— - -“I low there’s been a mistake some, Miss Madge, an’ that, too, all roun’. -Fact is, we’ve been runnin’ two separate tickets over this news business, -an’ thought it wur one an’ the same. We wur talkin’ ’bout Seth Hammond’s -herd o’ hogs as wur cut up by the Poughkeepsie express ’smarnin’.” - -She had joined in the laugh, and then in reply to the question of another -of the men, as to whether it was really true that she was going to -“Urop,” she had replied in the affirmative, adding, by way of explanation: - -“I guess you all know that my momma is British, that she belonged to what -the Britishers call, ‘the Quality’. She was the youngest sister of Sir -Archibald Carlyon, was travelling over here, out west, when she was about -my age, got fixed up in an awkward shop by half-breeds, and was rescued -by my dear old poppa. Fact, that’s how he came to be my poppa, for she -married him. Spite of her high connections in England, she was very poor, -and she loved dad. If dear momma could only face the water journey, -she’d go over with me.” - -“Air you goin’ alone, Miss?” one of the boys had asked. - -Then—how well she remembered it to-night!—she had given the answer, part -of which she had given to George Carlyon that very day: - -“Oh, I’ll git all right, boys, you can bet on that, without anyone -dandying around me. For I guess if there’s one thing the Britishers are -learning about our women, it’s this—that if a United States gel’s got -dollars under her boots to wheel around on it ain’t much fuss for her to -skate through their old country, nor yet through Europe, come to that, -even if she has no more language under her tongue than good, plain, -Duchess county American.” - -With a merry smile, for which there had been no scrambling, since it was -shed upon them all, she had passed on to where she knew she would find -her father, ringing her boot-heels, castanet fashion, as she sang lightly: - - “Mary’s gone wid a coon, - Mary’s gone wid a coon; - Dere’s heaps o’ trubble on de ole man’s min’ - Since Mary flit wid de coon.” - -How vividly it all came up before her in this hour of quiet reverie! But -her mind flitted swiftly to another scene, one that had been hanging in -the background of all her thought ever since (thinking of Tom Hammond -and the interrupted conversation,) she had been reminded of home and its -happenings. - -There had been a Donation Party for their pastor (Episcopalian Methodist) -at the house of one of the members on the very night of the store scene. -Madge had gone, of course. Balhang was wont to say that a Donation Party -simply could not be run without her. - -Sitting on that Embankment hotel balcony, with eyes fixed on the lamps, -the river, the bridge, the traffic yet seeing nothing of it all, that -Donation Party all came back to her. Things had been a bit stiff and -formal at first, as they often are at such gatherings. - -The adults sat around and talked on current topics—how much turkeys would -fetch for Thanksgiving, whether it would pay best to sell them plucked or -unplucked, what would folks do for cranberries for Thanksgiving, since -the cranberry crop had failed that year—“An’ turkey wi’out cranberry -ain’t wuth a twist o’ the tongue.” - -“An’ squash,” suggested one old man. “What’s turkey wi’out squash? I’d -most so soon hev only Boston” (i. e., pork and beans) “fur dinner as ter -go wi’out squash wi’ turkey.” - -The young folk had been “moping around” like draggled chickens on a wet -day when the barn-door is shut. Then, at this juncture, Madge had burst -upon the scene. She swam into the largest room, swirling round and round -with a kind of waltz movement, to the accompaniment of her own gay voice -as she sang: - - “I said, ‘My dear, I’m glad!’ - Said she, ‘I’m glad you’re glad!’ - Said I, ‘I’m glad you’re glad I’m glad, - It is so very, very nice; - It makes it seem worth twice the price, - So glad you’re glad I’m glad!’” - -With a gay laugh she had turned to the hostess, saying; - -“Things want hustling a bit here, Miss Julie. Everyone is as glum as a -whip-poor-will that is fixed up with the grippe.” - -In the quiet of that corner of the hotel balcony she smiled at these -remembrances of her nonsense that night. She had started the young people -playing their favourite games of “Whisper,” “Amsterdam,” etc., in two or -three of the smaller rooms; then had raced away again to the room where -the adults were sitting squarely against the wall, as grim as “brazen -images.” Dropping on to the piano stool, she struck a few soft, tender -notes, suggestive of some very gracious hymn, then suddenly broke into -song: - - “Oh, dat’s so! Oh, dat’s so! - Dar is nuffing ’neath de moon dat’ll satisfy dis coon. - Like a K—I—double S, kiss, - Since dat Cupid, wid his dart, made a keyhole in my heart - For dat M—I—double S, miss.” - -Behind a corner of the curtain the young pastor had watched and listened. -He had thought his presence unknown to her. He was mistaken. - -For three-quarters of an hour she had been the life of that room. Then, -suddenly, as she was singing at the piano, the room grew very quiet. She -was aroused by a voice just behind her ear, saying: - -“Miss Finisterre, are you going to supper with this first batch, or will -you wait the next turn?” - -Turning, she found herself face to face with the young pastor, the room -being otherwise empty. His gaze was very warm, very ardent. She had -flushed under the power of that gaze. - -She had railed him on his extra seriousness, and he had answered, - -“Don’t, Madge! you must know why I am grave and sad, to-night.” (He had -never called her Madge before.) - -“No, I don’t,” she had replied. - -“In less than a week,” he went on, “so I have heard to-night, you leave -Balhang. You are going to Europe, and will be away long months, perhaps a -year.” - -She had gazed at him in honest wonder, not fully grasping his meaning. - -“Why,” she asked, “should that make you sad?” - -He had leaned closer towards her. There was no one to see them. The heavy -door-curtain had slipped from its hook, and shut them in. Where her hand -rested on the rounded, polished arm of the piano, his larger hand had -moved, and her white fingers were clasped in his larger ones. His eyes -had sought hers, and, under the hypnotic power of the strong love in his -eyes, she had been compelled to meet his gaze. - -“I thought, dear, you must have seen how, for a long time, I had learned -to love you, Madge.” - -His clasp on her fingers had tightened. He had leaned nearer to her -still. No man’s face, save her father’s, had ever been so close to hers -before, and the contact strangely affected her. She felt the warmth of -his breath, the heat of his clean, wholesome flesh; even the scent of the -soap he had used—or was it some perfume in his clothing?—filled all her -sense of smell. - -The perfume was violet, and she remembered to-night how, for many a day, -she could not smell violets without recalling that moment, and seeing -again the strong, earnest, eager face, with the fire of a mighty love -burning in the eyes. - -To-night she heard again the yearning, pleading voice as he had cried: -“Madge, Madge, my darling! Can you ever guess how great is my love for -you? Tell me, dear, do you, can you, love me in return? Will you be my -wife? Will you come into all my life to bless it? And let me be wholly -yours to help, to bless, to strengthen, to love, to cherish you? Tell me, -darling!” - -And she had cried, almost piteously: - -“I don’t know how to answer you, pastor. It is all so sudden. I knew, of -course, that we were great friends, and I am sure I like you very much, -but—this proposal! Why, I never dreamed that you cared for me like that, -for how could I be a minister’s wife? I am such a gay, thoughtless, -foolish little thing—I——” - -There had followed more tender pleading, and she had finally said, “If -you love me, Homer, as you say you do, please do not bother me any more -now. Wait until I come back from Europe—then—then——” - -“What, Madge?” he had cried softly, eagerly. - -“If I can honestly say ‘Yes,’” she had replied, “I will and I will not -even wait for you to ask me again.” - -He had bent over her. His gaze held her fascinated. She thought he was -going to take toll of her lips before his right was confirmed. But at -that instant there had come a rush of feet, a sound of many voices. The -curtain was flung aside, just as her fingers strayed over the keys of the -instrument, and the pastor succeeded in regaining his old unseen nook. - -“I guess Miss Julie’s waitin’ fur yer, Miss Madge, ter go ter yer -supper,” bawled an old deacon of the church. - -She had swept the ivory keys with rollicking touch, and sang in gayest -style: - - “Allow me to say Ta-ta! - I bid you good-day. Ta-ta! - I wish I could stay, - But I’m going away. - Allow me to say Ta-ta!” - -Amid the uproarious laughter of everyone in the room, she had bounded -away to supper. - -Except for one moment, when she was leaving the house for home, and -he had helped her on with her cloak, the pastor had not spoken again -directly to her that evening. He had managed then to whisper, - -“God bless you, my darling! I shall pray for you, and live on the hope I -read in your eyes to-night.” - -It was all this which had risen so strangely before her mind, as -to-night, on that hotel balcony, she had begun to ask herself how much -she really cared for Tom Hammond, and what answer she would have given -him had he proposed to her that afternoon. - -“I told pastor,” she murmured, “that night, that I was not sure of -myself. I am no nearer being sure of myself now than I was then.” - -The scene with Hammond rose up before her, and she added: “I am less -sure, I think, than ever!” - -She gazed fixedly where the double line of lamps gleamed on the -near-distant bridge. For a moment she tried to compare the two lives—that -of an American Methodist pastor’s wife, with endless possibilities of -doing good, and that of the wife of a comparatively wealthy newspaper -editor-manager. - -“Should I like to marry a popular man?” she asked herself. “I read -somewhere once that popular men, like popular actors, make bad husbands, -that they cannot endure the tameness of an audience of one.” - -She laughed low, and a little amusedly, as she added, “Oh, well, Tom -Hammond has not asked me to marry him. Perhaps he never will—and—well, -‘sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.’ Pastor once preached from -that, I remember.” - -The night had grown cooler. She shivered a little as she rose and passed -into the lighted room beyond. - -Two hours later, as she laid her head upon the pillow, she murmured, “I -don’t see how I could marry the pastor! Why, I haven’t ‘got religion’ -yet. I am not ‘converted,’ as these Britishers would say!” - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -A THREAT. - - -Tom Hammond paused before the house that bore the number at the head of -Mrs. Joyce’s letter. It was in a mean street, and his soul went out in -pity towards the unfortunate woman, who, with all her refinement, was -compelled to live amid such squalid surroundings. - -“And heart-starved, too,” he mused, pityingly. “Heart-starved for the -want of love, of sympathy, of the sense of soul-union that makes life -with a married partner at all bearable.” - -“Yus, sir; Mrs. Joss lives yere. Top floor, lef’ ’and side. Yer kin go -hup!” - -A child had opened the door in response to his knock. Following the -directions given, Tom Hammond climbed the dirty stairs. On the top -landing were two doors. The one on the right was fast shut; that on the -left was ajar a few inches. His approach did not seem to have been heard. -Mrs. Joyce, the only occupant of the room, was seated at a bare deal -table, sewing briskly. - -He stretched out his hand to tap at the door, but some impulse checked -him for a moment. He had the opportunity to observe her closely, and he -did so. - -She sat facing the window; the light shone full upon her. She was dressed -in a well-worn but well-fitting black gown. Round her throat—how pure and -white the skin was!—she wore a white turnover collar, like a nurse, white -cuffs at her wrists completing the nurse idea. Her hair—she had loosened -it earlier because of a slight headache—hung in clustering waves on her -neck, and was held back behind her ears with a comb on either side. There -was a rare softness and refinement in the pale face that drooped over -her sewing. Seen as Tom Hammond saw her then, Mrs. Joyce was a really -beautiful woman. - -He gazed for a few moments at the picture, amazed at the rapidity of her -sewing movements. - -“The tragedy of Tom Hood’s ‘Song of the Shirt,’” he muttered, as he -watched the gleam of the flying needle. - - “Oh, men with sisters dear! - Oh, men with mothers and wives! - It is not linen you’re wearing out, - But human creatures’ lives! - Stitch, stitch, stitch, - In poverty, hunger, and dirt, - Sewing at once, with a double thread, - A shroud as well as a shirt.” - -Under the magnetic constraint of his fixed gaze the woman looked towards -the door. She recognized her visitor, and with a little glad cry started -to her feet. Tom Hammond pushed the door open and entered the room. She -sprang to meet him. - -Now that he saw her, he realized the expression of her face had changed. -Heaven—all the heaven of God’s indwelling pardon, love, peace, had come -to dwell with her. All that she had said in her letter of her new-found -joy, was fully confirmed by her looks. - -“How good of you to come to see me, Mr. Hammond!” she cried, as she felt -the clasp of his hand. - -“How good of you to write me of your new-found happiness!” He smiled back -into her glad, eager eyes. - -He took the chair she offered, and with a question or two sought to lead -her on to talk of the subject about which he had come to see her. - -“The very title of the subject,” Hammond explained, “is perfectly foreign -to me.” - -“It was all so, _so_ foreign to me,” she returned. Then, as swift tears -flooded her eyes, she turned to him with a little rapturous cry, saying,— - -“And it would all have been foreign to me for ever, but for _you_, Mr. -Hammond. I never, _never_ can forget that but for you my soul would have -been in a suicide’s hell, where hope and mercy could never have reached -me. As long as I shall live I shall never forget the awful rush of -soul-accusation that swept over me, when my body touched the foul waters -of that muddy river that night. The chill and shock of the waters I did -_not_ feel, but the chill of eternal condemnation for my madness and sin -I did feel. - -“I saw all my life as in a flash. All the gracious warnings and pleadings -that ever, in my hearing, fell from my sainted father’s lips, as he -besought men and women to be reconciled to God, seemed to swoop down -upon me, condemning me for my unbelief and sin. Then—then you came to my -rescue—and——” - -Her tears were dropping thick and fast now. - -“And—my soul—had respite given in which to—to—seek God—because—you saved -my body.” - -Overcome with her emotion, she turned her head to wipe away the grateful -tears. When next she faced him, her voice was low and tender, her eyes -glowed with a light that Tom Hammond had never seen in a human face -before. - -“Now, if my Lord come,” she said softly, rapturously, “whether at -morning, at noontide, at midnight, or cock-crowing, I shall be ready to -meet Him in the air. - -“I used to think that if ever I was converted, I should meet my dear -father and mother at the last day, at the great final end of all things. - -“But now I know that if Jesus came for His people to-day, that I should -meet my dear ones to-day. For when ‘the Lord Himself shall descend from -heaven ... the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive -and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet -the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.’” - -Tom Hammond gazed at the speaker in wonder. The glory that filled her -face, the triumph and rapture that rang in her voice, were a strange -revelation to him. - -“A starvation wage for making slop-shirts,” he mused, “yet more than -triumphing over every discomfort of poverty by the force of the divine -hope that dominates her! What is this hope?” - -“Tell me of this wondrous thing, Mrs. Joyce,” he said, aloud, “that can -transmute your poverty and suffering to triumph and rapture, and your -comfortless garret to a heaven on earth.” - -“Before I begin,” she replied, “tell me, Mr. Hammond, have ever you seen -this?” - -From the window-shelf she reached a tiny envelope booklet. - -“‘Long Odds’!” he said, reading the boldly-printed title of the book. -“No; I have never seen this. It sounds sporting, rather.” - -“Take it, Mr. Hammond,” she went on; “if it does nothing else, it will -awaken your interest in this wonderful subject.” - -He slipped the book into his breast-pocket. She opened her mouth to speak -again, when a sound from outside caught her ear. She started to her feet; -her face turned deadly pale. The next instant the door was flung noisily -open, and her husband entered the room. - -The blear-eyed, drunken scoundrel glared at the two seated figures, then -laughed evilly as he cried,— - -“Turned religious? Oho! oho! Like all the rest of your religious people, -make a mantle—a regular down-to-your-feet ulster—of your religion to -cover every blackness and filthiness of life.” - -“Silence, you foul-mouthed blackguard!” - -Tom Hammond’s lips were white with the indignation that filled him, as he -flung his command to the man. - -“Silence yourself, Tom Hammond!” bellowed the drunken scoundrel. “I know -you,” he went on. “You’re a big bug now! Think no end of yourself, and of -your messing paper. Perhaps you’ll say you came to invite me to join your -staff, now that I’ve caught you here?” - -His sneering tone changed to one of bitterest hate, as he turned to the -white, trembling woman. - -“You’re a beauty, ain’t you? Profess to turn saint; then, when you think -I’m clear away, you receive visits from fine gentlemen! Gentlemen? bah! -they’re——” - -“Silence, you drunken, foul-mouthed beast!” again interrupted Tom Hammond. - -There was something amazing in the command that rang in the indignant -tones of his voice. - -“Unless,” he went on, “you want to find yourself in the grip of the law.” - -For a moment or two Joyce was utterly cowed! then the devil in him reared -its head again, and he hissed, - -“You clear out of here, and remember this; if I have to keep sober for a -year to do it, I’ll ruin you, Tom Hammond, I will!” - -He laughed with an almost demoniacal glee, as he went on: - -“I can write a par yet, you know. I’ll dip my pen in the acid of -hate—hate, the hate of devils, my beauty—and then get Fletcher to put -them into his paper. He’s not in love with the ‘Courier,’ or with Tom -Hammond, the Editor.” - -“You scurrilous wretch!” It was all that Hammond deigned to reply. - -“Good day, Mrs. Joyce!” he bowed to the white-faced woman. - -For her sake he did not offer to shake hands, but moved away down the -stairs. - -He caught a hansom a few moments after leaving the mean street. He -had purposed, when he started out that morning, to hunt up his other -correspondent, the Jew, Abraham Cohen. But after the scene he had just -witnessed, he felt quite unwilling to interview a stranger. - -“I wish,” he mused, as he sat back in the hansom, “I had not gone near -that poor soul. I am afraid my visit may make it awkward for her.” - -His eyes darkened as he added: “And even for myself. It will be very -awkward if that drunken brute puts his threat into execution—and he -_will_, I believe. Innuendo is a glass stiletto, which, driven into the -victim’s character, into his heart and then snapped off from the hilt, -leaves no clue to the striker of the blow. And a demon like that Joyce, -playing into the hands of a cur like Fletcher, may slay a fellow by a -printed innuendo, and yet the pair may easily keep outside the reach of -the law of libel.” - -For the first time since the floating of the “Courier,” his spirits -became clouded. - -“Then, too,” he muttered, “there is this sudden breakdown of Marsden, -and, for the life of me, I don’t know where to look for a fellow, whom -I could secure at short notice, who is at all fit for the ‘Courier’s’ -_second_.” - -His face had grown moody. His eyes were full of an unwonted depression. - -“If only,” he went on, “Bastin had been in England, and were to be got——” -He sighed. There was perplexity in the sigh. - -“Where on earth can Ralph be all these years?” he muttered. - -He glanced out of the cab to ascertain his own whereabouts. In two -minutes more he would be at the office. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -IN THE NICK OF TIME. - - -As Tom Hammond’s cab drew up at the office, another hansom drew up a yard -ahead of his. The occupant alighted at the same instant as did Hammond, -and glanced in his direction. Both men leaped forward, their hands were -clasped in a grip that told of a very warm friendship. Like simultaneous -pistol shots there leaped from their separate lips,— - -“Tom Hammond!” - -“Ralph Bastin?” - -The friends presently passed into the great building, arm linked in arm, -laughing and talking like holiday school-boys. - -“Not three minutes ago, as I drove along in my cab, I was saying, ‘Oh! if -only I could lay my hand on Ralph!” - -They were seated by this time in Tom Hammond’s room. - -“Why? What did you want, Tom—anything special?” the bronzed, travelled -Bastin asked. - -“Rather, Ralph! My second, poor Frank Marsden, has broken down suddenly; -it’s serious, may even prove fatal, the doctors say. Anyway, he won’t be -fit (if he recovers at all) for a year or more.” - -He leaned eagerly towards his friend as he spoke, and asked, - -“Are you open to lay hold of the post?” - -“Yes.” - -“When?” - -“To-morrow, if you like!” - -“Good!” - -Hammond stretched his hand out. Bastin grasped it. Then they talked over -terms, duties, etc. - -“But you, man?” said Hammond, when the last bit of shop had been talked. -“Where have you been? What have you been doing?” - -“Busy for an hour, Tom?” Bastin asked, by way of reply. - -“No!” - -“Come round to my diggings, then; not far—Bloomsbury. We can talk as we -go. I shall have time to give you a skeleton of my adventures, to be -filled in later. Then, when we get to my hang-out, I can tell you, when -you have seen _her_, the story of my chief adventure, for it concerns -her.” - -Hammond flashed a quick, wondering glance at his friend. - -“_Her!_” he said; “are you married, then?” - -“No,” laughed Bastin, “but I’ve adopted a child. But come on, man!” - -The pair left the office. In the cab, talking very rapidly, Bastin gave -the skeleton sketch of his wanderings, but saying no word of the promised -great adventure. - -Tom Hammond never forgot the first sight of his friend’s adopted child. -There was a low grate in the room, a blazing fire of leaping, flaming -coals in the grate. Curled up in a deep saddle-bag armchair was the -loveliest girl-child Hammond had ever seen. - -She must have been half asleep, or in a deep reverie, but as the two men -advanced into the room she sprang from the chair, and, with eyes gleaming -with delight, bounded to meet Bastin. Wreathing her arms about his neck, -she crooned softly over him some tongue of her own. - -She was loveliness incarnated. Her eyes, black as sloes, were big, round, -and wide in their staring wonder at Hammond’s appearance. Her hair was a -mass of short curls. She was dark of skin as some Spanish beauty. - -Her costume lent extra charm to her appearance; for she wore a long, -Grecian-like robe of some light, diaphanous ivory-cream fabric, -engirdled at the waist with a belt composed of some sort of glistening -peacock-green shells, buckled with frosted silver. The simple but -exquisite garment had only short shoulder-sleeves, and was cut low -round the throat and neck, and finished there—as were the edges of the -shoulder-sleeves—with a two-inch wide band of sheeny silk of the same -colour as the shells of her belt. The opening at the neck of the robe -was fastened with a brooch of frosted silver of the same pattern, only -smaller, as the buckle of the belt. - -From beneath the silk-bound hem of her robe there peeped bronze slippers, -encasing the daintiest little crimsoned-stockinged feet ever used for -pedalling this rough old earth’s crust. - -Bastin introduced the child. She gave Tom her hand, and lifted her -wondrous eyes to his, answering his question as to her health in the -prettiest of broken English he had ever heard. - -A moment or two later the three friends were seated—Tom and Bastin in -armchairs opposite each other, the child (Viola, Bastin had christened -her) on a low stool between Bastin’s knees. - -“Shall we use the old lingo—French?” Bastin asked the question in the -Bohemian Parisian they had been wont to use together years before. - -“As you please, Ralph,” Hammond replied. - -“I have told you hurriedly something of where I have been,” Bastin began. -“But I have reserved my _great_ story until I could tell it to you -here——” He glanced down at the child at his feet. “I heard,” he went on, -“when at La Caribe—as everyone hears who stays long in the place—that -each year, in spite of the laws of the whites, who are in power, a child -is sacrificed to the Carib deities, and I longed to know if it were true. - -“During my first few week’s sojourn on the little island of Utilla, I was -able to render one of the old priests a service, which somehow became so -exaggerated in his eyes that there was almost literally nothing that he -would not do for me, and eventually he yielded to my entreaties to give -me a chance to see for myself the yearly sacrifice, which was due in a -month’s time. - -“During that month of waiting I made many sketches of this wonderful -neighbourhood, and became acquainted with this little Carib maiden, -painting her in three or four different ways. The child became intensely -attached to me, and I to her, and we were always together in the daytime. - -“As the time drew near for the sacrifice I noticed that the little one -grew very elated, and there was a new flash in her eyes, a kind of -rapturous pride. I asked her no question as to this change, putting it -down as girlish pride in being painted by the ‘white prince,’ as she -insisted on calling me. - -“I need not trouble you, my dear fellow, with unnecessary details of how -and where the old priest led me on the eventful night, which was a black -as Erebus, but come to the point where the real interest begins. - -“It was midnight when at last I had been smuggled into that mysterious -cave, which, if only a tithe of what is reported be half true, has been -damned by some of the awfullest deeds ever perpetrated. My priest-guide -had made me swear, before starting, that whatever I saw I would make no -sign, utter no sound, telling me that if I did, and we were discovered, -we should both be murdered there and then. - -“We had hardly hidden ourselves before the whole centre of the cave -became illuminated with a mauve-coloured flame that burned up from a -flat brass brazier, and seemed like the coloured fires used in pantomime -effects on the English stage. By this wonderful light I saw a hundred -and fifty or more Carib men and women file silently into the cave, and -take up their positions in orderly rows all round the place. When they -had all mustered, a sharp note was struck upon the carimba, a curious -one-stringed instrument, and the circles of silent savages dropped into -squatting position on their heels. Then the weirdest of all weird music -began, the instruments being a drum, a flute, and the carimba. - -“But my whole attention became absorbed by the grouping in the centre of -the room—the fire-dish had been shifted to one side, and I saw a hideous -statue, squatted on a rudely-constructed, massive table, the carved hands -gripping a bowl that rested on the stone knees of the image. The head of -the hideous god was encircled with a very curious band, that looked, from -where I stood, like bead and grass and feather work. The face—cheeks and -forehead—was scored with black, green and red paint, the symbolic colours -of that wondrous race that once filled all Central America. - -“In the back part of the wide, saucer-like edge of the bowl which rested -on the knees of the statue, there burned a light-blue flame, and whether -it was from this fire, or from the larger one that burned in the wide, -shallow brazier on the floor, I cannot positively say, but a lovely -fragrance was diffused from one or the other. - -“Before this strange altar stood three very old priests, while seven -women (sukias,) as grizzled as the men, stood at stated intervals about -the altar. One of these hideous hags had a dove in her hand; another -held a young kid clasped between her strong brown feet; a third held the -sacrificial knife, a murderous-looking thing, made of volcano glass, -short in blade, and with a peculiar jagged kind of edge; another of these -hags grasped a snake by the neck—a blood-curdling-looking tamagas, a -snake as deadly as a rattle-snake. - -“Opposite the centre-man of the three old priests stood a girl-child, -about ten years of age, and perfectly nude. During the first few moments -the vapourous kind of smoke that was wafted by a draught somewhere, from -the fire-pan on the floor of the cave, hid the child’s features, though -I could see how beautiful of form she was; then, as the smoke-wreath -presently climbed straight up, I was startled to see that the child was -my little friend. - -“In my amaze I had almost given vent to some exclamation, but my old -priest-guide was watching me, and checked me. - -“My little one’s beautiful head was wreathed with jasmine, and a garland -of purple madre-de-cacoa blossoms hung about her lovely shoulders. - -“Suddenly, like the barely-audible notes of the opening music of some -orchestral number, the voice of one of the priests began to chant; in -turn the two other priests took up the strain; then each of the seven -hags in their turn, and anon each in the first circle of squatting -worshippers, followed by each woman in the second row: and in this order -the chant proceeded, until, weird and low, every voice was engaged. - -“Suddenly the combined voices ceased, and one woman’s voice alone rose -upon the stillness; and following the sound of the voice, I saw that it -was the mother of my little native child-friend. I had not noticed her -before—she had been squatting out of sight. Hers was not the chant of -the others, but a strange, mournful wail. It lasted about a minute and -a-half; then, rising to her feet, she gently thrust the child forward -towards the altar, then laid herself face down on the floor of the cave. - -“The little one leaned against the edge of the altar, and taking up, with -a tiny pair of bright metal tongs, a little fire out of the back edge of -the bowl on the knees of the god, she lighted another fire on the front -edge of the bowl, her suddenly-illuminated face filled with a glowing -pride. - -“Then, at a signal from the head priest, the child lifted her two hands, -extended them across the altar, when they were each seized by the two -other priests, and the beautiful little body was drawn slowly, gently -over, until the smooth breast almost touched the sacrificial fire she had -herself lighted. - -“Then I saw the woman who had held the knife suddenly yield it up to the -head priest, and I made an unconscious movement to spring forward. - -“My guide held me, and whispered his warning in my ear: yet, even though -I must be murdered myself, I felt I dared not see that sweet young life -taken. - -“Like a man suffering with nightmare, who wants to move, but cannot, I -stood transfixed, fascinated, one instant longer. But in that flashing -instant the head priest had swept, with lightning speed, the edge of that -hideous knife twice across the little one’s breast, and she stood smiling -upwards like one hypnotized. - -“The priest caught a few drops of the child’s blood, and shook them into -the bowl of the god; then I saw the little one fall into her mother’s -arms; there was a second sudden flashing of that hideous knife, a -piteous, screaming cry, and I gave vent to a yell—but not _voice_ to -it,—for the watching guide at my side clapped one hand tightly over my -mouth, while with the other he held me from flying out into the ring of -devils, whispering in my ear as he held me back, - -“‘It is the goat that is slain, not the child.’ - -“Another glance, and I saw that this was so; one flash of that obsidian -sacrificial blade across the throat of the kid had been enough, and now -the blood was being drained into the bowl of the god. - -“I need not detail all the other hideous ceremonies; they lasted for -nearly two hours longer, ending with a mad frenzied dance, in which all -joined save the priests and the mother and child. - -“Every dancer, man and woman, flung off every rag of clothing, and -whirled and leaped and gyrated in their perfect nudity, until, utterly -exhausted, one after another they sank upon the floor. - -“Then slowly they gathered themselves up, reclothed themselves, and left -the cave. And now some large pine torches were lighted, and my guide drew -me further back, that the increased glare might not reveal our presence, -and I saw the curious ending to this weird night’s work. The priests -and their seven women sukias opened a pit in the floor of the cave by -shifting a great slab of stone, and lowered the idol into the pit. The -remains of the kid, the sacrificial knife, and the dove were dropped into -the bowl of blood that rested on the knees of the idol; then the sukia -that had held the tamagas snake during the whole of those hideous night -hours, dropped the writhing thing into the bowl, and the slab was lowered -quickly over the pit, every seam around the slab being carefully filled, -and the whole thing hidden by sprinkling loose dust and the ashes from -the fire over the spot. - -“Then, as soon as the last of the performers had cleared the cave, I -followed my guide, and with a throbbing head, and full of a sense of -strange sickness, I went to the house where I was staying. - -“I lay down upon my bed, but could not sleep; and as early as I dared I -went round to my little Martarae’s home—Martarae was her native name. Her -mother met me, said that the child would not come out in the sun to-day, -that I might see her for a moment if I pleased, but that she was not very -well. - -“Sweet little soul! I found her lying on her little bed, with a proud -light in her eyes, and a very flushed face. - -“A fortnight later the light flesh wounds were healed. She showed me her -breast, confided to me the story, and asked me if I did not think she had -much to be proud of. - -“‘Will you keep a secret?’ I asked her. She gave me her promise, and I -told her how I had seen the whole thing, and all my fears for her. - -“A week later she was orphaned. Her mother was stung by a deadly -scorpion, and died in an hour, and I made the child my care. - -“She has travelled everywhere with me ever since, and you see how fair -and sweet she is, and how beautifully she speaks our English. She is -barely twelve, is naturally gifted, and is the very light of my life.” - -“Would she let me see her breast, Ralph, do you think?” Hammond asked. - -Bastin smiled, and spoke a word to the child, and she, rising to her feet -and smiling back at him, unfastened the broach at her throat, and, laying -back her breast-covering, showed the gleaming, shiny scars. Then as she -re-covered her chest, she said softly: - -“Ralph has taught me that those gods were evil; but though I shall ever -wear this cross in the flesh of my breast, I shall ever love the Christ -who died on the world’s great cross at Calvary.” - -“It is a most marvellous story, Ralph,” he said tearing his eyes away -from the child’s clear, searching gaze. - -“The more marvellous because absolutely true,” returned Bastin. - -Then, addressing Viola, and relapsing, of course, into English for her -sake, he explained who Tom Hammond was, and that he (Ralph) was going to -be associated with him on the same great newspaper. - -“Mr. Hammond and you, Viola, must be real good friends,” he added. - -“Sure, daddy!” the girl said smilingly; “I like him much already——” - -She lifted herself slightly until she rested on her knees, and stretching -one hand across the hearthrug to Tom Hammond, she laid the other in her -guardian’s, as she went on: - -“Mr. Hammond is good! I know, I know, for his eyes shine true.” - -A ripple of merry laughter escaped her, as she gazed back into her -guardian’s face, and added: - -“But you, daddy, are always first.” - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -“LONG ODDS.” - - -For a wonder, Tom Hammond could not sleep. Usually, when the last thing -had been done, and he was assured that everything was in perfect train -for the morning’s issue, he ate a small basin of boiled milk and bread, -which he invariably took by way of a “night-cap,” then went to bed, and -slept like a tired ploughman. But to-night slumber would have none of him. - -“It must be the various excitements of the day,” he muttered. “That story -of Ralph’s Caribbean child was enough to keep a fellow’s brain working -for a week. Then there was meeting Ralph so unexpectedly, just, too, when -I so lusted for his presence and help. Then there was that Joyce item——” - -His mind trailed off to the scene of the morning, every item of it -starting up in a new and vivid light. Suddenly he recalled the booklet -Mrs. Joyce had given him. - -“I can’t sleep,” he murmured; “I’ll find that thing and read it.” - -His fingers sought the electric switch. The next moment the room was full -of light. He got out of bed, passed quickly through to his dressing-room, -found the coat that he had worn that morning, and secured the booklet. - -He went back again to bed, and, lying on his elbow, opened the dainty -little printed thing and began to read thus: - - “LONG ODDS” - -“You don’t say so! Where on earth has she gone?” - -“I can’t say, sir, but it’s plain enough she _is_ missing. Hasn’t been -seen since last night when she went up to her room.” - -I _was_ put out, I own; my man on waking me had informed me that the -cook was missing; she had gone to bed without anything being noticed -amiss, and was now nowhere to be found. She was always an odd woman, but -a capital cook. What had become of her? The very last sort of person to -disappear in this way—a respectable elderly Scotchwoman—really quite a -treasure in the country; and the more I thought of it while I dressed, -the more puzzled I became. I hardly liked to send for the police; and -then again it was awkward, very—people coming to dinner that day. It was -really too bad. - -But I had scarcely finished dressing when in rushed my man again. I do so -dislike people being excited, and he was more than excited. - -“Please, sir, Mr. Vend has come round to see you; his coachman has -gone—went off in the night, and hasn’t left a trace behind, and they say -the gardener’s boy is with him.” - -“Well,” said I, “it is extraordinary; tell Mr. Vend I’m coming; stay, -I’ll go at once.” - -It was really past belief—the three of them! After an hour’s talk with -Vend, no explanation offered itself, so we decided to go to town as usual. - -We walked down to the station, and saw at once something was wrong. Old -Weeks, the stationmaster, was quite upset: his pointsman was missing, and -the one porter had to take up his duty. However, the train coming up, we -had no time to question him, but jumped in. There were three other people -in the compartment, and really I thought I was going off my head when I -heard what they were discussing. Vend, too, didn’t seem to know if he was -on his head or his heels. It was this that startled us so: “What can have -become of them all?” - -I heard no more. I really believe I swooned, but at the next station—a -large one—we saw consternation on every face. I pinched myself to see if -I was dreaming. I tried to persuade myself I was. Vend looked ghastly. A -passenger got in; he did not look quite so dazed as some did, but savage -and cross. For a time none spoke; at last someone said aloud—I don’t -think he expected an answer— - -“What on earth’s become of them?” and the cross looking man, who got in -last, growled out, - -“That’s the worst of it; they are not _on earth_, they are gone. My boy -always said it would be so; from the very first moment I heard it, I knew -what had happened; often he has warned me. I still have his voice ringing -in my ears. - -“‘I tell you, in _that night_ there shall be two men in one bed: the one -shall be taken, and the other shall be left.’ (Luke xvii. 34.) - -“I know only too well ‘_that night_’ was _last_ night. I’ve often prayed -for it without thinking, and so I daresay have you: ‘Thy kingdom come.’ -It makes me so savage I don’t know what to do.” - -Now, I was an atheist, and did not believe the Bible. For the last thirty -years (I am past fifty) I had stuck to my opinions, and when I heard men -talk religious trash I invariably objected. - -But this seemed altogether different. I tell you, for a thousand pounds -I couldn’t have said a word. I just hoped it would all turn out a dream, -but the further we went, the more certain it became that we were all -awake, and that by some unaccountable visitation of Providence a number -of people had suddenly disappeared in the night. - -The whole of society was unhinged; everybody had to do somebody’s else’s -work. For instance, at the terminus, a porter had been put into Smith’s -stall, as the usual man was missing. Cabs were not scarce, but some -of those who drove them seemed unlicensed and new to their work. The -shutters in some of the shops were up, and on getting to my bank I heard -the keys had only just been found. - -Everyone was silent, and afraid lest some great misfortune was coming. -I noticed we all seemed to mistrust one another, and yet as each fresh -clerk, turned up late, entered the counting-room, a low whisper went -round. The chief cashier, as I expected, did not come. The newspapers no -one cared to look at; there seemed a tacit opinion that _they_ could tell -us nothing. - -Business was at a standstill. I saw that very soon. I hoped as the day -wore on that it would revive, but it did not. The clerks went off without -asking my permission, and I was left alone. I felt I hated them. I did -not know what to do. I could not well leave, else they might say the bank -had stopped payment, and yet I felt I could not stay there. Business -seemed to have lost its interest, and money its value. I put up the -shutters myself, and at once noticed what a change had come over the City -while I had been at the bank. _Then_ all were trying to fill the void -places; _now_ it seemed as if the attempt had failed. - -In the City some of the streets had that dismal Sunday appearance, -while a few houses had been broken into; but in the main thoroughfares -there was a dense mass of people, hurrying, it struck me, they knew not -where. Some seemed dazed, others almost mad with terror. At the stations -confusion reigned, and I heard there had been some terrible accidents. I -went into my club, but the waiters had gone off without leave, and one -had to help oneself. - -As evening came on, I saw the lurid reflection of several fires, but, -horrible to say, no one seemed to mind, and I felt myself that if the -whole of London were burnt, and I with it, I should not care. For the -first time in my life I no longer feared Death: I rather looked on him as -a friend. - -As the gas was not lit, and darkness came down upon us, one heard cries -and groans. I tried to light the gas, but it was not turned on. I -remembered there was a taper in the writing-room. I went and lit it, but -of course it did not last long. I groped my way into the dining-room, -and helped myself to some wine, but I could not find much, and what I -took seemed to have no effect; and when I heard voices, they fell on me -as if I were in a dream. They were talking of the Bible, though, and it -now seemed the one book worth thinking of, yet in our vast club library I -doubt if I should have found a single copy. - -One said: “What haunts me are the words ‘Watch therefore.’ You can’t -_watch_ now.” - -I thought of my dinner party. Little had I imagined a week ago, when I -issued the invitations, how I should be passing the hour. - -Suddenly I remembered the secretary had been a religious fanatic, and -I made my way slowly to his room, knocking over a table, in my passage, -with glasses on it. It fell with a crash which sounded through the house, -but no one noticed it. By the aid of a match I saw candles on his writing -table and lit them. Yes! as I thought, there was his Bible. It was open -as if he had been reading it when called away, and another book I had -never seen before lay alongside of it—a sort of index. - -The Bible was open at Proverbs, and these verses, being marked, caught my -eye: - -“Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched out My hand and -no man regarded; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when -your fear cometh.” - -I had never thought before of God laughing—of God mocking. I had fancied -man alone did that. Man’s laughing had ended now—I saw that pretty plain. - -I had a hazy recollection of a verse that spoke of men wanting the rocks -to fall on them; so looked it up in the index. Yes, there was the word -“Rock,” and some of the passages were marked with a pencil. One was Deut. -xxxii. 15: “He forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock -of our Salvation.” - -Perhaps he marked that passage after he had had a talk with me. How -well I remember the earnestness with which he pressed salvation upon -me that day—explaining the simplicity of trusting Christ and His blood -for pardon—and assuring me that if I only yielded myself to the Lord I -should understand the peace and joy he talked about. But it was no use. I -remember I only chaffed him, and said mockingly that his God was a myth, -and time would prove it, and he answered, - -“Never. ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Word shall not pass -away.’ He may come to-night.” - -I laughed and said, “What odds will you take? I lay you long ones.” - -Another passage marked was 1 Samuel ii. 2, “Neither is there any rock -like our God,” and lower still “Man who built his house upon a rock.” - -I had no need to look that out. I knew what it referred to, and then my -eye caught Matt. xxvii. 51, “The earth did quake, and the rocks rent.” -That was when Christ died to save sinners, died to save me—and yet I had -striven against Him all my life. I could not bear to read more. I shut -the book and got up. There were some texts hanging over the fireplace: - -“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted -out.”—Acts iii. 19. - -“The blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanseth us from all sin.”—1 John i. -7. - -“Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”—2 Cor. -vi. 2. - -As I turned to leave the room these caught my eye, and I said, “Well, I -have been a fool.” - -Tom Hammond looked up from the little booklet,—a look of bewilderment was -in his eyes, a sense of blankness, almost of stupefaction, in his mind. -Like one who, half stunned, passes through some strange and wondrous -experience, and slowly recalls every item of that experience as fuller -consciousness returns, he went, mentally, slowly over the story of the -little book. - -“The verisimilitude of the whole story is little less than startling,” he -murmured. His eyes dropped upon the book again, and he read the last line -aloud: “Well, I have been a fool.” - -Slowly, meditatively, he added: “And I, with every other otherwise sane -man who has been careless as to whether such things are to be, am as big -a fool as the man in that book!” - -He laid the dainty little messenger down on the table by his bedside. His -handling of the book was almost reverential. Reaching to the electric -lever, he switched off the light. He wanted to think, and he could think -best in the dark. - -“Of course, I know _historically_,” he mused, “all the events of the -Christ’s life, His death, His resurrection, and—and——Well, _there_, -I think, my knowledge ends. In a vague way I have always known that -the Bible said something of a great final denouement to all the World -Drama—an award time of some kind, a millennium of perfect—perfect—well -perfect everything that is peaceful and——Oh, I don’t know much about -it, after all. I am very much in a fog, I see, for Mrs. Joyce and that -booklet both speak of a return of Christ into the air, whither certain -dead and certain living are to be caught up to be with Him and to begin -an eternity of bliss.” - -For a moment or two he tried to disentangle his many thoughts; then, with -a weary little sigh, he gave up the task, murmuring: “_I_ certainly am -not ready for any such event. If there is to be a hideous leaving behind -of the _un_ready, then I should be left to all that unknown hideousness.” - -A myriad thoughts crowded upon his brain. He gave up, at length, the -perplexing attempt to think out the problem, telling himself that with -the coming of the new day he would begin a definite search for the real -facts of this great mystery—the second coming of Christ. - -By an exercise of his will he finally settled himself to sleep. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - -THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH. - - -“Will you come into my workroom, Mr. Hammond? It is a kind of sanctum to -me as well as a workroom, and I always feel that I can talk freer there -than anywhere else.” - -It was the Jew, Abraham Cohen, who said these words. His visitor was Tom -Hammond. It was the morning after that Tom Hammond had been troubled -about “Long Odds” and its mysterious subject. - -Jew and Gentile had had a few moments’ general talk in the sitting-room -downstairs, but Cohen wanted to see his visitor alone—to be where nothing -should interrupt their conversation. - -Tom Hammond’s first vision of Cohen’s workroom amazed him. As we have -seen before, the apartment was a large one, and, besides being a -workroom, partook of the character of a study, den, sanctum—anything of -that order that best pleases the reader. - -But it was the finished work which chiefly arrested the attention of -Tom Hammond, and in wondering tones he cried: “It is all so exquisitely -wrought and fashioned! But _what_ can it be for?” - -Cohen searched his visitor’s face with his deep grave eyes. - -“Will you give me your word, Mr. Hammond,” he asked, “that you will hold -in strictest confidence the fact that this work is here in this place, if -I tell you what it is for?” - -“I do give you my word of honour, Mr. Cohen.” As he spoke, Tom Hammond -held forth his hand. The Jew grasped the hand, there was an exchange of -grips; then, as their clasp parted, the Jew said: - -“I do not wish to bind you to any secrecy as to the fact that such work -as this is being performed in England, but only that you should preserve -the secret of the whereabouts of the work and workers.” With a sudden -glow of pride—it flashed in his eyes, it rang in his tones—he cried, -“This work is for the New Temple!” - -“The New Temple? I don’t think I quite understand you, Mr. Cohen. Where -is this temple being built?” There was amaze in Tom Hammond’s voice. - -“It is not yet begun,” replied the Jew. “That is, the actual rearing has -not yet begun, though the preparations are well forward. The New Temple -is to be at Jerusalem, Mr. Hammond.” - -The ring of pride deepened in his voice as he went on: “There can be no -other site for the Temple of Jehovah save Zion, the city of our God, -beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth—the centre of the -world, Mr. Hammond.” - -As he talked, Tom Hammond, watching him intently, saw how the soul of the -man and the hope of the true Israelite shone out of his eyes. - -Crossing the room to where a chart of the world (on Mercator’s -Projection) hung on the wall, the Jew took an inch-marked straight-edge, -and laying one end of it on Barrow Point, Alaska, he marked the spot -on the straight-edge where it touched Jerusalem. From Jerusalem to -Wrangel Land, Siberia, farthest east, he showed by his straight-edge -that practically he got the same measurement as when from the west. From -Jerusalem to North Cape, Scandinavia, and from Jerusalem to the Cape of -Good Hope, he showed again was each practically the same distance. - -“Always, always, is Zion the centre of the inhabited earth!” he cried in -quiet, excited tones. Moving quickly back to Hammond’s side, he said: -“Did you ever think of this, sir, that, practically speaking, all the -nations west of Jerusalem (those of Europe) write from west to east—that -is, towards the city of our God; whilst all the Asiatic races (those -east of Zion) write from east to west—just the opposite,—but always -_towards_ Zion? No, no, sir; there can be no other place on earth for the -New Temple of Jehovah save Jerusalem. Read Ezekiel, from the fortieth -chapter, sir, and you will see how glorious a Temple Jehovah is to have -soon. ‘Show the house to the people of Israel,’ God said in vision to His -prophet, ‘and let them build it after the sum, the pattern which I show -you.’ And that, sir, is what we are doing.” - -“Who are the _we_ who are doing this?” Tom Hammond’s face was as full of -wonder as his voice. “Who,” he continued, “makes the plans, gives the -orders, finds the funds?” - -“Wealthy, patriotic men of our people, sir. We as a race are learning -that soon the Messiah will come, and we are proving our belief by -preparing for the House of our God. Italian Jews all over Italy are -carving the richest marbles; wrought iron, wondrous works in metal, gold -and silver ornaments, cornices, chapiters, bells for the high priest’s -robes, and a myriad other things are being prepared; so that the moment -the last restriction on our land—the land of our fathers, the land which -Jehovah gave unto our forefather Abraham, saying, ‘Your seed shall -possess it’—is removed, we shall begin to ship the several prepared -parts of the Temple to Palestine, as the Gentiles term our land.” - -A curious little smile flittered over his face as he added, - -“The very march of modern times in the East, Mr. Hammond, is all helping -to make the consummation of our work more easy. The new railways laid -from the coast to Jerusalem are surely part of the providence of our God. -When Messiah comes, sir, we shall be waiting ready for Him, I trust.” - -“But do you not know,” Tom Hammond interrupted, “that according to -every record of history as well as the New Testament, all Christendom -has believed, for all the ages since, that the Messiah came nearly two -thousand years ago?” - -“The _Nazarene_?” - -There was as much or more of pity than scorn in the voice of the Jew as -he uttered the word. - -“How could _He_ be the Messiah, sir?” he went on. “Could any good thing -come out of Nazareth? Besides, _our Messiah_ is to redeem Israel, to -deliver them from the hand of the oppressor, and to gather again into one -nation all our scattered race. No, no! a thousand times No! The Nazarene -could not be _our_ Messiah!” - -Turning quickly to Hammond, he asked, “Are _you_ a Christian, sir?” - -For a moment Tom Hammond was startled by the suddenness, the -definiteness, of the question. He found no immediate word of reply. - -“You are a _Gentile_, of course, Mr. Hammond,” the Jew went on; “but are -you a Christian? For it is a curious fact that I find very few Gentiles -whom I have met, even _professed_ Christians, and fewer still who ever -pretend to live up to their profession.” - -Tom Hammond recovered himself sufficiently to say: - -“Yes, I am a Gentile, of course, and I _suppose_ I am—er——” - -It struck him, as he floundered in the second half of his reply, as being -very extraordinary that he should find it difficult to state why he -supposed he was a Christian. While he hesitated the Jew went on: - -“Why should you say you _suppose_, sir? Is there nothing distinctive -enough about the possession of Christianity to give assurance of it to -its possessor? I do not _suppose_ I am a _Jew_, sir (by religion I mean, -and not merely by race.) No, sir, I do not suppose, for I _know_ it. -There is all the difference in the world, it seems to me, sir, between -the mere theology and the religion of the faith we profess. The religion -is life, it seems to me, sir; theology is only the science of that life.” - -Both men were so utterly absorbed in their talk that they did not hear -a touch on the handle of the door. It was only as it opened that they -turned round. Zillah stood framed in the doorway. Cohen, who saw her -every day, realized that she had never looked so radiantly beautiful -before. She had almost burst into the room, but paused as she saw that a -stranger was present. - -“Excuse me,” she began; “I had no idea you had a friend with you, -Abraham.” - -She would have retreated, but he stopped her with an eager— - -“Come in, Zillah.” - -She advanced, gazing in curious inquiry at Hammond. - -“This is Mr. Tom Hammond, editor of the ‘Courier,’ Zillah,” Cohen -explained to the young girl. To Hammond he added, “My wife’s sister, -Zillah Robart.” - -The introduced pair shook hands. The young Jew went on to explain to -Zillah how the great editor came to be visiting him. - -Tom Hammond’s eyes were fixed upon the vision of loveliness that the -Jewess made. She was going to assist at the wedding of a girl-friend, and -had come to show herself to her brother-in-law before starting. Lovely at -the most ordinary times, she looked perfectly radiant in her well-chosen -wedding finery. - -Tom Hammond had seen female loveliness in many lands—East, North, West, -South. He had gazed upon women who seemed too lovely for earth—women -whose flesh was alabaster, whose glance would woo emperors; women whose -skins glowed with the olive of southern lands, the glance of whose black, -lustrous eyes intoxicated the beholder in the first instant: Inez of -Spain, Mousmee of Japan, Katrina of Russia, Carlotta of Naples, Rosie -of Paris, Maggie of the Scottish Highlands, Patty of Wales, Kate of -Ireland, and a score of other typical beauties. But this Jewish maiden, -this Zillah of Finsbury—she was beyond all his thought or knowledge of -feminine loveliness. - -While Cohen talked on for a moment or two, and Zillah’s eyes were fixed -upon her brother-in-law, Tom Hammond’s gaze was riveted upon the lovely -girl. - -Every feature of her beautiful face became photographed on his brain. Had -he been a clever artist, he could have gone to his studio and have flung -with burning, brilliant haste her face upon his canvas. - -He thought of Zenobia as he looked upon her brow. He wondered if ever two -such wide, black, lustrous eyes had ever shone in the face of a woman -before, or whether a female soul had ever before been mirrored in such -eyes. - -Her mouth was not the large, wide feature so often seen in women of -her race, but of exquisite lines, with ripe, full lips, as brilliant -in colour as the most glowing coral. Her eyes were fringed with the -blackest, finest, silkiest lashes. Her hair was raven in hue and wondrous -in its wealth. - -He realized, in that first moment of full gazing upon her, how faded -every other female face must ever seem beside her glorious beauty. With a -strange freak of mental conjuring, Madge Finisterre and that interrupted -tete-a-tete rose up before him, and a sudden sense of relief swept over -him that George Carlyon had returned at the moment that he did. - -“It is all so strange, so wonderful to me, what I have seen and heard -here,” he jerked out as Cohen finished his explanation. - -Hammond spoke to the beautiful girl, whose great lustrous eyes had -suddenly come back to his face. - -For a moment or two longer he voiced his admiration of the separate -pieces of finished work, and spoke of his own growing interest in the -Jewish race. - -The great black eyes that gazed upwards into his, grew liquid with the -evident emotion that filled the soul of the beautiful girl. With the -frank, hearty, simple gesture of the perfectly unconventional woman, she -held forth her hand to Hammond as she said: - -“It is so good of you, sir, to speak thus of my brother-in-law’s work -and of our race. There are few who speak kindly of us. Even though, as a -nation, you English give our poor persecuted people sanctuary, yet there -are few who care for us or speak kindly of us, and fewer still who speak -kindly to us.” - -Tom Hammond held the pretty, plump little hand that she offered him -clasped warmly in his, almost forgetting himself as he gazed down into -her expressive face and listened to her rich musical voice. There was an -ardency in his gaze that was unknown, unrealized, by himself. - -The olive of the girl’s cheeks warmed under the power of his gaze. He -saw the warm colour rise, and remembered himself, shifted his eyes, and -released her hand. - -“I must not stay another moment, Abraham,” she cried, turning to the Jew. -“Adah would be vexed if I were late.” - -She turned back to Hammond, but before she could speak he was saying, - -“Good-bye, Miss Robart; I hope we may meet again. What your brother has -already told me only incites me to come again and see him, for there are -many things I want to know.” - -He shook hands with the girl again. His eyes met hers, and again he saw -the olive cheeks suddenly warm. - -Ten minutes later he was driving back to his office, his mind in a -strange whirl, the beautiful face of Zillah Robart filling all his vision. - -He pulled himself up at last, and laughed low and amusedly as he murmured, - -“And I am the man whose pulses had never been quickened by the sight or -the touch of a woman until I met her——” - -The memory of Madge Finisterre flashed into his mind. He smiled to -himself as he mused: - -“Even when I seemed most smitten by Madge, by her piquant Americanism, -I told myself I was not sure that love had anything to do with my -feelings. Now I know it had not.” - -His eyes filled suddenly with a kind of staring wonder as he cried out, -in a low, startled undertone: - -“Am I inferring to myself that this sudden admiration for Zillah Robart -has any element of love in it?” - -He smiled at his own unuttered answer. The cab pulled up at the door of -the office at that moment. He came back sharply to everyday things. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -A DEMON. - - -Madge Finisterre awoke early on the morning after that discussion with -herself anent Hammond’s possible proposal. - -With startling suddenness, as she lay still a moment, a vision of the -pastor of Balhang came up before her mind. Then a strange thing happened -to her, for a yearning sense of home-sickness suddenly filled her. - -She tried to laugh at herself for her “childishness,” as she called it, -and sprang from her bed to prepare for her bath. Standing for one instant -by the bedside, she murmured: - -“But, after all, it is time I was paddling across again. Who ever heard -of anyone from our side staying here through the winter? I must think -this all out seriously. Anyway, I’ll get my bath, and dress, and go for a -stroll before breakfast. They say that one ought to see suburban London -pouring over the bridges into London city in the early morning. I’ll go -this morning.” - -Half-an-hour later she was dressed ready for her expedition. As she -passed the office on her way out, they were sorting the morning mail. She -waited for her letters. There was only one, but it was from home. - -Racing back to her room, she tore it open with an eagerness born, -unconsciously to herself, of the nostalgia that had seized upon her -three-quarters of an hour before. - -There were two large, closely-written sheets in the letter—one from her -father and one from her mother. Each told their own news. - -She read her father’s first; every item interested her, though as she -read she seemed to feel that there was all through it an underlying -strain of longing for her return. - -“Dear old poppa!” she murmured as she neared the finish of the epistle. - -Suddenly her eyes took in the two lines of postscript jammed close into -the bottom edge of the first sheet. Her heart seemed to stand still as -she read:— - -“Pastor is considered sick. Doctor can’t make his case out.” - -“Pastor sick!” She gasped the words aloud; then, turning swiftly to her -mother’s letter, she cried: “Momma will tell more than this!” - -Her eyes raced over the written lines. Her mother said a little more than -her father had done about the sickness of their friend and pastor; not -much, though, in actual words, but to the disturbed heart of the young -girl there seemed to her much deeper meaning. - -An excited trembling came upon her for a few moments. The next instant -she had put a strong curb upon herself, and, folding the letters, and -replacing them in the envelope, she cried out quietly, but sharply: - -“The boat from Southampton sails at two to-day. I’ll catch that!” - -The next instant she was divesting herself of her hat and jacket, and -began to set about her packing. - -Now and again she talked to herself thus: “Sick, is he? Poor old pastor! -I guess I know what’s the matter with him, and I’ll put him right in five -minutes.” - -She smiled as she went on: “I guess, too, I’ve found out what’s the -matter with me—I want to be a pastor’s wife!” - -The next instant her voice was carolling out: - - “For I tell them they need not come wooing of me, - For my heart, my heart, is over the sea.” - -Her fingers were busy, her mind all the time kept mentally arranging a -host of things. - -“I wonder,” she murmured presently, “how Uncle Archibald and George will -take my sudden departure? Well, I’m glad George is out of town. He’s been -showing signs of spoons lately with me, so it’s best, perhaps, that I -should get off without seeing him.” - - * * * * * - -By eleven that forenoon she had left Waterloo. Her uncle had seen her -off from the station. He wanted to accompany her to Southampton, but she -would not hear of it. - -“I want to be very quiet all the way down,” she said, “and write some -important letters. Make my excuses to everybody, and explain that I only -had an hour or two to do everything.” - -At the last moment her uncle slipped an envelope into her hand, saying, -“You are not to open it until you have been travelling a quarter of an -hour.” - -Then came the good-byes, and—off. - -She had been travelling _nearly_ a quarter of an hour when she opened the -envelope. There was a brief, hearty, loving note inside, in her uncle’s -hand-writing, expressing the joy her visit had given him, and his sense -of loneliness at her going, and saying: - - “Please, dear Madge, accept the enclosure in second envelope, - as a souvenir of your visit, from your affectionate - - “NUNKUMS.” - -She opened the smaller envelope. To her breathless amazement, she found a -Bank of England note for £1,000. When she recovered herself a little, a -smile filled her eyes as she murmured: - -“Fancy an American Methodist pastor’s wife with a thousand pounds of her -own! My!” - -The train was rushing on; she remembered that she had a special letter to -write. She opened her bag and took out writing materials. The carriage -rocked tremendously, but she managed to pen her letter. Before she -finally enclosed the letter in an envelope, she took from her purse a -two-inch cutting from the columns of some newspaper or magazine. This she -placed in the letter. - - * * * * * - -Tom Hammond had just settled himself down to work when a letter, bearing -the Southampton post-mark, was delivered to him. Opening it, and -reading “My dear Mr. Hammond,” he turned next to the signature. “Madge -Finisterre?” he cried softly, surprisedly, under his breath. Wonderingly -he turned back to the first page, and read: - -“You will be surprised to know that when you receive this I shall be -steaming down Channel _en route_ for New York. I got letters from home -this morning that made it imperative that I should start at once. - -“I cannot leave without thanking you for all your kindness to me. It has -been a pleasure to have known you, and I sincerely hope that we may meet -again some day. - -“Now I am going to take you right into my confidence, Mr. Hammond, for -who so discreet as a ‘prophet?’—vide ‘The Courier.’ - -“Yesterday evening, after dinner, I had a long talk alone with myself. -I had had a very pleasant tete-a-tete tea with a friend—perhaps you may -remember this,—and while I went over in mind many things in connection -with that tete-a-tete, especially the events immediately preceding the -interruption, I suddenly realized a sense of longing for home. - -“A night or two before I sailed from America, our pastor asked me to be -his wife. He was awfully in earnest, poor fellow; and I could see how -love for me—gay, frivolous little me—was consuming him. I was startled -at the proposition, and told him frankly that I did not know my own -mind, but that if ever I found out that I loved him, I would come right -away and tell him so. I found out this morning, when I heard that he was -dangerously sick, that I wanted him as much as ever he wanted me. At this -stage of the letter, please read the cutting enclosed.” - -Wondering what the clipping could have to do with the subject, Tom -Hammond laid down the letter and read the cutting: - -“A king had a son born to him in his old age, and was warned by his -astrologers and physicians, that his son would be blind if he ever saw -the light before he was twelve years old. Accordingly the king built -for him a subterranean chamber, where he was kept till he was past the -fatal age. Thereupon he was taken out from his retreat, and shown all -the beauties of the world, gold and jewels and arms, and carriages and -horses, and beautiful dresses. But seeing some women pass, he asked what -they might be, and was told, ‘Demons, who lead men astray.’ Afterwards -the king asked him which of all the beautiful things he had seen he -desired most, and the prince answered, ‘The demons which lead men astray.’ - -“I am going back to be demon to my pastor,” the letter went on, “to lead -him—not astray, I trust, but back to health. Please keep all this in -absolute confidence, for I have not given even a hint of it to my uncle. -Whenever you visit the States, be sure to come and visit me, for no one -will be more welcome from the Old Country than yourself. - -“By-the-bye, dear friend, apropos of your remark anent the presence of -a woman to make tea for you, keep the subject well before yourself, and -when you see the lady who can really satisfy all your ideals, propose -quickly, secure her, and—happy thought—do America by way of a honey-moon, -and come and see me. - - “Yours most sincerely, - - “MADGE FINISTERRE.” - -He smiled as he laid down the letter. For a moment all the bright, -piquant personality of the writer filled his vision. Then, with a -swiftness and completeness that was almost startling, her face vanished -from his mental picturing, and Zillah Robart, in all her radiant -loveliness, took the place in his thought and vision. - -For a brief while he was absorbed in his new vision. The sudden entrance -of Ralph Bastin dispelled his dreaming. - -After a few moments’ talk, Bastin cried, quite excitedly, “I say, Tom, -those pars of yours about the Jews are the talk of all London—our London, -I mean, of course.” - -Without breaking the confidence reposed in him by Cohen, Tom Hammond told -his friend what he had recently discovered as to the Jewish work on the -materials for the New Temple. - -“That’s strange, Tom,” returned Bastin. “I dropped in now as much as -anything to tell you that last night I met Dolly Anstruther—you remember -her, don’t you?—the little Yorkshire girl that was learning sculpture -when we were staying at Paris with Montmarte. - -“She has just come back from Italy, where she has been three years. She -told me how startled she was to hear from several sources about this New -Temple business. She said she visited a very large studio in Milan, and -saw the most magnificent pillar she had ever seen. She asked the great -artist what it was for, and he said, ‘It is a pillar for the New Temple -at Jerusalem.’ - -“In Rome she visited another great studio, and there she saw a duplicate -of the Milan pillar, and was told again, ‘Oh, that is a pillar for the -future Temple at Jerusalem.’ - -“In another place, where the most wonderful brass-work in the world is -turned out, she saw two magnificent gates; and, on inquiring where they -were destined to be hung, received the same reply, ‘In the future Temple -at Jerusalem.’ What does it all mean, Tom?” he added. - -“That is what I want to find out, to be perfectly sure of, Ralph. My -intelligent Jew, of whom I told you, declares that the Messiah is coming. -We, as Christians—nominal Christians, I mean, of course,—same as you and -I, Ralph, don’t profess anything more——” - -Bastin searched his friend’s face with a sudden keenness, but did not -interrupt him by asking him what he meant. - -“As nominal Christians,” Tom Hammond went on, “we believe the Christ -has already come. But the question has been aroused in my mind of late -(suggested by certain things that I have not time to go into now), does -the Bible teach that Christ is coming again, and are all these strange -movings among the Jews and in the politics of the world so many signs -and——” - -There came an interruption at that moment. The tape was telling of the -assassination of a Continental crowned head. Both men became journalists, -pure and simple, in an instant. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -MAJOR H—— ON “THE COMING!” - - -Tom Hammond was riding westwards in the Tube. It was the morning after -the events narrated in the last chapter. He had just bought from a -book-stall a volume of extracts from essays on art in all its branches. -He sat back in the comfortable seat of the car dipping into the book. -Suddenly an extract arrested his attention. - -It was evidently a description of the Crucifixion, but—most -tantalizing—the head of this page was torn, he could find out nothing -about the authorship. But the extract interested him:— - -“Darkness—sooty, portentous darkness—shrouds the whole scene; only -above the accursed wood, as if through a horrid rift in the murky -ceiling, a rainy deluge—‘sleety-flaw, discoloured water’—streams down -amain, spreading a grisly, spectral light, even more horrible than that -palpable night. Already the Earth pants thick and fast! The darkened -Cross trembles! The winds are dropt—the air is stagnant—a muttering -rumble growls underneath their feet, and some of the miserable crowd -begin to fly down the hill. The horses sniff the coming terror, and -become unmanageable through fear. The moment rapidly approaches, when, -nearly torn asunder by His own weight, fainting with loss of blood, -which now runs in narrower rivulets from His slit veins, His temples and -breast drowned in sweat, and His black tongue parched with the fiery -death-fever, Jesus cried, ‘I thirst.’ The deadly vinegar is elevated to -Him. - -“His head sinks, and the sacred corpse ‘swings senseless on the cross.’ A -sheet of vermilion flame shoots sheer through the air and vanishes; the -rocks of Carmel and Lebanon cleave asunder; the sea rolls on high from -the sands its black, weltering waves. Earth yawns, and the graves give up -their dwellers. The dead and the living are mingled together in unnatural -conjunction, and hurry through the Holy City. - -“New prodigies await them there. The veil of the Temple—the unpierceable -veil—is rent asunder from top to bottom, and that dreaded recess, -containing the Hebrew mysteries—the fatal ark, with the tables and -seven-branched candelabrum—is disclosed by the light of unearthly flames -to the God-deserted multitude.” - -“Strange!” he mused, as his eyes stared into space, his mind occupied -with the thought of the extract. “Strange how everything of late seems to -be compelling my attention to the Christ—Christ past, Christ future.” - -At that instant he heard someone mention the name of his paper. He -glanced in the direction of the voices. Two gentlemen were talking -together. It was evident that his own identity was utterly unknown to -them. - -“You’re right, you’re right,” the second man was saying. “A very clever -fellow, evidently, that editor of the _Courier_.” - -“You have noticed, of course,” the first man went on, “those striking -paragraphs, of late, about the Jews. Though, to a keen student of the -subject, they show a very superficial knowledge; still, it is refreshing -to find a modern newspaper editor writing like that at all.” - -“Yes,” the other said, “but it is strange how few people, even Christian -people, ever realize how intimately the future of the Jewish race is -bound up with that other shamefully neglected truth—the coming of the -Lord for His Church. I wish the editor of the _Courier_, and every other -newspaper editor, could be induced to go this afternoon and hear Major -H—— speak on these things at the —— Room.” - -“British Museum!” called the conductor of the car. The two talkers -got out. Tom Hammond also alighted. As he mounted in the lift to the -street, he decided that he would hear this major on the subject that was -occupying his own perplexed thought so much. - -Three o’clock that afternoon found him one of a congregation of three -to four hundred persons in the —— Room. He was amazed at the quality of -the audience. He recognized quite a dozen well-known London clergymen -and ministers, with a score of other equally well-known laymen—literary -men, merchants, etc. All were of a superior class. There was a large -sprinkling of ladies, who, in many cases, were evidently sisters. -Unaccustomed to such meetings, Tom Hammond did not know how enormous is -the number of Christian women who are to be found at special religious -gatherings, conventions, etc. - -There was a subdued hum of whispering voices in the place. The hum -suddenly ceased. Tom Hammond glanced quickly towards the platform. -Half-a-dozen gentlemen and one or two ladies were taking their seats -there. They bowed their heads in silent prayer. - -A minute later a tall, fine looking man, the centre one of the platform -group, rose to his feet and advanced to the rail. He held a hymn-book in -his hand. His keen eyes swept the faces of the gathered people. Then -in a clear, ringing voice like the voice of a military officer on the -battle-field, he cried: - -“Number three-twenty-four. Let every voice ring out in song.” - -Tom Hammond opened the linen-covered book that had been handed to him as -he entered, and was almost startled to note the likeness of the sentiment -of the hymn to the poem of B. M., which had struck him so forcibly that -night in his office. - -The major gave out the first verse: - - “It may be at morn, when the day is awaking, - When sunlight thro’ darkness and shadow is breaking, - That Jesus will come in the fulness of glory, - To take out of the world ‘His own.’” - -The major paused a moment to interpolate, “Let the gladness of the -thought ring out in your voices as you sing, but especially in the -chorus.” - - “O Lord Jesus, how long? - How long ere we shout the glad song - Christ returneth! Hallelujah! - Hallelujah! Amen!” - -The singing of that hymn was a revelation to Tom Hammond. He had heard -hearty, ringing, triumphant song at Handel festivals, etc., but among the -rank and file, so to speak, of Christians he had never heard anything -like the singing of that verse and chorus. - -A hundred thoughts and conflicting emotions filled him as he realized, as -the hymn went on, that these people were really inspired by the glorious -hope of the return of the Christ. Once he shuddered as the thought -presented itself to his mind, - -“How should _I_ fare if this Christ came suddenly—came now?” - -Twice over the last verse was sung, the quiet rapture of the singers -being doubly accentuated as the glorious words rang out: - - “Oh, joy! oh, delight! should we go without dying! - No sickness, no sadness, no dread, and no crying; - Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory, - When Jesus receives ‘His own.’” - -With the last-sung note the voice of the Major rang out again: - -“General Sir R. P.—— will lead us in prayer.” - -The hush that followed was of the tensest. It lasted a full half-minute, -then the old general’s voice led in a prayer such as Tom Hammond had -never even conceived possible to human lips, and such as, certainly, he -had never heard before. It awed him, and at the same time revealed to him -that real Christianity was something which he, with all his knowledge of -men and things, had never before come in contact with. - -The prayer concluded, not a moment was wasted. In his clear, ringing -tones, the major began: - -“Turn with me, if you will, dear friends, to the first chapter of the -Acts of the Apostles, and the eleventh verse.” - -Tom Hammond wished that he had a Bible with him. It seemed to him that -he was the only person there without one. In an instant every Bible was -opened at the passage named. There was no searching, no fumbling. This -was another revelation to him. - -“They know their Bibles,” he mused, “better than I do my dictionary or -encyclopædia.” - -But his attention was suddenly riveted on the major, who, pocket Bible in -hand, was saying; - -“Suffer me, friends, to change one word in my reading, that the truth may -come home clearer to our hearts. ‘Ye men of London, ... This same Jesus -which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye -have seen Him go into heaven.’” - -He paused for one instant, then went on: “The second coming of our Lord -and Saviour Jesus Christ is, I believe, the central truth of real, true -Christianity at this moment, and it should be carefully, diligently -studied by every converted soul. It should be comprehended as far as -Scripture reveals it, and so apprehended that we should live in daily, -hourly expectancy of that return. Moody, the great evangelist, to -whom the whole subject (as he tells us) was once most objectionable, -upon studying the Word of God for himself, in this connection, was so -profoundly impressed with the insistence with which the return of the -Lord was emphasized, that he was compelled to believe in it, and to -preach it, saying, ‘It is almost the most precious truth of all the -Bible. Why, one verse in thirteen throughout the New Testament is said to -allude to this wondrous subject in some form or another.’ - -“Many of you who are present this afternoon are not only conversant -with this glorious matter, but are living in the glad expectancy of the -return of your Lord. But there are sure to be some here to-day to whom -the whole subject is foreign, and to you—even if there be only one such—I -shall speak as plainly, frankly, simply, yearningly, as though we were -tete-a-tete.” - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -THE ADDRESS. - - -“Now to begin. Even in the Church of God there are whole multitudes to -whom the very title of this afternoon’s address is but jargon. They will -not search the Word for it, they will barely tolerate its mention. Why? -‘Oh,’ say some, ‘hidden things are not to be searched into.’ Others there -are who spiritualize every reference to the Lord’s second coming, and -say, ‘Yes, of course, He has come again, He has come into my heart, or -how else could I have become a child of God.’ - -“To these last, these dreamers, we would respectfully say, ‘A coming into -the air for His people, to take them up, is a totally different thing -to coming into the heart to indwell as Saviour and Keeper while we are -travelling life’s pathway.’ - -“There is another section of the Christian Church who say, ‘We do not -want to hear anything about it. Our minister don’t hold with it; it -is not a doctrine of our church.’ Now, such an argument as this is -blasphemous, since, if God has put it into His Word, it is blasphemy to -ignore it, to refuse to believe it. - -“Two distinct advents are plainly taught in Scripture. The first, -of Jesus’ birth as a Babe in Bethlehem, the second as ‘Son of -Man’—glorified, who shall come in the clouds. Now, every Christian will -admit, nay, more, the very worldling admits the fact that every Scripture -relating to the first advent, as to time, place, circumstances, was -literally fulfilled, even to the minutest detail. Then, in the name of -common-sense, with the same covenant Scriptures in our hands, why should -we not expect to see the predictions relating to the second advent also -fulfilled to the very letter? - -“We have our Lord’s own definite promise in John fourteen: ‘If I go, I -will come again and receive you unto Myself.’ We are all agreed that He -went. Well, in the same breath He said, ‘I will come again.’ Can any -English be plainer—‘And receive you unto Myself?’ That promise cannot -allude to conversion, and it certainly cannot allude to death, for death -is a going to Him—if we are saved. - -“This expectancy of Christ’s return for His people was the only hope of -the early Church; and over and over again, in a variety of ways in the -epistles it is shown to be the only hope of the Church, until that Church -is taken out of the world, as a bride is taken by the bridegroom from her -old home, to dwell henceforth in his. There never has been any comfort -to bereaved ones in the thought of death, nor to any one of us who are -living is there any comfort in the contemplation of death, save and -except, of course, the thought of relief from weariness and suffering, -and in being translated to a painless sphere, to be with Christ. But in -the contemplation of the coming of Christ, when the dead in Christ shall -rise, and those who are in Christ, who are still living when He comes, -there is the certainty of the gladdest meeting when all are ‘caught up -together in the air, to be for ever with the Lord.’ No waiting until the -end of the world but, if He came this afternoon—and this may happen—you -who have loved ones with Christ would that very instant meet them in the -air, with your Lord.” - -Tom Hammond listened intently to every word of the major’s, and, as -Scripture after Scripture was referred to, he saw how the speaker’s -statements were all verified by the Word of God. - -“There are two points I would emphasize here,” the major went on. “First, -that we must not confuse the second coming of the Lord—the coming in the -air—for His saints, with that later coming, probably seven years after, -when He shall come with His saints to reign. - -“And, secondly, to those to whom this whole subject may be new, I would -say, you must not confuse the second coming of our Lord with the end of -the world. The uninstructed, inexperienced child of God feels a quaking -of heart at all talk of such a coming. - -“Such people shrink from the suddenness of it. They say that there is no -preparatory sign to warn us of that coming. But that is not true. - -“The Word of God gives many instructions as to the signs of Christ’s near -return, and the hour we live in shows us these signs on every hand, so -that it is only those who are ignorant of the Word of God, or those who -are carelessly or wilfully blind to the signs around (and this applies, -we grieve to say, as much to ministers as to people,) who fail to see how -near must be the moment of our Lord’s return. - -“The first sign of this return is an awakening of national life among the -Jews, that shall immediately precede their return—in unbelief—to their -own land. Please turn with me to Matthew twenty-four.” - -There was again that soft rustle of turning leaves that had struck Tom -Hammond as so remarkable. Someone behind him, at the same instant, -passed a Bible, open at the reference, to him over his shoulder. With a -grateful glance and a murmured word of thanks, he accepted the loan of -the book. - -“I will read a verse or two here and there,” the major announced. “You -who know your Bibles, friends, will readily recall the subject-matter of -the previous chapter, and how our Lord after His terrible prediction upon -Jerusalem, added, ‘Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I -say unto you, Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed -is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.’ - -“This is Jewish, of course, but the whole matter of the future of the -Jews and of the return of the Lord for His Church, and, later on, with -His Church, are bound up together. Presently, after uttering His last -prediction, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, - -“‘Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy -coming, and of the end of the world?” - -“Keep your Bibles open where you now have them, friends, and note -this—that the two-fold answer of our Lord’s is in the reverse order to -the disciples’ question. In verses four and five He points out what -should not be the sign of His coming. While, in verse six, He shows what -should not be the sign of the end of the world. With these distinctions I -shall have more to say another day. - -“This afternoon I want to keep close to the signs of the coming of the -Lord. Read then the thirty-second and third verses: ‘Now learn a parable -of the fig-tree: when its branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, -ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these -things, know that’—look in the margins of your Bible, please, and note -that the ‘it’ of the text becomes ‘He,’ which is certainly the only wise -translation—‘when ye shall see all these things, know that He is near, -even at your doors.’ - -“Now, I hardly need remind the bulk of you, friends, gathered here this -afternoon, that the fig-tree, in the Gospels, represents Israel. The -Bible uses three trees to represent Israel at different periods of her -history, and in different aspects of her responsibility. - -“The Old Testament uses the vine as the symbol of Israel, the Gospels the -fig, and the Epistles the olive. At your leisure, friends, if you have -never studied this, do so. You will not be puzzled much over the blasting -of the barren fig-tree when you have made a study of the whole of this -subject, because you will see that it was parabolic of God’s judgment on -the unfruitful Jewish race. - -“Now, with this key of interpretation before us, how pointed becomes this -first sign of the return of our Lord. ‘When,’ He says, ‘the fig-tree -putteth forth her leaves’—when the Jewish nation shows signs of a revival -of national life and vitality,—‘then know that the coming of the Lord -draweth nigh.’ - -“The careful reader of the daily press, even though not a Christian, -ought to have long ago been awakened to the startling fact that, after -thousands of years, the national life of Israel is awakening. The Jew is -returning to his own land—Palestine. - -“Only a year or two ago the world was electrified by hearing of the -formation of that wonderful Zionist movement. How it has spread and -grown! And how, ever since, the increasing thousands have been flocking -back to Palestine! There are now nearly three times the number of Jews -in and around Jerusalem, that there were after the return from the -Babylonish captivity. Agricultural settlements are extending all over the -land. Vineyards and olive-grounds are springing up everywhere. - -“Now note a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. Turn to Isaiah xvii. 10, -11: ‘Therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with -strange slips. In the day thou shalt make thy plant to grow, and in the -morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish; but the harvest shall be a -heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.’ - -“In the early months of eighteen-ninety-four the Jews ordered two -million vine-slips from America, which they planted in Palestine. There -is the fulfillment of the first part of that prophecy, and if we are -justified in believing, as we think we are, that the return of the Lord -is imminent, then, as the tribulation will doubtless immediately follow -that return, and of the taking out of the Church from the world, then the -great gathering in of the harvest of those vines will be in ‘the day of -grief and of desperate sorrow.’ - -“Now, let me read to you, friends, an extract from the testimony of an -expert, long resident in Palestine: - -“‘There is not the shadow of a doubt,’ he writes, ‘as to the entire -changing of the climate of the land here (Palestine). The former and -latter rains are becoming the regular order of the seasons, and this is -doubtless due (physically, I mean) to the fact that the new colonists are -planting trees everywhere where they settle. The land, for thousands of -years, has been denuded of trees, so that there was nothing to attract -the clouds, etc. - -“‘Comparing the rainfall for the last five years, I find that there -has been about as much rain in April as in March; whereas, comparing -five earlier years, from 1880-85, I find that the rainfall in April was -considerably less than in March, and if we go back farther still, we find -that rain in April was almost unknown. - -“‘Thus God is preparing the land for the people. The people, too, are -being prepared for the land. The day is fast approaching when ‘the Lord -will arise and have mercy upon Zion.’ - -“I need hardly, I think, tell you what even the secular press has -been giving some most striking articles about quite recently,—namely, -the quiet preparation on the part of the Jews of everything for the -rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem. - -“I see, by the lighting up of your faces, that you are familiar with the -fact that gates, pillars, marbles, ornaments, and all else requisite -for the immediate building of the new temple are practically complete, -and only await the evacuation of the hideous Mohamedan, with all his -abominations, from Jerusalem, to be hurried to the site of the old -temple, and to be reared, a new temple to Jehovah, by the Jew. Any day, -Turkey—‘the sick man of the East’—in desperate straits for money, may -sell Palestine to the Jews. - -“The Jews are to return to their land in unbelief of Christ being the -Messiah. They will build their temple, reorganize the old elaborate -services, the lamb will be slain again ‘between the two evenings,’ -and—but all else of this time belongs to another address. What we have to -see this afternoon is that the fig-tree—the Jewish nation—is budding, and -to hear Jesus Christ saying to us, ‘When ye see all these things, know -that He is near, even at the doors.’ - -“Another sign of the return of our Lord is to be the world-wide -preaching of the Gospel. Now, in this connection, let me give a word of -correction of a common error on this point. - -“The Bible nowhere gives a hint that the world is to be converted before -the return of the Lord for His Church. As a matter of fact, the world—the -times—are to grow worse and worse; more polished, more cultured, -cleverer, better educated, yet grosser in soul, falser in worship. The -bulk of the Church shall have the form of godliness, but deny the power. - -“Men shall be ‘lovers of their own selves’—who can deny that selfishness -is not a crowning sin of this age?—‘covetous’—look at the heaping -up of riches, at the cost of the peace, the honour, the very blood -of others,—‘incontinent’—the increase in our divorce court cases is -alarming, disgusting,—‘lovers of pleasure’—the whole nation has run mad -on pleasures. - -“I need not enlarge further on this side of the subject, save to repeat -that the Word of God is most plain and emphatic on this point, that the -return of our Lord is to be marked by a fearful declension from vital -godliness. But, with all this, there is to be a world-wide proclamation -of the truth of salvation in Jesus. Not necessarily that every individual -soul shall hear it, but that all nations, etc., shall have it preached to -them. - -“Now, in this connection, let me mention a fact that has deeply impressed -me. It is this, that the greatest reawakening in the hearts of individual -Christians in all the churches—England, America, the Colonies—as -testified to by all concerned, agrees, in time, with the awakening of -the Church of Christ to the special need of intercession for foreign -missions—namely, from 1873-75. - -“I must close for this afternoon, lest I weary you. We will, God -willing, come together again here on Tuesday at the same hour, and I -pray you all to be much in prayer for blessing on the attempt to open up -these wondrous truths, and pray also that the right kind of people may be -gathered in. Will you all work for this, as well as pray for it? Invite -people to the meetings. - -“Do either of you know any editors of a daily paper? If so, write to -such, draw attention to these expositions, urge your editors to come. Oh, -if only we could capture the daily press! What an extended pulpit, what a -far-reaching voice would our subject immediately possess! - -“I don’t quite know how far I ought to go on this line, but even as I -speak, it comes to me to ask you if any one here present is acquainted -with the evidently-gifted, open-minded editor of ‘The Courier.’ We have -all, of course, been struck by his own utterances from the ‘Prophet’s -Chamber’ column. Oh that he could be captured for Christ; then his paper -would doubtless be a clarion for his Lord!” - -Tom Hammond turned hot and cold. He trusted that no one had recognized -him. He would be glad to get away unrecognized. Yet he was not offended -by the speaker’s personal allusion to him. He felt that the major’s soul -rang true. - -“Before I close,” the major went on, “suffer me to read an extract from -the ‘Gentleman’s Magazine,’ of the year seventeen hundred and fifty-nine: - -“‘Mr. Urban,—Reading over chapter eleven, verse two, of Revelation, a -thought came to me that I had hit upon the meaning of it which I desire -you’ll publish in one of your future magazines. The verse runs thus: -“But the court which is without the temple leave out, and measure it not, -for it is given to the Gentiles, and the holy city shall they tread under -foot forty and two months.” - -“‘Now, according to the Scriptural way of putting a day for a year, if -we multiply forty-two months by thirty (the number of days contained in -a Jewish month,) we have the time the Turks will reign over the Jews’ -country, and the city of Jerusalem—viz., 1,260; which, if we add to the -year of our Lord 636, when Jerusalem was taken by the Turks, we have -the year of our Lord 1896, near or about which time the Jews will be -reinstated in their own country and city, Jerusalem, again, which will be -about 137 years hence; and that the Turks are the Gentiles mentioned in -the above-quoted chapter and verse appears from their having that country -and city in possession about 1,123 years, and will continue to possess it -till the Omnipotent God, in His own time, bringeth this prophecy to its -full period.’ - -“This letter is signed ‘M. Forster,’ and is dated from ‘Bessborough, -October 24th, 1759.’ I have very little sympathy with those of our -brethren who are ever venting in speech and in print the exact dates -(as they declare) of the coming events surrounding the return of our -Lord, but I do believe (in spite of the somewhat hazy chronology at -our command) that the regarding of approximate times is perfectly -permissible, and the letter I have read you has some value when, taking -dates, etc., approximately, we remember that this letter was written -nearly a hundred and fifty years ago, and that 1896 was memorable for a -distinct movement towards the Holy Land. - -“So, I say, ‘the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. To myself and to every -Christian here, I would say, ‘May God help us to quicken all our hearts, -and purify all our lives, that we may not be ashamed at His coming.’ - -“And to any who are here (if such there be) who are not converted, may -God help you to seek His face, that you may not be ‘left,’ when He shall -suddenly, silently snatch away His Church out of this godless generation. -‘Left!’ - -“Think of what that will mean, unsaved friend, if you are here to-day. -Left! Left behind! When the Spirit of God will have been taken out of the -earth. When Satan will dwell on the earth—for, with the coming of Christ -into the air, Satan, ‘the prince of the power of the air,’ will have to -descend. - -“Christ and Satan can never live in the same realm. Oh, God, save anyone -here from being left—left behind, to come upon the unspeakable judgments -which will follow the taking out of the world of the Church! - - “Some husband, whose head was laid on his bed, - Throbbing with mad excess, - Awakes from that dream by the lightning gleam, - Alone in his last distress. - - “For the patient wife, who through each day’s life, - Watched and wept for his soul, - Is taken away, and no more shall pray, - For the judgment thunders roll. - - “And that thoughtless fair who breathed no prayer, - Oft as her husband knelt, - Shall find he is fled, and start from her bed - To feel as never she felt. - - “The children of day are summoned away; - Left are the children of night. - -“It is high time for us all to awake. God keep us awake and watching for -our Lord, for His precious name’s sake. Amen.” - -The murmured Amens rolled through the congregation like the deep surge of -a sea billow on a shingle shore. - -“Our time has gone, friends,” cried the major. “We will sing two verses -only of the closing hymn 410, the first and last verse. Sing straight -away.” - -Tom Hammond, wondered at it all much as ever, listened while the song -rang out: - - “When Jesus comes to reward His servants, - Whether it be noon or night, - Faithful to Him will He find us watching? - With our lamps all trimmed and bright? - - CHORUS. - - “Oh, can we say we are ready, brother? - Ready for the soul’s bright home? - Say, will He find you and me still watching, - Waiting, waiting, when the Lord shall come? - - “Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching - In His glory they shall share: - If He shall come at the dawn or midnight, - Will He find us watching there?” - -Again the chorus rang out, and as Tom Hammond left the hall, the question -of it clung to him. It forced itself upon his brain; it groped about for -his heart; it clamoured to be hearkened to. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -HER CABIN COMPANION. - - -“There’ll be one other lady with you in your cabin, miss.” - -The berth-steward’s announcement in no way disconcerted Madge Finisterre. -She had had two cabin companions on the outward voyage. - -She was arranging her cabin necessaries when her fellow-traveller -entered. She was a wee, winsome girl, very fragile in appearance, with a -yearning sweetness in her great grey eyes, such as Madge had never seen -in any eyes before. With half-a-dozen words of exchanged greeting and a -very warm handshake, the pair became instant friends. - -By a strange but happy coincidence neither of them ever suffered from -sea-sickness, and from the first moment of the great liner’s departure -they became inseparable. - -As the vessel forged her way down Channel that evening, a glorious moon -shining down upon them, the two girls, arm-in-arm, paced the promenade -deck talking. The subject of the acute distress among the poor and -out-of-works in all the world’s great cities came up between them. - -“Oh, if only our Lord would come quickly!” cried the girl—Kate Harland -was her name. - -“What do you mean, Kate?” Madge’s voice was full of amazed wonder. - -“I mean that——” - -The fragile girl paused; then, glancing quickly up into Madge’s face, she -cried: - -“You love Jesus, of course, Madge? You are saved, dear, and looking for -His coming?” - -For an instant Madge was silent. Then, with a deep sigh, she replied: - -“Oh, me! I am afraid I am not saved, as you call it. Katie, dear, the -fact is——” - -She halted in her speech. She did not know how to put into words all that -her friend’s question had aroused within her. - -While she halted thus, the girl at her side put her arms about her, -clasping her with a kind of yearning—an “I will not let you go” kind of -clasp—as she cried, softly: - -“Oh, my darling, you must not lie down to-night until you know you are -Christ’s. Then—then—after that, nothing can ever matter. Come weal, come -woe, come life, come death, all is well!” - - * * * * * - -It was past midnight before the two girls climbed into their berths, but -by that time Madge Finisterre knew that she had passed from death into -life. - -Before the vessel reached New York she had learned something of the truth -of the near return of the Lord. - -On the quay, when they landed, the two girls bade each other a sorrowful -farewell. - -“We shall meet in heaven, Katie, if nevermore on earth,” sobbed Madge. - -“In the air, my darling,” replied the other. “Do not let us lose sight of -that. When our Lord shall come, - - ‘Loved ones shall meet in a joyful surprise, - Caught up together to Him in the skies, - When Jesus shall come once again.’” - -Kate Harland’s friends, who had travelled to meet her from Denver, -carried her off, and Madge took the car to the Central. - -One hour later she boarded the train and began the last lap of her long -journey. - -Her spirits rose higher every moment. She had conceived a very bold idea, -and she was going to carry it through after her own fashion. She sent no -message of warning of her coming, as this would spoil her little plot. - -Her eyes rested delightedly upon every place she passed. At Garrisons, -where the train waited a few minutes, she caught a glimpse of the father -of the man whom she was hurrying to meet. - -The white-haired old father lived at Garrisons, and was a preacher of -the Gospel, like his son. He was leaving the depot as her train pulled -up. She easily recognized him, because several times during his son’s -pastorate at Balhang he had been to see him, staying a week at a time, -and preaching once on the Sunday on each occasion. - -At Duchess Junction she had to change trains. To her joy, she met no one -from Balhang; there was not a soul at the depot whom she even knew by -sight. - -Just before her train reached Balhang she donned a thick brown gauze -veil. No one could see her face through this to recognize it. There -would be nothing to detain her at the depot, for her baggage was all -“expressed.” - -The train stopped; she alighted. Several people peered hard at her, the -depot manager especially, as he took her check, but no one recognized -her. She passed on. Twenty yards from the depot she met Judge Anstey. - -She stopped him with a “Good day, Judge; can I speak with you?” - -“Certainly, madam,” the official replied genially. - -“Come aside, Judge,” she whispered. “I don’t want anyone to recognize me, -or to hear what I am saying to you, should people pass.” - -As he moved on by her side in the direction she wished, she whispered: - -“I have put on this thick veil, Judge, so as not to be recognized. I am -Madge Finisterre.” - -“Du say!” he gasped. “I knew the voice, but could not recall whose it -was. I hadn’t heard a breath of your coming home, Miss Madge.” - -“I let no one, not even mumma and poppa, know that I was coming,” she -replied. “The fact is, Judge——” - -She was glad, as she prepared to take him into her confidence, that the -thick veil would hide the hot colour that she felt leaped into her face. - -“Momma wrote me,” she went on, “that the pastor was very sick, and -that the doctor didn’t understand his case. I only got the letter last -Saturday morning. The boat was to start that day at two; but I caught it, -for I knew that would cure the pastor.” - -She felt how fiercely the blushes burned in her cheeks, but, assured that -he could not see them, she went on: - -“Just before I started for Europe, Judge, pastor told me he loved me, and -asked me to be his wife——” - -She watched the amused amaze leap into the Judge’s face, and smiled -herself at his low whistle. - -“I told him,” she continued, “I could make him no definite promise, as I -was not quite sure of myself; but that, when I was, I would not wait for -him to ask me again—I would come and tell him. I am going straight to him -now, Judge, and I want you to give me a clear quarter of an hour’s start. -While I am gone to fix him up and to make him happy, I want you to go -’long to mumma and poppa, and bring them right along with you, and marry -me and pastor as soon as you git up to us. So-long for a quarter of an -hour.” - -Without another word she moved swiftly away. - -“She’s tropical!” he laughed, as he saw her making for Mrs. Keller’s, -where the pastor boarded. - - * * * * * - -The French windows of the pastor’s sitting-room were open, for the day -was like a spring one. Madge moved quickly across the patch of grass, -mounted the stoop, and peered in. - -In a large rocker, looking very frail and ill, the young pastor was lying -back with his eyes closed. - -Madge felt her eyes fill with tears. She lifted the disguising veil, and -wiped the salt drops away. She did not lower her veil again, but with a -little glad cry of— - -“Homer, dear love!” she crossed the threshold, and dropped on her knees -by his side, flung her arms around his neck, and laid her hot lips to his. - -It was like a dream to him—a wondrous, delicious dream. His thin arms -clasped her. His kisses were rained upon her, but at first he found no -words to say. Between their passionately-exchanged kisses she poured out, -in rapid, caress-punctured speech, how she came to be there. - -“I have not seen mumma or poppa yet,” she explained; “but I met Judge -Anstey down by the depot. I have sent him home for mumma and poppa; they -will be here in no time now. The Judge will come with them, and will -marry us right off, dear. For, say, you do want some nursing.” - -He found his voice at last, declared that her coming, her first kiss, had -made him strong; that he would need no nursing now that she had come. -Getting on to his feet, he gathered her into his arms, and rained fresh -kisses upon her lips, her cheeks, her brow, her eyes. - -She managed to whisper the good news, “I have found Jesus, dear, or He -found me, and now——” - -A sound of voices and of hurrying steps outside checked her. She had only -time to tear herself from his arms when her mother and father reached her -side. - -An hour later, when the Judge had been and gone again, Madge Finisterre -was the wife of the pastor. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - -CASTING A SHOE. - - -It was two hours after midnight when Tom Hammond was free at last. But -he did not go to bed. His soul was disturbed. What he had heard at the -major’s meeting had stirred a myriad disquieting thoughts within him, and -now that he was clear to do it, he shut himself up alone with a Bible, -and began to go over every point of the major’s address. He had taken -copious notes in shorthand, paying especial attention to the texts quoted -and referred to. - -At the end of an hour he looked up from his Bible. There was a wondering -amaze in his eyes, a strange, perplexed knitting of his brows. - -“It is all most marvellous!” he murmured. “There is not a flaw or hitch -anywhere in the major’s statements or reasoning. The Scriptures prove, to -the hilt, every word that he uttered.” - -He smiled to himself as, rising to his feet, he said aloud, - -“I should not sleep if I went to bed; I will go out.” - -There are ways of getting into some of the London parks before the -regulation hour for opening the gates. Tom Hammond had often found a way -to forestall the park-opener. - -Ten minutes after leaving his chambers he was inside the park he loved -best. Everything was eerily still and silent. The calm suited his mood. -He wanted to feel, as well as to be, absolutely alone. He had his -desire. There had been a thick mist over London overnight, but the -atmosphere was as clear as a bell now. The air was as balmy as a morning -in May or September. - -There was a faint light from the stars that stabbed the deep violet sky. -He moved slowly, thoughtfully, through paths as familiar to him as the -rooms he occupied at home. - -“And the Christ might come to-day!” he mused. “As Major H—— showed -plainly from the Bible, there is no other prophetic event to transpire -before His coming.” - -Almost unconsciously he paused in his walking. - -“If,” he cried softly, a certain fearsomeness in his voice, “if He came -to-day, came now, what about me? Where should I come in?” - -He recalled the fact that, according to the major’s showing, he, Tom -Hammond, was quite unprepared for Christ’s coming, because he was still -unsaved. He shivered slightly as the thought of his unpreparedness came -to him. - -With the flashing swiftness of one of memory’s freaks, there leaped into -his mind some lines of Charles Wesley’s. He had written them, a day or -two before, in illustration of a certain statement in an article on -hymnology. They had not borne any message to his soul then, but now they -seemed like the voicing of his own inmost thoughts. - -He walked slowly on, the words falling from his lips in half-uttered -notes. - - “And am I only born to die? - And must I suddenly comply - With nature’s stern decree? - What after death for me remains— - Celestial joys, or bitter pains, - To all eternity? - - “No room for mirth or trifling here, - For worldly hope, or worldly fear, - If life so soon is gone— - If now the Judge is at the door, - And all mankind must stand before - The inexorable throne! - - “Nothing is worth a thought beneath, - But how I may escape the death - That never, never dies— - How make my own election sure, - And, when I fail on earth, secure - A mansion in the skies.” - -“There was something inspiring, something helpful, in the last verse,” he -mused, “but, for the life of me, I cannot recall it.” - -The piping note of a robin from a clump of bush trees close by broke into -his reverie. He lifted his head sharply and looked around, then upwards. -The stars had paled in the violet dome above him. Somewhere near, ahead -of him, was a piece of ornamental water. He caught a glimpse of it -between the trees. - -“Pip-pip!” came again from the robin’s throat. He remembered Charles Fox, -and said softly aloud: - - “Came forward to be seen, - My little bright-eyed fellow, - And an honest one as well O - In thy suit of olive green, - With red-orange vest between, - And small touching voice so mellow.” - -The bird suddenly flew across his path, dropped upon a low piece of iron -fencing, glanced askance at him, then darted to where a morning meal -peeped out of the damp sod. - -Two or three other low, sleepy bird-notes followed, then the water-fowl -began their discordant quacking. The tremulous flutenotes of a thrush -made rich music on the morning air. - -The stars faded out of sight. The cold grey light of dawning day moved -into the eastern horizon. The smell of the earth grew rank. The air grew -keener. The east slowly reddened. Roofs and towers of houses and churches -grew up slowly, and grey amid the cold light of the dawn. He turned to -face the spot where he knew the great clock-tower of Westminster could -be seen. A light burned high aloft in the tower, telling that England’s -legislators were still in session. - -Slowly, thoughtfully, he turned back to walk home. - -“If Christ came at this instant,” he mused, “how many of those Commoners -and Peers would be ready to meet Him? And what of the teeming millions of -this mighty city? God help us all! What blind fools we are!” - - * * * * * - -In spite of his night vigil Tom Hammond was in his office at his usual -hour. He had been there about an hour when there came a short, sharp rap -on the panel of his room-door. In response to his “Come in!” Joyce, the -drunken reporter lurched in. In some way he had contrived to elude those -on duty in the enquiry-office. - -He was the worse for drink, and in response to Hammond’s sharp queries: - -“What do you want? How came you here unannounced?” he began to “beg the -loan of five shillings.” - -“Not a copper!” cried Hammond. - -Joyce whined for it. - -Hammond refused more sharply. - -The drunken wretch cringed, whimpered for “just ’arf-a-crown.” - -The fellow began to bluster, then to threaten. - -“If you don’t leave this room, I’ll hurl you out,” cried Hammond, “and -give you in custody of the police.” - -The drunken beast straightened his limp form as well as he was able, as -he hiccoughed: - -“All rightsh, Tom Ham’n’d. Every dawg hash hish day. You’re havin’ yoursh -now, all rightsh—all rightsh,—but I’ll—hic—do fur yer; I’ll—hic—ruin yer; -I’ll——” - -Tom Hammond darted from his place by the table. The next instant he would -have put his threat of “hurling out” into execution, but the drunken -braggart did not wait for him, for he shuffled out of the room, cursing -hideously. - -As the door closed upon him, Tom Hammond went across to the window, and -flung up the lower sashes, and drew down the upper ones. From a drawer -in a cabinet he took a strip of scented joss-paper, and lit it. The -sandal-like perfume spread instantly through all the room. - -“Faugh!” he muttered. “The whole place seems foul after his presence.” - -He turned to his wash-stand, rolled back the polished top, and washed his -hands. - -“I’ll see Ralph,” he muttered, as he dried his hands “and go out for a -couple of hours. I’ll go and see Cohen.” - -It was curious how often he found excuse to visit the Jew. - -A quarter of an hour later he drove up to the house of Cohen. He found -him, with his wife and Zillah, on the point of starting for their -synagogue. - -“One may live a life-time, as a Jew, in this country,” Cohen explained, -“and never see the ceremony that is about to take place in our synagogue. -It is what is known in our religion as ‘Chalitza.’ Will you go with us, -Mr. Hammond?” - -Tom Hammond’s eyes met Zillah’s. Then he promptly said— - -“Yes” to the Jew’s question. - -“Right, then! We can explain about the ceremony as we go!” Cohen said, -and the quartette left the house. - -There was not much time for explanation, but what Tom Hammond heard -convinced him that he was a fortunate journalist that day. He had no -opportunity of talking with Zillah, but he found his heart beating with a -strange wildness whenever his eyes met hers—and they frequently met. - -At the door of the synagogue the party had to separate, the two women -going one way, Cohen and Hammond another. The building was filling very -fast. Presently it was packed to suffocation. - -It was Tom Hammond’s first sight of a Jewish congregation in a synagogue. -It amazed him. The hatted men and bewigged women—these latter sat behind -a grille. The gorgeousness of much of the female finery. The curious -“praying shawls”—the “Talith” of the men. - -Suddenly a Rabbi began to intone the opening words of the service, -reading from the roll of the law, “The Holy Scroll:” “If brethren dwell -together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead -shall not marry without unto a stranger; her husband’s brother shall take -her to wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.... And -if the man like not to take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s -wife go up to the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother -refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, he will not -perform the duty of my husband’s brother. - -“Then the elder of the city shall call the man, and speak unto him: and -if he stand to it, and say, I like not to take her; - -“Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the -elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and shall spit in his face, -and shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done unto that man that will -not build up his brother’s house.’ - -“And his name shall be called in Israel, ‘the house of him that hath his -shoe loosed’.” - -The service was all very curious in the eyes of Tom Hammond. He followed -every item of it with the closest, most interested attention. Presently -the parties specially concerned mounted the platform. This platform was -backed with a huge square frame covered with black cloth. This was meant -to symbolize mourning for the dead husband. Three tall candle-sticks held -lighted candles, their flames looking weird and sickly in the daylight. - -The Rabbi stooped before the brother-in-law, and took off his right shoe -and sock. Another official washed the foot, wiped it with a towel, and -pared the toe-nails. - -A soft white shoe, made specially for the occasion, was then taken by the -rabbi, put on to the bare foot of the man, and laced up very tightly, the -long ends of the lace being twisted round the ankle and knotted securely. - -Then there followed a seemingly interminable string of questions, put by -the rabbi, and answered by the brother-in-law. The catechism culminated -in a few chief questions such as: - -“Do you wish to marry this woman?” - -“I do not,” replied the brother-in-law. - -“For what reason?” - -“I am already married; my wife is living, and the law of the land we -live in does not permit my having more than one wife.” - -The reply rang clear and strong through the silent building, and the hush -seemed to deepen as the rabbi asked, - -“Will you give this woman Chalitza?” - -“Certainly I will, if she wishes it,” replied the brother-in-law. - -Turning to the woman, the rabbi asked, “Do you wish to receive Chalitza?” - -Tom Hammond saw how the light of a great eagerness leaped into the eyes -of the beautiful Jewess, and how her face glowed with the warmth of a -sudden colour, as she replied, - -“I do wish for Chalitza, for I desire to marry again.” - -The rabbi’s assistant gave her certain instructions, and she knelt before -her brother-in-law, and with the thumb and finger of her right hand—she -dare not use the left, however difficult her task might prove,—she began -untying the knots in the lace fastenings around the ankle. - -It was no child’s play to unfasten the shoe. The knots had been drawn -very tight; but she was very determined, and presently a deep sigh of -relief broke from the breathless, watching congregation, as, taking the -shoe from the man’s foot, she flung it sharply down, twice, upon the -floor. - -She rose now to her feet to complete the ceremony. The law of spitting -in the face of the man had been modified to meet the views of a day less -gross than when it was carried out in full coarseness. - -The brother-in-law took a couple of paces backwards, and the beautiful -widow spat on the place he had stood a moment before. - -Then she faced the great congregation. Her eyes travelled straight to the -face of the man she loved, whom she was shortly to marry. Her eyes danced -with excitement, her cheeks were rosy with colour, her whole face was -full of an indescribable rapture, as she cried: - -“I am free!” - -“True, sister, you are free!” the brother-in-law responded. - -The rabbi moved swiftly to her side, and, looking into her face, said: - -“O woman of Israel, you are free!” - -With a shout that reminded Tom Hammond of the shout, “He is risen!” -at the Easter service in the Greek churches of Russia, the excited, -perspiring congregation cried: “Woman, you are free!” - -A moment or two later the service concluded, and the building emptied. -Walking homeward by Hammond’s side, Cohen said, “Only the most orthodox -of Jews would dream of using Chalitza to free themselves for re-marrying. -This is the only case I have personally known. By-the-bye, Mr. Hammond, -it is said that about the middle of the eighteenth century that one of -the Rothschild widows sought Chalitza, but failed to untie the lace of -the shoe, and was disqualified from re-marrying.” - -Cohen’s wife had stopped to speak to some friends. The young Jew joined -her. Tom Hammond found himself moving forward by Zillah’s side. - -“What an extraordinary service that was, Miss Robart!” he said. - -“It was!” she glanced almost shyly away from him, for, unknown to himself -his eyes were full of the warmest admiration. - -“Do you think, Miss Robart,” he went on, “if you were situated as was -that beautiful woman whom we have just seen freed from the Mosaic bond, -that you would have braved the Chalitza ceremony, or would you have taken -advantage of the English law and——” - -She lifted her great, black, lustrous eyes to his in a sudden gaze of -utter frankness, as, interrupting him, she cried: - -“I would certainly not marry any man, save one whom I could wholly revere -and love!” - -“Happy the man whom you shall thus honour, Miss Robart!” - -Tom Hammond barely whispered the words, and she was not wholly sure that -he meant them for her ears. She did not respond in any way. But she was -conscious that his gaze was fixed upon her. She was equally conscious -that she was blushing furiously. - -Perhaps it was to give her a chance of recovering herself, that his next -question was on quite a different topic. - -“Are you, Miss Robart,” he said, “wholly wedded to the Jewish faith? Do -you believe, for instance, that Jesus, the Nazarene, was an impostor?” - -He heard the catch that came into her throat. Then, with a -half-frightened look around, she lifted her melting eyes to his, as she -said, “I can trust you, Mr. Hammond, I know. You will keep my confidence, -if I give it to you?” - -His eyes answered her, and she went on. - -“I have not dared to breathe a word of it to anyone, not even to my good -brother-in-law Abraham, but I am learning to love the Christ.” - -Her face was filled with a holy light, her cheeks glowed with excitement, -as she went on: - -“I see how the prophecies of our forefathers—Isaiah especially—were all -literally fulfilled in the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth. I see, -too, that when next He comes, it will not be as our race supposes, as the -Messiah to the Jews, but He will come in the air, and——” - -She glanced sharply round. Some instinct told her her friends were coming. - -“No more now,” she whispered. “I will tell you more another time. I -shall myself know more, to-night. I go twice a week to a mission-room at -Spitalfields——” - -“What time?” he asked eagerly. - -“Seven,” she replied, not realizing the eagerness of his tone. - -“Where is this place?” he went on. - -She had just time to tell him. When Cohen and his wife came up, husband -and wife began talking together. Zillah appeared to listen, but in -reality she heard nothing of what they were saying. For a strange thing -had happened. - -She had dropped her hand by her side as the Cohens had rejoined them, and -had suddenly found her fingers clasped in Hammond’s hand. - -What did it mean? she wondered. They had met often of late. She had read -an unmistakable ardency in his eyes very often, when her glance met his. -And, deep in her own heart, she knew that all the woman-love she would -ever have to give a man she had unconsciously given to him. Was this -sudden secret handclasp of his a silent expression of love on his part, -or was it meant merely as an assurance of sympathy in the matter of her -new faith? - -She could not be sure which it was, but she let her plump fingers give -a little pressure of response. How did he translate this response? she -wondered. She had no means of deciding, save that her heart leaped wildly -in a tumultuous delight as she felt how he literally gripped her fingers -in a closer, warmer clasp. - -They had reached the house by this time. Hammond would not go in. He -shook hands, in parting, with each, but his hold upon Zillah’s hand was -longer than on the others. He pressed the fingers meaningly, and his eyes -held an ardency that gave a new tumult to her heart. - -As she passed into the house she whispered to herself, “Will he be at -Spitalfields to-night?” - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - -TOLD IN A CAB. - - -A quarter of an hour before the time Zillah had given him, Tom Hammond -was waiting near the “Mission Hall for Jews,” where the meeting was to be -held. He was anxious that she should not know of his proximity, so kept -out of sight,—there were many possibilities of this among the various -stalls in the gutter-way. - -Presently he saw her coming, and the light of a glad admiration leaped -into his eyes. “What a superb face and figure she has!” he mused. “What a -perfect queen of a woman she is!” - -From behind a whelk-stall he watched her cross over to the door of the -Hall. Here she paused a moment, and glanced around. - -“I believe she half expected to see me somewhere near!” he murmured to -himself. - -She entered the Hall. By the time her head was bowed in prayer, he had -entered, and had taken a seat on the last form, the fourth behind hers. -When she first raised her head from her silent prayer, she looked around -and backward. In her heart she was hoping he would be there. If he had -not been bending in prayer, she must have seen him. After that she turned -no more, the service soon occupied all her thoughts. - -He too became utterly absorbed by the service, of which the address -was the chief feature. It was largely expository, and from the first -utterance of the speaker, it riveted Tom Hammond’s attention. - -The speaker, himself a converted Jew, took as his text Deut. xxi. 22, 23. - -“If a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and is sentenced to -death, and thou hang him on a tree, his corpse shall not remain all night -upon the tree, but, burying, thou shalt bury him on that day (because he -who is hanged is accursed of God).” - -“Now, brethren,” the speaker went on, “as far as I have been able to -discover, in all the Hebrew records I have been able to consult, and in -all the histories of our race, I have not found a single reference to a -Hebrew official hanging of a criminal on a tree. To what, then, does this -verse refer, and why is it placed on Jehovah’s statute-book?” - -For a few moments he appealed to his Jewish hearers on points peculiarly -Hebraic. Then presently he said, - -“Now let us see if the New Testament will shed any light upon this.” - -Turning rapidly the leaves of his Bible, he went on: “There is a book in -the Christian Scriptures known as the Epistle to the Galatians which, -in the tenth verse of the third chapter, repeats our own word from -Deuteronomy: - -“‘Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written -in the Book of the Law to do them,’ and in the thirteenth verse says, -‘Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse -for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.’ - -“We all, brethren, as the sons of Abraham, believe that our father -David’s Psalm beginning, ‘My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me?’ was -never written out of his own experience, but was prophetic of some other -Person. Now, let me quote you some of the words of that Psalm.” - -In clear, succinct language, the speaker, quoting verse after verse of -the Psalm, showed how literally the descriptions fitted into a death -by crucifixion. Referring to the Gospel narratives of the death on the -cross, he showed how they also fitted in with the description of Christ’s -death, and how Christ actually took upon His dying lips the cry of the -Psalm, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” - -Then with wondrous clearness he referred to parts of Isaiah liii., and, -continuing his theme, showed that it was evident that only one particular -type of death could have atoned for the sin of the human race, a death -that would render the dying one accursed of the Almighty. The only death -that would fully carry out that condition was crucifixion. - -“Our race waited for the Messiah,” he cried, “and He came. Our prophet -Micah said, ‘Yet thou, O Bethlehem-Ephratah, little as thou art amidst -the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall proceed from Me, One who is -to be ruler in Israel!” - -“The Christ was born at the only time in the world’s history when -He could have been executed on a tree—crucified. At a time when the -Roman—crucifixion was a Roman punishment—swayed our beloved land of -Jewry. So that Paul, the great Jew, chosen of God to be apostle to the -Gentiles, wrote after the crucifixion of Jesus, the Nazarene, ‘According -to the time, Christ died.’” - -For some minutes the speaker appealed to his Jewish hearers with a -wonderful power. Then finally addressing not only the Jews, but any -Gentiles who might be present, he cried: - -“We must know the meaning of sin, brethren, before we can understand -the mystery of a crucified Christ. A beheaded, a stoned Christ, could -not have atoned for a guilty world, but only a God-cursed death, a -tree-cursed death could have done this. - -“And Christ was cursed for us—He who knew no curse of His own. Ah! -beloved, the guilt of the human race is the key to the cross. - -“Times change, customs change, but sin remains, sin is ever the same, and -only a living, personal trust in the crucified Christ can ever deliver -the unsaved sinner from the wrath of God which abideth on him.” - -The address closed. Tom Hammond awoke from his intense absorption of -soul. He had long since utterly forgotten Zillah. He had seen only -himself, at first, his own sin, and that his sin had nailed Christ to the -cross. Then, better still, he saw the Christ. - -Only a few nights before he had paused to watch a Salvation Army -open-air meeting. The girl-officer in charge of the corps had announced -thirty-eight as the number of the hymn they would sing, and prefaced the -reading of the first verse by saying: - -“This hymn was written by an ex-drunkard—an ex-blasphemer. His name was -Newton—drunken Jack Newton, he was often called by his mates, and by -others who knew him. He was a sailor, on a ship trading to the African -coast, at the time when his soul was aroused to its danger. He was in -agony, not knowing what to do to get rest and peace. - -“One night he was keeping anchor-watch. He was alone on the deck, the -night was dark and eerie. His sins troubled him. All that he had heard -of the crucified Christ—whom he had so often blasphemed—swept into his -soul, and he groaned in the misery of his sin-convicted state. - -“Suddenly he paused in his deck-pacing, and looked up. To his fevered -imagination, the yard which crossed the mast high up above his head -appeared like a mighty cross, and it was remembering this, with all the -soul-experience of that night, that in after years, when he became a -preacher of the gospel, and a noted divine, Dr. John Newton wrote: - - “I saw One hanging on a tree - In agonies and blood, - Who fixed His dying eyes on me, - As near the cross I stood. - ‘A second look He gave, which said, - “I freely all forgive - My blood was for thy ransom paid, - I die that thou may’st live.’”” - -Recalling these words now, Tom Hammond’s soul received the great -Revelation. He heard no word of the closing hymn and prayer, but passed -out into the open air a new man in Christ. - -The mission-leader had given an invitation to any who would like to be -helped in soul matters to remain behind. Tom Hammond noticed that Zillah -lingered. - -It was half-an-hour before she came out. Tom Hammond had lived a -life-time of wonder in the thirty minutes. - -Like one in a delicious dream Zillah walked on a few yards. Suddenly she -became aware of Tom Hammond’s presence at her side. - -“Zillah!” - -He gave her no other word of greeting. It was the first time he had ever -called the young girl by her first name. He took her hand, and drew it -through his arm. She barely noticed the tender action, for her soul was -rioting in a new-found joy, and she poured out, in a few sentences, all -the story of her supreme trust in Christ the Nazarene. - -His voice was hoarse with many emotions, as he said, - -“I, too, Zillah, have to-night seen Jesus Christ dying for my sin, and -have taken Him for my own personal Saviour!” - -Suddenly she realized how closely he was holding her to his side, how -tight was the clasp of his hand upon hers. She looked up into his face -to express her joy at his new-found faith. Their eyes met. A new meaning -flashed in their exchanged glances. - -A four-wheeled cab moved slowly along in the gutter-way, the driver -uttered a low “Keb, keb!” - -Tom Hammond seized the opportune offer, and whispered, - -“Let us take a cab, Zillah. I have something to say to you which I must -say to-night.” - -Before scarcely she realized it, she was seated by his side in the cab. - -There is a moment in every woman’s life when her heart warns her of the -coming of the great event in that life, when love is to be offered to her -by the only man who has ever loomed large enough in her consciousness to -be able to affect her existence. - -This moment had suddenly unexpectedly come to Zillah Robart. - -Her heart warned her that the crisis was upon her. She had done nothing -to precipitate it. It had met her, drawn her aside, and had shut her up -in the semi-darkness of this vehicle with the only man she could ever -love. - -The cab rattled over the cobbles of that wide East-end thoroughfare, past -the throngs of moving pedestrians, though, to her consciousness, the -whole wide world consisted of but one man—the man at her side. - -He had secured her hand, he held it in his strong, hot clasp. She held -her breath in a strange, expectant ecstasy. Then the inevitable came. She -felt its coming. - -Tom Hammond was drawing her closer to himself. She was yielding to that -drawing. She caught her breath again, and as she did so a rush of strange -tears filled her eyes. - -“Zillah!” his voice was hoarse and deep. - -She realized the meaning of the hoarseness. She knew by her own feeling -that the depth and intensity of his voice was due to the emotion that -filled him. She knew she would have found herself voiceless at that -moment had she tried to speak. - -“I love you, my darling!” he went on. “I have loved you from the first -instant I met you. You have felt it, known it, dear. Have you not?” - -She tried to speak, her lips moved, but no sound came from them. But she -looked into his eyes, and he read his answer. - -With a sweeping gesture of passionate love he gathered her into his arms -and showered kisses upon her lips, her cheeks, her forehead, her hair. - -She lay like a stunned thing in his arms. Her joy was almost greater than -she could bear. Then as his hot lips sought hers again, she awoke from -her semi-trance of ecstasy, and with a little sob she flung her arms -upwards and clasped them about his neck, crying, - -“Love you, my darling? Love seems too poor a word to express my feeling, -for God knows that, save my Lord Jesus, to whom to-night I have fully -yielded, you are all my life.” - -Her voice was stifled with a little rush of tears. Where she lay on his -breast, he felt how all her frame quivered. - -“And you will be mine, dear Zillah—and soon?” His eyes burned into hers, -asking for an answer as loudly as his lips. - -She did not answer him for a moment. Her heart beat with a tumultuous -gladness, and her brain throbbed with the wonder of what she conceived to -be the honour that had come to her. Wondering incredulity mingled with -the rapturous ecstasy that filled her. - -“But you are so great—so——” She paused, she could find no words to -express all that prospective wifedom to him appeared to her. - -He smiled down into her eyes. Her loveliness seemed to him greater than -ever before. - -“You seem like a king to me!” she gasped at last. - -“You, Zillah,” he smiled, “do not seem, you are, a queen to me. Say, -darling, the one word that shall fill all my soul with delight—say that -you will be mine—and soon, very soon!” - -“I will.” - -There was the intensity of a mighty love in her utterance of the two -words. - -He gathered her to himself in an even closer embrace, and spent his -kisses on her lips. - -The flush of pride, of love, burned deeper in her face. - -“Oh, why is it given to me to have such bliss?” she murmured. - -The words were low-breathed; they sounded like a gasping sigh of delight -more than a voiced utterance. - -For a moment, clasped tightly in his arms, she was silent, and he -uttered no word. Presently he whispered, - -“Will it give you joy, I wonder, my darling, to know that I have been -a man free of all woman’s love before? I have seen many women, in many -lands, the loveliest of the earth—though none so lovely as you, my -sweetheart. It is no egotism on my part, either, to say that many women -have sought my love by their smiles and favour. But none ever won a word -of love or response from me.” - -The cab was passing a great central light in the heart of a junction of -four roads. Her eyes, full of a great rapture, sought his. His were fixed -upon her face, and filled with a love so great that again she caught her -breath in wonder. - -“But you, my Zillah!” He caught her close to himself again, and bending -his head, let his lips cling to hers, “But you, darling!” he continued, -“have been to me all that the heart of man could ever wish for, from the -first moment I met you. May God give us a long life together, dearest, -and make us (with our new-born faith in Him) to be the best, the holiest -help-meets, the one to the other, that this world has ever known.” - -Where she lay in his arms, he felt her tremble with the intensity of her -joy. As he looked down into the deep, dreamy lustrousness of her eyes, -he saw how they were full of a far-off look, as though she was picturing -that united future of which he had spoken. - -Perhaps he read that look in her eyes aright. Then, as he watched her, he -saw how the colour deepened in her face. She slowly, proudly, yet with a -glad frankness, lifted herself in his arms until, in a tender, passionate -caress, her lips rested upon his in the first spontaneous kiss she had -given him. - -“If the Christ, to whom we have given ourselves to-night, should tarry,” -she whispered, “and we are spared to dwell together on earth as husband -and wife, dear Tom, may God answer all that prayer of yours abundantly.” - -The cab turned a corner sharply at that moment. He looked through the -window. They were within a few hundred yards of where he had given the -driver orders to stop. Zillah would have, on alighting, only the length -of a short street to traverse before reaching home, and he would take a -hansom and drive back to the office. But the intervening moments before -they would part were very precious, and love took unlimited toll in those -swift, fleeting moments. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - -TOM HAMMOND REVIEWING. - - -It was the morning after Tom Hammond had found Christ, and had closed -with the great offer of redemption. He had scarcely slept for the joy of -the two loves that had so suddenly come into his life. - -During the sleepless hours, he had learned, for the first time in his -life, the true secret of prayer, and that even greater secret, that of -communion. - -With real prayer there is always a certain degree of communion, but real, -deep, soul-filling communion is more often found in seasons when the -communing one asks for nothing, but, silent before his or her God, the -sense of the Divine fills all the being, and if the lips utter any sound -it is the cry, “My Lord and my God!” - -Tom Hammond, reviewing all that God had revealed to him, learned in those -first hours of his new birth the secret of adoring communion with God. - -In the book of extracts he had been reading in the tube train at the -moment when he had first heard of Major H——’s coming address on the -Second Advent, he had come across one headed, “Frederick William Faber: -The Precious Blood—chap. iv.” He had at the time been considerably -impressed with the extract, though there was a certain note about it -which he had failed to understand. In the flush of the great revelation -that had come to his soul (in that little meeting at Spitalfields), he -now found the book, and re-read the extract: - -“I was upon the sea-shore; and my heart filled with love it knew not why. -Its happiness went out over the wide waters, and upon the unfettered -wind, and swelled up into the free dome of blue sky until it filled it. -The dawn lighted up the faces of the ivory cliffs, which the sun and sea -had been blanching for centuries of God’s unchanging love. The miles of -noiseless sands seemed vast, as if they were the floors of eternity. -Somehow, the daybreak was like eternity. The idea came over me of that -feeling of acceptance which so entrances the soul just judged and just -admitted into heaven. - -“‘To be saved!’ I said to myself, ‘to be saved!’ - -“Then the thoughts of all the things implied in salvation came in one -thought upon me; and I said: - -“‘This is the one grand joy of life;’ and I clapped my hands like a -child, and spoke to God aloud. But then there came many thoughts, all in -one thought, about the nature and manner of our salvation. To be saved -with such a salvation! - -“This was a grander joy, the second grand joy of life; and I tried to say -some lines of a hymn but the words were choked in my throat. The ebb was -sucking the sea down over the sand quite silently; and the cliffs were -whiter, and more day-like. Then there came many more thoughts all in one -thought, and I stood still without intending it. - -“To be saved by such a Saviour! This was the grandest joy of all, the -third grand joy of life; and it swallowed up the other joys; and after it -there could be on earth no higher joy. - -“I said nothing; but I looked at the sinking sea as it reddened in the -morning. Its great heart was throbbing in the calm; and methought I saw -the precious blood of Jesus in heaven, throbbing that hour with real -human love of me.” - -“Yes,” murmured Tom Hammond, “after all, to be saved by such a Saviour -is a greater, higher, holier thought than the mere knowledge that one is -saved, or of the realization of what that salvation comprises.” - -In every way that night was one never to be forgotten by Tom Hammond. He -needed, too, all the strength born of his new communion with God to meet -what awaited him with the coming of the new day’s daily papers. - -The paper whom whose staff he had been practically dismissed in our first -chapter (the editor of which was his bitterest enemy) had found how to -use “the glass stiletto.” - -Some of the most scurrilous paragraphs ever penned appeared in his -enemy’s columns that morning. It is true that the identity of the man -slandered (Tom Hammond) was veiled, but so thinly—so devilishly—that -every journalist, and a myriad other readers, would know against whom the -scurrilous utterances were hurled. - -Tom Hammond would not have been human if the reading of the paragraphs -had not hurt him. And he would not have been “partaker of the Divine -nature,” as he now was, if he had not found a balm in the committal of -his soreness to God. - -“That is the work of that fellow Joyce,” he told himself. - -Twenty-four hours before, if this utterance had had to have been made by -him, he would have said, - -“That beast Joyce!” But already, as a young soldier of Christ, the -promised watch was set upon his lips. In the strength of the two great -loves that had come into his life—the love of Christ and the love of -Zillah Robart—the scurrilous paragraphs affected him comparatively -little. - -When he had skimmed the papers, attended to his correspondence, and to -one or two other special items, he took pen and paper and began to write -to his betrothed. - -His pen flew over the smooth surface of the paper, but his thoughts were -even quicker than his pen. His whole being palpitated with love. It was -the love of his highest ideal. The love which he had sometimes dared to -hope might some day be his, but which he had scarcely dared to expect. - -The memory of his passing fancy for Madge Finisterre crossed his mind, -once, as he wrote. He paused with the pen poised in his fingers, and -smiled that he should ever have thought it possible that he was beginning -to love her. “I liked her, admired her,” he mused. “I enjoyed her frank, -open friendship, but love her—no, no. The word cannot be named in the -same breath as my feeling for Zillah.” - -He put his pen to the paper again, and poured out all the wealth of -the love of his heart to his beautiful betrothed. When he had finally -finished the letter, he sent it by special messenger to Zillah. - -He had not forgotten that Major H——’s second meeting was that day. Three -o’clock found him again in the hall. This time it was quite full. There -was a new sense of interest, of understanding, present within him as he -entered the place. This time he bowed his head in real prayer. - -The preliminary proceedings were almost identically like those of the -previous occasion, except that the hymn sung—though equally new to -Hammond—was different to either of those sung at the first meeting. But, -if anything, he was more struck by the words than he had been with those -of the other hymns. - -And how rapturously the people sang: - - “‘Till He come!’ Oh, let the words - Linger on the trembling chords; - Let the ‘little while’ between - In their golden light be seen; - Let us think how heaven and home - Lie beyond that ‘Till He come!’” - -This time a lady, a returned Chinese missionary, led prayer, and then the -major resumed his subject. - -“We saw, dear friends, at our last meeting,” the grand old -soldier-preacher began, “what were some of the prophesied signs of our -Lord’s second coming and how literally these signs were being fulfilled -in our midst to-day. This afternoon, God willing, and time permitting, I -want us to see how He will come; what will happen to the believer; and -also what effect the expectancy of His coming should have upon us, as -believers. - -“First of all, how will He come? While Jesus, who had led His disciples -out of the city, was in the act of blessing them, He suddenly rose -before their eyes, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. Have -you ever thought of this fact, beloved, that the cloud itself was a -miracle? Whoever heard of a cloud at that special period of the year, in -Palestine? And I very much doubt if anyone, save the apostles, in all the -country round about, saw that cloud. If you ask me what I think the cloud -was, I should be inclined to refer you to the 24th Psalm, and say that -the cloud was composed of the angel-convoy, who, like a guard of honour, -escorted the Lord back to glory, crying, as they neared the gates of the -celestial city, ‘Lift up your heads, oh, ye gates, and let the King of -Glory come in!” - -“He went away in a cloud. The angels, addressing the amazed disciples -declared to them that ‘He would so come in like manner as ye have seen -Him go.’ - -“It may be that to the letter that will be fulfilled, and that our Lord’s -return for His Church will be in an actual cloud. I think it is probable -it will. Anyway, we know that He will come ‘in the air,’ for Paul, to -whom was given, by God, the privilege of revealing to His Church the -great mystery of the second coming of our Lord, and who said, in this -connection: - -“‘Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all -be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,’ when writing more -explicitly to the church at Thessalonica, said: - -“‘For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are -alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which -are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, -with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead -in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be -caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; -and so shall ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with -these words.’ - -“Now, beloved, can any words be plainer, simpler, than these of Paul’s, -forming, as they do, the climax to all that has gone before in the New -Testament. Jesus had Himself said, - -“‘I will come again and receive you unto Myself.’ - -“The angels said, - -“‘In like manner as ye have seen Him go, He shall come again,’ and now -Paul amplifies this manner of His coming, while, at the same time, he -emphasizes the fact of that return. - -“Now let us look, dear friends, at the separate items of that detailed -coming. We have already, more than once, alluded to the secrecy of the -return of our Lord for His people, and people are puzzled over the -language used by Paul’s description of the return. ‘The Lord shall come -with a shout.’ Then the world at large will hear Him coming? No; we think -not. Or, if they hear a sound, they will not understand it. - -“The Lord’s voice in His spiritual revelations is never heard save by the -Lord’s people. But there is the voice of the archangel—how about that? -The same rule applies to that, we think. - -“There were godly shepherds watching their flocks at night, near -Bethlehem, and there was a whole host of angels singing, but the -Bethlehemites did not hear. No one appears to have heard or seen anything -save the godly shepherds. The same, we believe, applies to the ‘trump,’ -the call of God. - -“In this connection it is interesting to note a fact that probably was -in the mind of Paul when he wrote thus to the Thessalonians. The Roman -army used three special trumpet-calls in connection with departure—with -marching. - -“The first meant, ‘Pull down tents.’ - -“The second, ‘Get in array.’ - -“The third, ‘Start.’ - -“Did Paul, moved by the Holy Ghost, translate these three clarion notes -in the topic of 1 Thess. iv. 16, after this fashion: - -“1. ‘The Lord Himself.’ - -“2. ‘Voice of the archangel.’ - -“3. ‘The trump of God.’ - -“But leaving that, again I would emphasize this truth, that it is only -the trained ear of the spiritually-awakened soul which ever hears the -call of God. We believe that all Scripture teaches the secrecy as well as -the suddenness of the rapture of the church. - -“In all the many appearances of the risen, resurrected Lord Jesus, during -the many weeks between the resurrection and the ascension, even though, -on one occasion, at least, He was seen by 500 disciples at once, yet -there is no hint, either in the Word of God or in the records of history -of that time, that Jesus was ever seen by the eye of an unbeliever. And -depend upon it, no eye will see, no ear will hear Him, when He comes -again, save those who are in Christ. - -“‘The world seeth Me no more’ our Lord said, ‘but ye see Me.’ ‘Him God -raised up the third day, and gave Him to be made manifest, not to all the -people, but unto witnesses that were chosen before God, even to us who -did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead.’ - -“When the voice of the Father came from heaven, witnessing to Jesus’ -truth, the people that stood by failed to hear it as a voice, but -exclaimed,—‘It thunders.’ In the case of Paul on the way to Damascus, -those with him heard nothing understandable. - -“Enoch was taken secretly. Noah was shut into the ark before the flood -came. Only Israel, at Sinai, and not the surrounding nations, understood -those awful physical manifestations of God’s power. Elijah was taken -secretly. The nation neither saw nor heard anything of it. - -“When will He come? I do not know; no one knows exactly; but this we do -know, from the Word of God—that nothing remains to be fulfilled before -He comes. He may come before this meeting closes. Again we know by every -sign of the times that His coming can not now be delayed much longer. - -“Now to a very important feature as to the truth of the second coming of -the Lord. There are many who argue that such teaching will tend to make -the Christian worker careless of his work, his life, etc. There was never -a more foolish argument advanced. - -“First take a concrete illustration that gives the flat denial to -it—namely, that the most spiritual-minded workers, at home and abroad, -are those whose hearts (not heads only) are saturated with, not the -doctrine merely, but the expectancy of their Lord’s near return. Then, -too, every such worker finds an incentive to redoubled service in the -remembrance that every soul saved through their instrumentality brings -the Lord’s return nearer—‘hasting His coming’—since, when the last unit -composing His Church has been gathered in, He will come. - -“Scripture, dear friends, is most plain, most emphatic, in its statements -that the effect of living in momentary expectancy of our Lord’s return -touches the spiritual life and service at every point. ‘We know,’ wrote -John, ‘that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we shall see -Him as He is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, -even as He is pure.’ That, beloved, is the general statement. Now let us -look at some of the separate particular statements. - -“Writing to the Philippians, Paul connects heavenly mindedness with the -return of the Lord for His Church saying, ‘For our conversation’—our -manner of living, our citizenship—‘is in heaven; from whence also we -look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.’ To the Colossians the -great apostle showed how the coming of the Lord was to be the incentive -to mortification of self. ‘When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, -then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Mortify, therefore, your -members which are upon the earth,’ etc. James taught that the real cure -for impatience was this dwelling in the hope and expectancy of our Lord’s -coming again. ‘Be ye also patient,’ he wrote; ‘stablish your hearts; for -the coming of the Lord draweth nigh!’ We live in an age which is cursed -with impatience—children, young men and women, parents, business people, -domestic people, pastors, Christian workers, Sunday-school teachers, all -alike have their spiritual lives and their work marred by impatience. A -real, moment-by-moment heart-apprehension of the possible coming of Jesus -in the next moment of time, is the only real cure for this universal -impatience in the Christian Church. - -“Then take another great sin in the Church, beloved—censoriousness. Oh, -the damage it does to the one who indulges in it, and the suffering it -causes to the one who is the victim of it. But here, again, a full, -a constant realization of the near coming of our Lord will check -censoriousness. Writing to the Corinthians, in his first epistle, Paul -says, ‘Therefore, judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who -both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest -the counsels of the hearts.’ - -“The great quickener, too, of Christian diligence is to be found in the -coming of the Lord. Peter writes to us saying, ‘But the day of the Lord -will come as a thief in the night, ... seeing then that these things -shall be, ... what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy living -and godliness; looking for and hasting the coming.... Wherefore, beloved, -seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of -Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.’ - -“May I say, too, in all gentleness and love, that it has seemed to me, -for years, that the missing link in nearly all ‘holiness’ preaching (so -called) is this much-neglected expectancy of our Lord’s return. Paul -connects holiness and the second coming of Christ, in his first epistle -to the Thessalonians, saying, ‘The God of peace sanctify you wholly; and -I pray God your spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless unto the -coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ - -“The scoff of the world, dear friends, against us, as Christians, is that -the professed bond of love is absent from our life. And here again God’s -Word shows us that a real living in expectancy of our Lord’s return would -teach us to love one another. In that same epistle I have just quoted, -Paul says, ‘The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward -another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end He may -stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, -at the coming of our Lord with all His saints.’ - -“I have only time, this afternoon, for but one more of these references, -and that is a very elementary though a very essential one. Paul, in that -same epistle, teaches that to be saved means that we are saved to serve. -‘Ye turned to God,’ he says, ‘to serve ... and to wait for His Son from -heaven.’ - -“I must close, friends. But before I do, do let me beseech every -Christian here this afternoon to go aside with God, and with His plain, -unadulterated Word. Assure yourself that Jesus is coming again, that He -is coming soon, and that you are so living that you shall ‘not be ashamed -at His coming.’ Should He tarry till Thursday next, and He is willing to -suffer me to meet you here again, we will continue this great subject on -the line of the three judgments. Let us close our meeting by singing hymn -number 308.” - -Like one in a strange, delicious dream, Tom Hammond rose with the others -and sang: - - “Jesus is coming! Sing the glad word! - Coming for those He redeemed by His blood, - Coming to reign as the glorified Lord! - Jesus is coming again!” - -As he left the hall, and thought, “How Zillah would have enjoyed, how she -would have been helped, by this meeting!” he muttered. - -“How senseless of me not to have told her of it when I wrote this -morning.” - -He smiled a little to himself as he murmured: - -“May I take this bit of remissness as a sign that the Divine love was -predominant within me, rather than the human? Or was it that I am not yet -sufficiently taught in the school of human love?” - - - - -CHAPTER XIXa. - -“MY MENTOR.” - - -It was about the hour that Tom Hammond entered the Hall to listen to the -Major’s second address. Cohen, the Jew, was in his workshop, his brain -busy with many problems, while his hands wrought out that wondrous Temple -work. - -The door opened, quietly, and Zillah entered. She often came for a -talk with him at this hour, as she was mostly sure of an uninterrupted -conversation. Her sister, to a large extent, lived to eat, and always -slept for a couple hours or more after her hearty two o’clock dinner. - -The young Jew gave the beautiful girl a pleasant greeting. Then, after -the exchange of a few very general words, the pair were silent. Zillah -broke the silence at last. - -“Abraham,” she began, “I want to talk to you on—on—well—I’ve something -important to say.” - -He eyed her curiously, a tender little smile moving about among the lines -of his mouth. There was a new note in her voice, a new light in her eyes. -He had caught glimpses of both when they had met at breakfast, and again -at dinner, but both were more marked than ever now. - -He had laid down his tool at her first word of address. Now she laid one -of her pretty plump hands on his, as she went on:—— - -“You could not have been kinder, truer, dear Abraham, if you had been my -own brother, _after the flesh_. I have looked upon you _as_ a brother, as -a friend, as a protector, and I have always felt that I could, and would -make a confidant of you, should the needs-be ever arise.” - -The gentle smile in his eyes as well as his mouth encouraged her, and she -went on:— - -“A gentleman has asked me to marry him, Abraham——” - -Cohen gave a quick little start, but in her eagerness she did not notice -it. - -“I have promised,” she continued, “for I love him, and he loves me as -only——” - -“Who is he, Zillah?” - -“Mr. Hammond, dear!” - -His eyes flashed with the mildest surprise. But, to her astonishment, she -noticed that he showed no anger. - -In spite of all his usual gentleness she had half expected a little -outburst, for to marry _out_ of the Jewish faith, was equal in shame -almost to turning Meshumed, and usually brought down the curse of one’s -nearest and dearest. - -“He is of the Gentile race, Zillah!” Cohen said quietly. - -She noticed that he said _race_, and not _faith_, and she unconsciously -took courage from the fact. - -She was silent for a moment. Her lips moved slightly, but no sound came -from her. Watching her, he wondered. She was praying! - -Suddenly she lifted her head, proudly almost. She suffered her great -lustrous eyes,—liquid in their love-light—to meet his, as she said, with -a ringing frankness:—— - -“Abraham! I have found the Messiah! He whom the Gentiles call the Christ; -The man-God, Jesus, _is_ the Messiah!” - -His eyes dwelt fixedly upon her face. She wondered that there was neither -anger nor indignation in them. - -“May I tell you why I think, why I _know_ He is the Messiah, Abraham?” -she asked. - -“Do, Zillah!” - -He spoke very gently, and she wondered more and more. She made no remark, -however, on his toleration, but began to pour out her soul in the words -of the Old Testament scriptures, connecting them with their fulfillment -in the New Testament. - -Cohen, watching her, thought of Deborah, for all her beautiful form -seemed suddenly ennobled under the power of the theme that fired her. - -“Now I know, dear Abraham,” she presently cried, “How it is that Jehovah -is allowing our Rabbis—you told me, you know, the other day, of the one -at Safed—to be led to dates that prove that Messiah is coming soon? _Now_ -I know why God has allowed our nation to be stirred up,—the Zionist -movement, the colonization of Jerusalem and its neighbourhood, and all -else of this like—yes, it is because the Christ _is_ coming. - -“Only, dear brother, it is not as the Messiah of the Jews that He comes -soon—He came thus more than 1,900 years ago—this time, when He comes, He -will come for His church, His redeemed ones—Jew and Gentile alike who -are washed in His blood that was shed on Calvary for all the human race. -For He was surely _God’s_ Lamb, and was slain at the Great, the last real -Passover, dear Abraham, if only we all—our race—could see this. What the -blood of that first Passover lamb, in Egypt, was in type, to our people -in their bondage and Blood-deliverance, so Jesus was in reality.” - -Moses, of old, wist not how his face shone. And this lovely Jewish -maiden, as she talked of her Lord, wist not how all her lovely face -was transformed as she talked—_glorified_ would not be too strong a -description of the change her theme had wrought in her countenance. - -“And now, dear Abraham,” she went on, “that same Jesus has not only -blotted out all my sin, for His name’s sake, but he bids me look for -Him to come again. When _next_ He comes—it may be before even this day -closes—” - -Cohen shot a quick, puzzled glance at her. She did not notice it but went -on:— - -“I have learned many things from the scriptures since I have been going -to the little Room at Spitalfields, and from the _Word_ of Jehovah, -Himself, I have learned that Jesus may now come at any moment. - -“He will come _in the air_, and will catch away all His believing -children. Then, as the teachers show from the _Word_ of God, when the -church is gone, there shall arise a terrible power, a man who will be -Satan’s great agent to lead the whole world astray—_Anti_christ, the -Word of God calls him—then, during a period, probably about seven years -altogether, there shall be an ever growing persecution of those who shall -witness boldly for Jesus, and—” - -“_Who_ will _they_ be, Zillah,” he interrupted, “if all the ‘Church,’ as -you say, will be taken out of the world at the coming of Christ?” - -“One of the teachers, the other night, Abraham,” she replied, said, “that -the natural consequence of the sudden taking away of the Believers from -this earth would probably be, at first, a mighty revival, a turning to -God. If this be so, then these converts will be the witnesses to Jesus -during the awful seven years, which the Word of God calls The Great -Tribulation.” - -“Then too, one of the teachers at the Room said, ‘it is possible that -not all Christians will be caught up in the air at the coming again of -Jesus, but _only_ those faithful ones who are found watching, expecting -His coming. If that be so—and no one dare dogmatise about so sacred and -solemn a thing—then there will be thousands of Christians left behind who -will have to pass through the awful time of Antichrist’s Tribulation.’” - -Her face glowed with holy light, as inspired by the thought in her soul, -she went on:— - -“At first, dear Abraham, our own race will return to Jerusalem, and to -all the land of our Father, still believing in the coming of the Messiah. -The temple—that wondrous Temple for which you are working—will be reared -to Jehovah. The morning and evening sacrifices will be resumed. Then -presently the Antichrist will make our people believe that he is the -Messiah. Pretending to be Israel’s friend and protector he will deceive -them at first, but, by and by, he will try to force idolatry upon them, -he will want to set up in our glorious Temple, (which will have been -reared to Jehovah,) an idol, an abomination. - -“The teacher whom I have heard, Abraham,—and many of them are of our own -race—see from scripture that the great mass of our people, in the land of -our fathers, will blindly accept this hideous idol worship. - -“But Jehovah will not let Antichrist have all his own way. Jesus, with -all those who were caught up with Him into the air, will come to the -deliverance of our people. He will come, _this_ time, to the earth. He -will fight against Antichrist, will overcome him, His feet shall stand on -the Mount of Olives. - -“Our poor deluded, suffering people will see Him, as our own prophets -have said:—“_I will pour out upon the House of David and upon the -inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplication, AND -THEY SHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM THEY HAVE PIERCED, AND THEY SHALL MOURN FOR -HIM, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for -Him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born_.” - -She paused abruptly, struck by Cohen’s quietude of manner, where she had -expected a storm. Gazing up wonderingly into his face she cried:— - -“Abraham, why are you thus quiet? Why have you not cursed me for a -Meshumed, dear? Can it be that you, too, know aught of these glorious -truths?” - -There was sadness and kindness in his eyes as he returned her pleading -glance. But there was no trace of anger. - -“I wonder why, little sister,” he began, “I am not angry, as the men of -Israel’s faith usually are with a Meshumed, even though the defaulter -should be as beautiful as Zillah Robart?” - -His glance grew kinder, as he went on:—“I began to wonder where my -little sister went, twice a week, in the evenings, and, anxious about -her, lest she, in her innocence of heart and ignorance of life, should -get into trouble, I followed her one night, and saw that she entered a -hall, which I knew to be a preaching-place for Jews.” - -Zillah’s eyes were very wide with wonder. But she did not interrupt him. - -“I did not enter the place myself,” he went on, “but that very first -night, while waiting about for a few minutes, I met an old friend, a -Jew like myself, by _race_, but a Christian by faith. He talked with -me, pointed to _our_ scriptures, quoted from the Gentile New Testament, -showed, from them, how, in every detail, the birth, the life, the death -of Jesus, the Nazarene, fulfilled the prophecies of our father, and——” - -“And you, Abraham—” Zillah laid her hand on the Jew’s wrist, in a swift -gesture of excitement, “you, dear,” she cried, “see that Jesus was the -Messiah?” - -Slowly, almost sorrowfully it seemed to the eager girl, he shook his head. - -“I cannot say all that, Zillah,” he went on, “I sat in a seat, last -night, in that Hall, where I could see you and Hammond, where I could -hear all that was said upon the platform, but where I knew that neither -you nor Hammond would be able to see me. All that I heard, last night, -dear, has more than half convinced me, but—well, I cannot rush through -this matter, I have to remember that it has to do with the life beyond, -as well as this life.” - -He sighed a little wearily. - -“I saw the meeting between Hammond and you, Zillah,” he went on. “I had -before begun to scent something of Hammond’s probable feeling for you, -and I had seen you look at him in a way that, though you did not yourself -probably realize it, meant, I knew, a growing feeling for him warmer -than our maidens usually bestow on a Gentile. I saw you enter the cab -together, and drive off, and——” - -He sighed again. Then without finishing his sentence, he said: - -“Perhaps I shall see with you, Zillah, soon. Meanwhile, dear——” - -He lifted his hands, let them rest upon her head, and softly, reverently, -cried:— - -“The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make his face shine upon -thee, and be gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up His countenance upon -thee, and give thee peace.” - -The sweet old Nazarite blessing never fell more tenderly upon human ears -than it did upon Zillah Robart. Jehovah _had_ been very gracious to her. -She had feared anger, indignation from her brother-in-law, she received -blessing instead. - -As he slowly lifted his hands from her head, she caught them in hers, -lifted them to her lips, and kissed them gratefully. - -“May that blessing fall back upon your own head, upon your heart, your -life, dear Abraham?” she cried. - -Still holding his hands, she lifted her head. An eager light filled all -her face, as she added:— - -“It wants but a few days to Passover, dear, I shall pray God that He -will reveal Jesus fully to you before that!” - -She dropped his hands, and made for the door. “I hear the children from -school,” she cried. Then she was gone. - -Cohen did not turn to his work. But taking a New Testament from his -pocket, began to study anew the Passion of Jesus, as recorded in the -Gospels. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - -THE PLACARD. - - -Riding back to his office from that meeting Tom Hammond asked -himself:—“Ought I to begin to make this near Return of our Lord for His -church, the subject of my ‘Prophet’s Chamber Column’ for to-morrow’s -issue?” - -“I must seek special guidance about this,” he presently decided. - -The cab was nearing the office when he suddenly murmured:—“HE might come -_to-day_!” - -Even as he murmured the words his eyes seemed to see a striking way of -exhibiting his new-found faith in the Return of his Lord, and he came to -a rapid decision. - -Lifting the flap in the roof of the cab, he told the driver to go on to -a certain Sign and Ticket writer’s. Arrived at the place, he explained -to the writer that he wanted a card three feet six inches long, -proportionate in width, very _boldly_, handsomely written with just the -two words upon it, in the order of his sketch. - -He had taken an odd piece of card from the man’s scrap heap, and with his -pencil he drew out his idea, thus:— - - +------------+ - | TO-DAY? | - | PERHAPS! | - +------------+ - -“How soon can I have it?” he asked. - -“In a couple of hours, sir!” - -“Pack it carefully and I will send a messenger for it!” - -Hammond was turning from the counter, when the man said:— - -“I beg your pardon, sir, but if it is not too bold a question, may I ask -what the two words mean?” - -“They mean,” smiled Tom Hammond, “that Jesus Christ, God’s son, may come -suddenly to-day, before even you have time to finish the work upon my -order!” - -The man’s face wore a puzzled look. Then suddenly it brightened a little, -as he said:— - -“Ah! I sees, its somethink religious. That aint in my line, not a bit, -sir. I aint built that way. Now, my misses is! She’s the best wife a man -ever had, I can’t find a speck o’ fault wi’ her, but, there it is, yer -know, she’s gone, fair gone, sir, on religious things!” - -“Do you love her? Would you like to lose her?” asked Hammond. - -“Like to lose her, sir? why, no, sir! I believes I should—I should—well I -don’t know what I should do, if she wur took!” - -There was a note of deep gravity in Tom Hammond’s voice, as he said:— - -“Then let that motto warn you, as you prepare to write it, that even -before you can finish it, the Christ who is to come again, who _will_ -surely come now very soon, may come. Then, when you go to look for your -wife, when you are perhaps expecting her to call you to your tea, she -will be missing. You will call her, search for her, yet never find her. -Because, if she is a true child of God, she, with all _true_ Christians, -will have been snatched away unseen from the world, caught up to meet -their Lord in the air.” - -“Good gracious, sir! yer give me the creeps!” gasped the man. - -“‘Seek ye the Lord’—your good wife’s Lord,—‘while He may be found,’ my -friend.” With this parting word Tom Hammond left the shop. - -Two hours and a half later the splendid bit of sign writing hung upon the -wall of Hammond’s room. - -It was a most striking placard. The first letter of each word nearly -eight inches in length, and in brilliant crimson, the other letters six -inches long in deep, purple black. - -As he sat back and regarded it where it hung, Tom Hammond mused on all -that he had heard that afternoon, of the effects upon the lives of those -who possessed a real heart apprehension of the truth of the near Return -of the Lord. - -“One can scarcely conceive,” he murmured, “what London, what all the -civilized, and so-called Christian world, would be like, if every man -and woman, who _professes_ to be a christian, lived in the light of the -truth that the Lord’s return was near, was imminent. ‘Every man’ (he was -recalling the truth quoted that afternoon), ‘_Who hath this Hope in him, -purifieth himself even as He (Jesus) is pure._’” - -The rest of the day was a busy one. Many callers came in. Everyone -noticed the strange placard. Some asked what it meant. Modestly, but with -strong purpose, and with perfect frankness, Hammond told each and all who -enquired, of his change of heart, and how possessed with the fact that -Christ’s return was imminent, he had had the placard done for his own, -and for others quickening and reminder. - -People smiled indulgently, but entered into no argument with him. He was -too important a man for that, and, equally, they dare not _pooh-pooh_ his -testimony, wild as it appeared to most, if not all of them. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - -WAS HE MAD? - - -Madge, a wife of barely eighteen hours, found her husband’s church packed -in every nook and corner when she entered it on the Sunday morning. - -The news of her sudden return, and equally sudden marriage, had helped to -fill the church, though the knowledge that the Rev. Doig was to preach -would, in itself, have been sufficient to have gathered an unusually -large congregation. - -During the pastor’s sickness the pulpit had been supplied by various good -men, secured by the deacons from all over the county. Doig had preached -twice before, and was already a great favourite with the people. - -The pastor had not been well enough to be present at any service for many -weeks, and as he entered the church this morning, leaning heavily upon -his wife’s arm, he received quite an ovation from the people. - -In spite of the curiosity and excitement over Madge’s appearance, the -congregation speedily settled down to quiet worship. There was something -subducing, quieting in the preacher’s manner. Just before the address, -the people sang:— - - “Lo! God is here! let us adore, - And own how dreadful is this place! - Let all within us feel His power, - And silent bow before His face; - Who know His power, His grace who prove, - Serve Him with awe, with reverence, love.” - -With the singing of this hymn a deep, deep solemnity came down upon the -assembly. It deepened as the preacher unfolded the wonders of the Bible -revelation relating to the Lord’s second coming. - -Madge forgot her husband, as, absorbed by the wonder of the revelation, -she drank in the glorious truth. Had she been more alert in watching the -pastor, she would have seen how restless he grew! How angrily his eyes -flashed! How scowling his beetling brows became. - -Some of the people noticed their pastor’s evident displeasure, and so did -one or two of the deacons. But no one dreamed that he would dare to utter -any dissent to the service. - -Was he mad? Perhaps he was, for the time, as many men and women become, -who nurse a groundless, senseless anger and jealousy! He was jealous of -this man’s hold upon the people. He had not dreamed that any man could -hold his congregation, as this man was holding them. He was angry, too, -at the doctrine preached. - -With a startling suddenness he leaped to his feet, forgetting his -weakness, as he cried:— - -“I will not have that lying, senseless nonsense—worse than -nonsense—preached in _my_ church, Mr. Doig. You will either announce -another text, and take a different subject, sir, or you must cease to -preach!” - -A slight flush rose into the cheeks of the preacher, as he half turned to -the pastor, and in low, but firm voice, heard everywhere amid the sudden -strained silence, he said:— - -“Dear Pastor, if you insist, (you have the _legal_ right to do so, as -_pastor_ of this church, I suppose) I will desist. But I cannot, if I -preach on, do other than declare all that God would have me do. Why, -even as we are here, our Loving Lord may come, and if I faltered in my -testimony I should have to meet Him ashamedly—and—” - -“Rot!” muttered the pastor. The word was heard by everyone, and a murmur -of strong dissent ran through the place. - -With a white angry face, and flashing savage eyes, the Pastor walked -to the table, and leant upon it heavily in his weakness, as he cried -hoarsely, “This service is now concluded. While I hold the pastorate, no -such sentimental rubbish, as Mr. Doig seems bent upon giving us, shall be -voiced from this platform.” - -One of the deacons protested. The pastor was firm. Passion had rendered -him temporarily irresponsible. Another of the deacons, who had been -conferring with Doig—who had whispered the facts of the pastor’s evident -temporary irresponsibility—now urged the people to disperse quietly. - -Doig walked down to his host, and whispered, “if I go at once, it will -help matters.” The pair then left the church. The congregation followed -quickly. The deacons remained behind to confer together over the -situation, which was of a hitherto unheard of character. - - * * * * * - -The pastor had left by the side door, and leaning more heavily than ever -upon Madge, they made their way to the house of Thaddeus Finisterre, -Madge’s father. They were staying there. They took a private way, -by which they were spared the unpleasantness of meeting any of the -congregation. - -Four minutes took them to the house. Neither of them spoke during the -brief journey. For the first time in her life Madge knew what it was -to feel the touch of fear. She had married the man by her side knowing -comparatively little of his real character and temperament. - -“There may be insanity in his family,” she mused, as she walked by his -side. She had already told herself that nothing but a temporary touch of -madness could have led to his outburst in the church. - -Arrived at the house, the pastor went straight to his room, this gave -Madge an opportunity to confer with her father and mother a moment. - -“His long anxious illness has unsettled his brain a little!” the mother -said. “The best thing will be to take no notice, let us all be as -cheerful, as much like our ordinary selves, as we can. Then, if we can -persuade him to go away to-morrow, I guess the best thing for you to do, -Madge, will be to get a good doctor to examine him, and to prescribe for -him.” - -The dinner-meal which followed, presently, was fairly free of constraint. -After dinner Mr. and Mrs. Finisterre slipped away and left the husband -and wife to themselves. - -Almost immediately the pair were left, the pastor began to abuse the -preacher of the morning, and to denounce the teaching of the Lord’s -second coming. - -“But, my dear,” cried Madge, “it is evidently almost the most prominent -doctrine in the New Testament. There are more direct references to it in -the New Testament, Mr. Doig said, than to any other revealed doctrine.” - -“But its not _my_ doctrine,” snapped the pastor, “not the doctrine of -_our_ church. It was scoffed at at our college, when _I_ was a student, -and—and—” - -Madge gazed wonderingly at him. His argument seemed so puerile, if not -actually sinful. - -“But,” she cried, “I don’t see how that argument holds. To me, it -sounds like blasphemy, almost, to say _I_, as a _minister_, and _we_ -as a _church_, will not preach the most prominent doctrine of the New -Testament, because of the foolish abuse of the teaching by here and there -a wild visionary who lets his fancy and whim run away with his judgment. -Suppose, dear Homer, some church or minister should say, ‘We won’t preach -the doctrine of the Atonement,’ would that save them from the charge of -blasphemy, when God says: - -“‘If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, -God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy -City, and from the things which are written in his Book.’” - -The pastor gazed at her in amazement. Her fashion of putting the matter -gave him small opportunity of replying, so he took refuge in the coarse -sneer:— - -“Have you turned _Doigite_?” - -With a quick flush in her cheeks, and sudden flashing of eye, Madge -replied:— - -“If by that you mean, do I see, and have I accepted the revelation of -the Word of God, as to the near coming of Christ, then I say ‘_yes_.’ I -am _not_ a Doigite, but I am, thank God, a Christian! A very young one, -a very poor and inexperienced one, ’tis true, but still I am one, and am -desirous to live to the Lord to whom I have given myself, and, after all -I heard from the preacher this morning, I am more than ever determined to -serve Christ wholly, and I can quite see how this wondrous _fact_ of the -near Return of our Lord will be a new and mighty force to revolutionize -all my life.” - -An ugly snarl curled the lips of the amazed, discomfited pastor, and he -was just beginning a cruel little speech, when one of the Deacons was -announced. - -Madge left the two men alone. As she passed on to her own room there was -a terrible pain at her heart, for the hideous thought came to her:—“Can -Homer be truly converted? If he is, how can it be that he flatly refuses -to believe what God has so plainly revealed?” - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - -FROM THE PROPHET’S CHAMBER. - - -Tom Hammond was alone in his editorial office. He had come to the day, -the moment at last, when he felt constrained to write out of his full -heart, to the readers of his paper, all that he yearned that the world -should know of the imminence of the Return of the Lord. - -Before he put pen to paper to write on this supreme theme in his -“Prophet’s Chamber” column, he bowed his head on his desk and prayed for -guidance and help. Then he began to write out his heart fully, telling -first of his conversion, and of the wondrous meetings conducted by Major -H——. - -His whole being was fired with holy purpose. “Had ever a preacher such a -pulpit as has the editor of “The Courier?” he wrote. “Had any preacher -ever so mighty a privilege, so great a responsibility as is mine to-day? -This paper circulates through more than a million people’s hands, even -allowing that only the one person purchasing the paper, reads it—though -one might almost safely double that million, since there are very few of -the papers which will not be read by _two_, or more persons. - -“This ‘Prophet’s Column’ will likely overflow all its ordinary banks, as -does the Great Nile in its season, but if my overflowing but carry life -on its tide, as does the tide of the overflowing Nile, then, all will be -well. - -“As a converted Editor of a great daily, I have put my hand, my pen, my -mind into the mighty, unerring hand of God, praying that I may write -only that which will reach the _hearts_ of my readers. And the question -comes to me, ‘what word does London, does England most need to-day?’ - -“This—that all the world should know, and realize, that any day, aye, any -hour, Christ may return—not to the earth but _into the air_—” - -Here followed the teaching of the Gospel and Epistles, as he had learned -it from Major H——, and from his own subsequent personal study of the Word -of God. - -“I appeal to the most thoughtful of my readers, I appeal to the -unthinking, as I say, ‘do you not see how a real belief, in this near -coming of Christ would revolutionize all our national, commercial, -domestic, and church life. How, too, it would immediately settle every -social problem.’ - -“If our legislators, sitting in council at St. Stephens, realized that -before the present Parliamentary session could end in the ordinary way, -that Christ might come, what a speedy end they would seek to put to every -national iniquity. - -“The hideous drink traffic would be swept, root and branch, from our -land. And, in sweeping that curse away, the awful problem of the -unemployed, the homeless, the starving, all that inures to our national -poverty would be swept away. - -“The shameful opium traffic with China; the national Greed for territory; -the Traffic in White Slaves; and every other national iniquity would be -abolished. - -“Christian churches, (so-called) would become worthy of the name -_Christian_. All those bits of devilish device used to extract, and -extort money from the pockets of the people would end, as by magic. -Theatricals would be left to the theatres; nigger entertainments would -be left to the music-halls; the church would leave all these things to -their master—_the Devil_. - -“In _social_ life, people would pay their debts; the wild, mad, sinful -extravagance that marks the life of to-day, would cease. Christians -would love one another. Every Evangelical denomination would be -_inter_-denominational in the truest sense, and be _one_ wholly in their -Crucified, Risen, coming Lord. A love for the poor fallen world, such -as has never been since our Lord spent Himself in service, would be the -order of the day, and not the vision of a few. Every missionary society -would have more men and women and money than they actually needed. - -“But, even as I pen this millennium-like picture, I know, from the Word -of God, that it _cannot_ be _before_ Christ comes. But I seek to arouse -every _Christian_ to God’s call to them on this matter. You, who profess -to be Christ’s, dare not refuse this truth, save at the peril of losing -the _Crown_ of Life. - -“The vast bulk of the churches, I know, preach, that the world will -continually improve until the earth shall be fit for Christ to come -and reign. But I defy any cleric or layman to show me a single word -of scripture that gives the faintest colour to that belief, or -statement—unless the person wrests the passage so advanced from its -distinctly marked _dispensational_ setting. - -“Things (spiritual) are growing worse and worse. There is a wholesale -down-gradeism, too awful to contemplate. ‘Priest and people have erred -alike!’ I take up the official organ of a section of the church that -has ever been regarded as the most out-an-out, in all that pertains to -Evangelical truth, and I find its great head saying ‘The Bible is _not_ -the sole spiritual guide for the christian, for, practically, the Bible -is a _dead_ book!’ - -“The chief leader-writer of that same paper—himself usually regarded -as the soundest of Believers, the most trenchant of all Evangelical -preachers, writes in one of a series of articles, ‘That the so-called -_Finished work_ of Christ, is a doctrine not to be found in scripture,’ -and glories in the fact that ‘_we_ never have, and, I trust, we never -shall, preach this doctrine.’ - -“All this but proves the truth of the New Testament prophecies, -‘_Perilous_ times shall come,’ ‘Evil men and seducers shall wax worse -and worse, _deceiving_, and _being deceived_.’ If only we could all be -induced to read the signs of the times in the light of scripture! we -should then realize that we were in the thickest darkness of the world’s -blackest night, the darkness immediately preceding the dawn, and we -should be looking for ‘the Morning Star.’” - -Here, writing with swift, eager pen, he went over the ground covered by -Major H——, as regarded the signs of the coming of the Lord—the movement -among the Jews; their excitement, as a race, over the date discovery -5,666; the preparations for the rebuilding of the Temple. Then the -increased effort in the Foreign Mission fields. The growth of the spirit -of lawlessness in the world, and in the church. The multiplicity of -spiritualistic devices—_doctrine of Devils_. The awakening of all real, -true, spiritually-minded Bible _students_ to the fact of Christ’s near -Return. And the great, but often disregarded sign, “the scoffers who -shall say where is the promise of His coming? for, since the Fathers fell -asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” - -“But He _will_ come! He is near at hand! Every sign of the times -proclaims this! It is NIGHT, now, and He will come as a thief in the -night. At any moment now we may look for Him. Before this news-sheet, -damp from the press, is in the hands of my readers, Christ _may_ have -come and taken away _every one_ of His own Believing people—_I_ shall be -missing, another here, and another there will be missing. - -“And when a puzzled, troubled London shall be gathering in business, -that saying shall have come to pass, ‘_The one shall be taken, the other -left!_’ (For though this word is _primarily Jewish_ in its application, -it will yet have a measure of meaning for the world, when the Church is -taken away). - -“May every _Christian_ be ready to meet His Lord, when He shall come, and -every unready, unsaved soul who reads these ‘Prophet’s Chamber’ columns, -seek the face of God through faith in the Atoning work of Jesus Christ. -For, believe me, His Return is very near, to some of us the sound of His -footfalls is even now in our ears.” - -He bent his head over the written sheets, praying God to bless the -message. Then an interruption came. A knock at the door, and his sub, -Ralph Bastin entered. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII. - -PASSOVER! - - -Cohen, the Jew, blew out the candle, and set the stand aside. The knees -of his trousers were pressed and dusty. He had just been over the whole -house, lighted candle in hand, and had searched every nook and crannie, -every cupboard, every shelf, under the edge of every carpet, looking -for the faintest sign of leaven in the form of bread, cake, or biscuit -crumb. He had found nothing, and went to his room to bathe and change his -clothing. - -“What of you, Zillah?” he had asked the lovely girl, earlier in the day. -“With your newly-espoused faith in the Nazarene, shall you partake of the -lamb with us?” - -“Certainly, I will,” she replied, “_only_ I shall take the meal more in -the spirit of the Lord’s Supper, of the Christian Church. And Abraham——” - -Her eyes, as they were lifted to his, swam with tender, pitying tears, as -she added: - -“All the time I shall be praying that you may meet the Christ of -God, Jesus of Nazareth; and while you seek to remember our people’s -deliverance from the land of Bondage, I shall be praying that you, dear -Abram, may be delivered from the bondage of the legalism of our race.” - - * * * * * - -The Passover table was spread in Cohen’s house. The arrangement of that -table was a curious mixture of Mosaic and Rabbinical command. In the -case of all but really very pious Jews of this day, the real and actual -Passover is not kept. - -Passover—(_chag Appesach_ of the Jews) _must_ have a lamb roasted to make -it the _real_ feast, the ordinary Jew to-day, contents himself with an -egg, and a burnt shank-bone of mutton, and unleavened cakes. - -Cohen’s Passover Feast always included a small lamb. Still, Rabbinical -lore and Bible command were curiously mixed in the Cohen celebration. - -The table, to-night, had an egg according to Rabbinical order, but there -was a tiny roast lamb as well. There was the glass dish of bitter herbs; -the salt water, typifying the tears of Israelitish misery in Egypt; a -dish of almonds, apples, and other fruit, chopped and mixed, represented -the lime and mortar of the Brick-making in the Land of Bondage. - -Chervil and parsley were there, and lettuce. A large pile of unleavened -cakes, a big coloured glass ewer with unfermented wine and water, and -many other items considered to be the orthodox thing at the Feast. - -All the Cohen household was there. Zillah, radiant with the glow of the -new life in Christ that had come to her. - -Rachel, her sister, was red-eyed and sullen. Zillah had been pleading -with her to open her mind, and her heart to the Christian teaching of -the Messiah who had come, and who had atoned for _all_ the race, Jew and -Gentile alike. - -Angry and sullen, the wife had said hard things of Zillah. Her frivolous, -irresponsible nature was more than satisfied with the barest _form_ of -the faith of her race. - -The two children were full of suppressed excitement, the elder—the -boy—especially. - -Cohen, the head of the house, was singularly quiet and grave. His eyes -had a far-away look in them. He looked like a man moving in a trance. - -Presently the boy, (he had been carefully coached) asked, according to -the usual formula: - -“What mean ye, father, by this Service?” - -Cohen’s eyes stared over the head of his son, and in a voice very unlike -its usual tones, replied:— - -“_It is the Sacrifice of Jehovah’s Passover, who halted by the -blood-sprinkled houses of our fathers in Egypt, that the destroying angel -should come not nigh, when He smote the Egyptians, but preserved our -fathers._” - -“Will our people _ever_ do this, father?” queried the boy. - -“Till Messiah come, they will, dear son.” The strained gaze of Cohen, as -he answered, was as though he was trying to pierce Time’s veil, and see -the coming Messiah approaching. - -“_When_ will Messiah come, father?” continued the boy. - -“_To-night_, perhaps, my son. Set His chair! Open the door!” - -Swiftly, but with remarkable quietude, for a child, the boy placed a -chair at the table, then, stepping briskly, silently to the door, he set -it wide open, and left it thus, and returned to his place by the table. - -Rachel took the ewer and poured out a little wine and water into each -glass. In her sullenness, as she came to Zillah’s glass, she slopped the -wine over the edge. The children glanced curiously from the spilled wine -to the face of their aunt, then at their father’s face. - -Zillah’s face flushed; Cohen’s grew pale, and set in a sharp spasm of -pain. No word was said, each took up their glass, and drank the _first_ -cup of blessing. - -There was a moment’s pause, then Cohen spread his hands, bowed his head, -and repeated “The Blessing:—” - -“_The Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make His face shine upon us and -be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon -us and give us peace._” - -Under her breath, yet distinctly heard by Cohen, in the solemn hush that -followed the Blessing, Zillah murmured:— - -“_But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh -by the blood of Christ._ FOR HE IS OUR PEACE.” - -Cohen glanced quietly at her. She met the glance with one of intense -yearning. He translated it rightly, as meaning “If _only_ you could see -this truth?” - -There were two bowls of water set on a side-board. Cohen and his wife -rinsed their hands in one bowl, Zillah and the two children in the other. - -Addressing himself to his son, more than to the others, Cohen, when they -had returned to the table, as the head of the house was instructed to do, -explained why they sat at the Feast:— - -“Our Fathers, when they took the Feast for the _first_ time in Egypt, my -son, took it _standing_, with their loins girt, and their staff in hand, -for _they_ were starting on that great journey that eventually lasted -forty years. But we, their descendants, eat the feast to-day, _sitting_ -at our ease, as a symbol that our people have been delivered from the -cruel bondage.” - -Then the _first_ Hallel was repeated.—Psalms 113, and 114. The _second_ -cup of Blessing was taken by each. Then Cohen asked a Blessing on _each_ -kind of food on the table. Then he carved a portion of lamb for each one, -they took their seats, and the meal began. - -The children were excused from eating the stinging bitter herbs. But -Cohen, Rachel, and Zillah, each took a little with their lamb and -unleavened bread. - -Conversation became fairly general over the meal, except that Rachel’s -sullen anger increased, and she kept silent. - -At the conclusion of the meal, the _third_ cup of Blessing was drunk, and -Cohen repeated the 115, 116, 117, 118, Psalm. At the close of the Hallel, -the _fourth_, and last cup of Blessing was taken. The Feast was over. - -A sudden silence fell upon them all. No one moved, no one spoke, for a -moment. Suddenly Zillah broke the dead silence. She had a glorious voice, -and she let it ring out in that wondrous song:— - - “Not all the blood of beasts - On Jewish altars slain - Could give the guilty conscience peace, - Or wash away our stain.” - -No one interrupted. Cohen _could_ not, for the thrall of some strange, -new power was upon him. His wife was furious—but kept her fury bottled -up. The children were delighted, they loved to hear their aunt sing, and -to the amaze of their father and mother—they joined in the singing, for, -with other children, they had often of late been to the evening meeting -for Jewish children. And Zillah, who had talked with them, believed that -they loved the Christ. - -Without a break, the three voices sang on: - - “But Christ the Heavenly Lamb, - Takes all our sins away; - A sacrifice of nobler name, - And richer Blood than they. - - “My faith would lay her hand - On that meek head of Thine, - While as a penitent I stand, - And here confess my sin. - - “My soul looks back to see - The burden Thou didst bear - When hanging on the accursed tree, - And knows her guilt was there. - - “Believing we rejoice - To feel the curse remove; - We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, - And trust His bleeding love.” - -Again, for full thirty seconds, as the glorious song finished, there was -an absolute silence, save for the ricketting of Rachel’s chair, as she -moved in pettish anger on her seat. - -Zillah had kept her eyes fixed upon Cohen’s face all the time she was -singing, and had seen a strangely wondrous light slowly gather in his -eyes. She had known, for days, that he was very, very near to the point -of acceptance of Christ. Even as they had gathered at the table of the -Passover, she was not sure, but that in all but profession and testimony, -he was a Christian. - -Now he suddenly broke the silence. - -“Sing the last two verses again, Zillah” he said. - - “_My_ soul looks back to see - The burden Thou didst bear - When hanging on the accursed tree, - And knows her guilt was there.” - -Zillah’s glorious voice rang out. And now, even to _her_ wonder, Cohen’s -deeper tones joined hers. Her heart leaped as she noted the emphasis he -put upon the “_My_ soul.” - -She sang on. His voice sang on too. Then came the last verse, and in a -perfect burst of triumph, his voice rang out:— - - “Believing _I_ rejoice - To feel the curse remove; - _I_ bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, - And trust His bleeding love!” - -It was a strangely ecstatic moment for Zillah. Tears flooded her eyes, -she tried to speak, but her emotion choked her. - -Cohen stood up. His face was ablaze with the wonder of the revelation -that had come to him. He spread his hands upward, and his eyes were -lifted in the same direction, as he cried:— - -“Thou loving Christ! Thou Precious Jesus! I am _Thine_—THINE—THINE—!” - -Then he remembered his wife. - -“Rachael, dear heart,” he cried, as he moved to her side. “Machael, wife -of my heart. Jesus _is_ the Messiah!” - -“Bah!” she cried. With a thrust of her hand and foot, she kept him from -her. Then in tones of withering scorn and disgust, she cried: - -“Mehusmed!” - -He bent over her very tenderly, stooping to meet her eyes, and trying to -take her hand. - -The two children clung to Zillah, and the boy suddenly began to pipe out, -in his clear treble, the hymn so beloved of Jewish children who attend -the mission meetings. - - “Come to the Saviour, Make no delay,” - -Rachael shot a fiercely angry glance in the boy’s direction, then without -looking at her husband, she thrust at him, to prevent his taking her -hand, as she cried:— - -“Accursed! Mehusmed! Don’t touch _me_!” - -“But, Rachael!” he began tenderly. - -She flung herself sharply round upon him and spat full in his face. Then -she turned sharply from him again. - -A full half minute went by. The room grew so eerily still that it -startled her. She turned to gaze where the quartette had been. - -The room was empty save for herself! - -With a cry she started to her feet. They could not have gone out of the -door for her chair had all the time stood right in the way. What was this -then that had happened? - -Her breath came hot and laboured. Her eye-balls bulged horribly! A -reeling sickness began to steal over her. She dropped back, terrified, in -her chair, gasping:— - -“Zillah said this morning “The Christ will come _soon, suddenly_, then -those who are His, will be taken, unseen, unheard, from the world!” - -With a sharp, anguished cry, she let her bulging, terror-filled eyes -sweep the room again as she cried:— - -“And my _children_, too!” - -Her eyes were tearless, but dry, hard sobs shook all her frame. - -The next moment a kind of frenzy seized her. She rushed to the front -door, and into the street. She would find out if any one else was missing. - -A little crowd was on the pavement. A hansom cab stood by the curb. The -fare was standing on the front board. He was a minister of some kind. He -wore a M.B. waistcoat, a clerical collar, a soft, wide-brimmed, black -felt hat. He glanced up at the driver’s seat, as he cried:— - -“But _some_ one, _surely_, must have seen what became of him. If he fell -off his box in a fit, where is his body?” - -“I seed him one hinstant,” cried a voice from the crowd, “I wur lookin -straight at ’im, ’cos I sed to myself, taint often as yer see a kebby -wear a white ’at, now-a-days. Then, while I wur starin’ at ’im, he sort -o’ disappeared, the reins fell on the roof o’ the keb, the ’oss stopped, -an—” - -“He’s gone!” shrieked a woman’s voice. - -It was Rachael. Bare-headed, dressed in all her festal finery, she had -just rushed down the steps of the house, and heard the question and -answer as to the disappearance of the hansom driver. The crowd turned and -faced her, her shrill tones had startled them. - -“He’s gone to Jehovah!” she screamed again. “My husband, my sister, my -two children—we were at Passover—we——” - -With a piercing shriek she flung up her arms, laughed hideously and fell -in a huddled heap on the bottom step of the flight. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV. - -“THIS SAYING SHALL COME TO PASS.” - - -Tom Hammond greeted his _sub_ most heartily. Ralph had been away, in -Paris, for a fortnight, partly on business, partly for a change. - -As soon as their greetings were exchanged, he turned eagerly to Hammond, -as he said:— - -“But I say, old man, what on earth is all this jargon you wrote me about, -the return of the Christ, and——” - -He paused suddenly. His eyes had just caught sight of the great placard. -His gaze was riveted on it. He read the two words aloud:— - -“TO-DAY? PERHAPS!” - -In a voice of wondering amaze, he gasped:— - -“What’s _that_, Tom? What _does_ it mean?” - -Tom Hammond repeated, in a few sentences, what he had previously written -to his friend, as to his conversion, then, passing on to the subject of -the Lord’s second coming, he said: - -“I am so impressed, Ralph, with the imminence of our Lord’s return, that -I have had that placard done to arrest the attention of callers upon -me, and give me an opportunity of speaking to them about their eternal -destiny. To-day, too, I have been impressed so with the necessity of -speaking to the world—“The Courier’s” world, I mean of course—on this -great, this momentous subject, that I have made it the subject of my -‘Prophet’s Chamber’ column.” - -He gathered up the sheets of his M.S. he had written, and passed them -over the table to Ralph Bastin. - -“You will see, I have written it in the most simple, almost colloquial -style, Ralph,” he said. “I wanted it to be a man’s quiet, earnest, simple -utterance to his fellow man, and not a journalist’s article.” - -Ralph Bastin’s eyes raced over the papers. His face was a strange study, -while he read, reflecting a score of different, ever-changing emotions, -but amid them all never losing a constant deepening amaze. - -As he finished the last sheet, he looked Tom Hammond hard and searchingly -in the face. - -“My dear Tom,” he began. His voice was very grave, very serious. “You’ll -ruin The Courier! You will ruin yourself! The world will call you mad——!” - -“They called my Lord mad, Ralph, and they have called His servants mad, -over and over again, ever since.” - -There was not a shadow of cant in his voice and manner, as he went on:— - -“The word of our God, Ralph—which is the _only real_ rule of life, tells -us that Christ, whose name I profess, said:— - -“‘Whosoever shall confess me, before men, him will I confess also before -my Father which is in Heaven.... If any man will come after Me, _let -him deny himself_, and take up his cross _daily_, and follow Me. For -whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his -life, for My sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, -if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul.... - -“‘For whosoever shall be ashamed of me _and of My words_.’ (‘_Surely I -come quickly_,’ Ralph, is one of _His very last_ recorded words,) ‘of him -shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, -and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.’” - -Tom Hammond leant forward in his chair to lay his hand on the wrist -of the other, to plead with him. But, with an exclamation of angry -impatience, Ralph, cried: - -“Hang it, old man, you must be going dotty!” - -With an expression of annoyance, almost amounting to disgust, he swung -round on his heel. - -“Look here, Tom,” he began. - -He swirled back to meet his friend face to face. - -Then, with a startled cry, he stared at the chair, in which, an instant -before, Tom Hammond had been sitting. - -The chair was empty! - -“Good God!” he gasped. - -Instinctively he knew what had happened! Involuntarily his eyes travelled -to the Placard, and in the same moment he recalled the closing words of -Tom Hammond’s M.S. which he had just read:— - -“‘_Then shall it come to pass, that which is written_, “ONE SHALL BE -TAKEN, THE OTHER LEFT.’” - -A strange, unnatural trembling seized him. He dropped into the chair he -had been occupying, and stared at the empty revolving chair opposite. - -“Good——God!” He slowly repeated the words. There was no thought of -irreverence in the utterance. It was the unconscious acknowledgment of -God’s Presence and Power. - -For a time—he never knew how long—he sat still and silent like a man -stunned. Then, as his eyes travelled slowly to where the sheets of M.S.’s -lay, he smiled wearily, drew them towards him, and took his stylo from -his pocket. Putting the most powerful pressure of his will upon himself, -he began to write after the last works penned by his translated chief:— - -“P.S.—Written by the sub-editor of “The Courier.” By the time this -printed sheet is being read, the world will have learned that a section -of the community has been suddenly taken from our midst. The Editor of -The Courier, the giant mind and kindly heart of Tom Hammond, have been -taken from us. - -“The writer of this postscript, who was in the room, when the “Prophet” -of The Courier was taken, was in the act of scorning his message as to -the nearing of the great translation. “In a moment, in the twinkling of -an eye” he was gone. - -“The writer has not left the room since, and has no means of knowing -who else among those known to him are missing,—not many _personal_ -acquaintances, he fears, since one’s personal clique has never shown any -very marked signs of what one has _hitherto_ considered an _ultra_ type -of Christianity, a condition of “_righteous overmuch_.” - -“When we pass out of this room, presently, and touch the great outside -world once more, what shall we find? How soon will it be generally known -that a section of the community—a larger section, maybe, than we conceive -possible—has been silently, suddenly, secretly taken from our midst? What -will follow? Where are the prophets who shall teach us where we are, and -what we may expect? Does the end of the world follow next? Is there any -order of events, specified in the Bible, that follows this mysterious -translation, if so, what is it? Who will show us these things? - -“Again, since I, the writer of this postscript, am left, while my friend, -Hammond, is taken, _why am I left_, and why shall I find—as of course -I shall when I begin to go abroad among mine acquaintance—hundreds of -others _left_? I have been christened, confirmed, have occasionally -‘communicated,’—this is the clerical term, though as I write, it -occurs to me that there must have been some flaw, somewhere, in the -‘_communicating_.’ - -“I have always supposed myself a Christian by virtue of these things, -to which a clean, decent life has been added. Thousands upon thousands, -I feel sure, will be puzzled by this same contemplation, when this -wonderful Translation becomes generally known. - -“If we are not made Christians by christening, confirmation, -communicating, why have we always been taught so, by our clergy? How many -of these same clergy shall we find _left_ behind. - -“And I suppose there will have been some kind of kindred process at work -among the Nonconformists bodies—in pulpit and pew, alike. For ourselves, -we have come little in contact with Nonconformity, but, if what is -accepted generally, to-day, as to the religious situation, be true—that -the curse of the Ritualism of the ‘Establishment,’ finds its parallel in -the Rationalism, Unitarianism, Socialism, etc., of Nonconformity—then I -shall expect to find as many Nonconformists, lay and ministerial, _left_ -behind from this mysterious, spiritual translation, as churchmen.” - -There came a tap at the door. The messenger boy Charley, appeared. He -glanced towards the empty Editor’s chair, then stammered. - -“I beg pardon, sir, I thought Mr. Hammond was here, sir. They have jest -blown up the tube to know if the ‘Prophet’s’ column was ready.” - -Ralph Bastin noticed that the eyes of the boy flitted from his face to -the placard. - -“Know what that means, Charley?” Bastin asked. - -“Yus, sir, leastways, I knows what Mr. Hammond means by it! E sez that -Jesus Christ’s comin’ back, an’ goin’ to take all the real Christians -out ’er the world, an’ nobody wont see ’em go, nor nothink. I ’eard Mr. -Hammond ’splainin’ it all to a gent, t’other day.” - -Curious to know if the boy himself had thought seriously at all of the -matter, Bastin said:— - -“What do _you_ think of it, Charley?” - -“Wal, it’s like this, sir, I aint been to no Sunday School since I wus -quite a young ’un, ’bout eight perhaps. An’ I never goes to no Church nor -Chapel, cos why? Why ’cos Sunday’s the only day—’cepts my ’olidays—when I -gits any chance fur any rickreation or fresh hair. So I aint up much in -’ligious things. But my sister, Lulu, she walks out wi’ a chap as teaches -in a Sunday School—leastways, he oosed to afore he took up wi’ our Lulu, -but now ’e wants ’is Sunday School time fur spoonying, an’ ’e can spoon, -sir, there’s no error—well, knowin’ as ’e oosed to do summat at ’ligion, -I ups an’ arsks ’im about what Mr. Hammond said, about that takin’ away -business, an ’e (Jimmy Doubleyou, Lulu’s chap, I mean, sir,) larfed, -an’ said, “Don’t yer b’lieve any sich rot! D’yer think Gawd ’ud go an’ -_kidnap_ all ’Is people like that?”[1] - - [1] At a Bible-Reading in Malvern in the house of one of God’s - choicest saints, Miss Ann Boobbyer, where the precious truth of - “_The Rapture_” was being unfolded, a minister present, who was - much used of God, as an evangelist, started up, and cried, - - “What! My Lord coming to _Kidnap_ all His people? Never! Never! - I’ll not believe that!” - -Ralph Bastin would have smiled, at any other time, at this curious -reply. But, to-night, his soul was too sobered. Gathering up the sheets -of M.S.’s, he clipped them together, stamped them with Hammond’s -mechanical imprimatur, and handed the sheaf to the lad, giving him -instructions to deliver them in the Composing Room. - -As the lad left the room, he sat back in his chair, and tried to think -out the position of affairs. He had hardly settled himself down, before -the messenger boy returned. - -“’Scuse me, sir,” the lad began, “but summat curious hev ’appened. -There’s two ‘holy Joes,’ in the Composing room, an’ one in the Sterio -room—leastways, they oosed to be—an’ they’s all three bunked off, -somewheres, nobody seed ’em go, an their coats an’ ’ats is ’ung hup where -they ussally is, an’ some o’ the chaps says as they’s translated. Alf -Charman, one o’ the comp’s, oosed to talk like Mr. ’Ammond did, sir——” - -The boy looked a trifle fearsomely at the empty editor’s chair, as he -added. - -“Mr. ’Ammond, sir, I—er—I suppose as—’e—’e aint——.” - -“Mr. Hammond has gone out!” Bastin rapped out the words quite sharply. -All this talk of the missing men was getting on his nerves. - -“That will do, Charley!” he added. - -The lad walked slowly to the door, his eyes fixed on the placard, his -lips moving to the words, “_To-day?” “Perhaps!_” - -“Coorius!” he muttered as he passed out of the room. - -Ralph Bastin tried again to settle himself down for a quiet think. -Suddenly he started to his feet, wild of eye, and with horror in his face. - -“Viola?” he muttered. “My beautiful little Viola? She has talked -continuously of the Christ of late. Has she been——?” - -He seized his hat, and with a crushed down sob of literal fear, he rushed -away. - -Outside the office he came upon a hansom. He leaped into it, shouting the -Bloomsbury address to the man. - -“Drive for your life!” he yelled. “A sovereign for you if you get me -there quickly!” - -The man’s horse was fresh. They rushed through the streets. Arriving -at the house, he tossed the driver his promised sovereign, and letting -himself in with his latch key, he dashed into the drawing room. It was -empty! - -He was leaving the room hurriedly, when he encountered the landlady. -“Miss Viola has gone to bed, sir, she overtired herself, visiting the -sick-poor with her flowers, and all that, to-day, and she——” - -“Thanks!” with a hurried nod he raced up the stairs. The child’s bedroom -was next to his own. He entered it without knocking. He was too much -agitated to stand upon ceremony. - -The room was in darkness, he struck a match, laid it to the gas nipple, -then shot a quick glance at the bed. In that first glance, he saw that it -was empty. He went close up to the bed, it had been occupied, he could -see that. He thrust his hand well down under the clothes. There was faint -body warmth left in the bedding—or it seemed so to him. - -“God help me?” he groaned. And two great tears fell glittering from his -eyes. - -“Viola! Viola! my precious darling!” he moaned. “You were my life, my——” - -His emotion choked him. He was dropping into the chair by the bedside, -when he noticed that the back and seat of the chair were strewn with the -under-clothing, which the child had evidently placed there when disrobing. - -With eyes blinded with tears, he lifted the dainty garments in a pile, -and laid them on the foot of the bed. Then he dropped back into the -chair, buried his face in the pillow—the impress of the lost, beautiful -head was left in the pillow—and wept. - -For five minutes he remained thus. Then rousing himself, he muttered:—“I -must play the man! and get back to the office and lay hold of things.” - -He left the room, and managed to clear the house without encountering his -landlady. Lucky in finding a hansom, he had himself driven first to the -central News Agency. He wanted to find out if anything of the mystery was -generally known. - -The careless-minded, light-hearted tapists, clerks and journalists, were -laughing over the few vague rumours of the translation that had reached -them. - -He said nothing of what he knew, and drove on to the office. - -“If the world has to go on, for a time, just as it _has_ been going, in -spite of this wonderful thing,” he muttered, “then, as acting editor of -the Courier, I had better stifle every feeling, save the professional, -and give London—England—the best morning issue under the new condition of -things.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXV. - -FOILED! - - -Thin and pale, but with the likeness of God shining in her dark -eyes—there was the bruise-like colour of great exhaustion under each -eye—Mrs. Joyce sat wearily stitching at her warehouse needle-work. - -Jem Joyce, the drunken, reprobate husband, was serving a six weeks -sentence for his old crime, drunken disorderliness in the streets, and -assaulting the police. His time would soon be up. The fearsome wife had -recalled the fact, that very day, though she could not be sure of the -_actual_ date. - -As she worked now her voice whispered low in song:— - - “It may be in the evening, - When the work of the day is done, - And you have time to sit in the twilight - And watch the sinking sun, - When the long, bright day dies slowly - Over the sea, - And the hour grows quiet and holy - With thoughts of Me; - While you hear the village children - Passing along the street, - Among those thronging footsteps - May come the sound of _My_ feet. - Therefore I tell _you_: Watch - By the light of the evening-star, - When the room is growing dusky - As the clouds afar; - Let the door be on the latch - In your home, - For it may be through the gleaming - I will come.” - -Low, soft, yearning in its passionate longing for her Lord’s Return, -she began again to hum her lay, when a step sounded somewhere near. -So keenly had her imagination been aroused by her song, and by her -long, yearning-dwelling on the theme of the song, that she, almost -unconsciously to herself, rose to her feet, her work and needle held -lightly in her hand, her face turned towards the door. For one instant, -her imagination had suggested the step to have been her Lord’s. - -The next moment she turned deadly pale. She had recognized the step. It -was her husband’s. - -She had just time to drop back into her chair, and, tremblingly, to -resume her work, when the brute entered. He was drunk—viciously, -murderously drunk. - -He began to curse her, the moment he crossed the threshold. He called her -foul names that brought the flush of a great shame—for _him_, not for -herself—to her cheeks. He sneered at her religion, and blasphemed the -name of her Lord. - -Her lips moved, but no sound came from them. She prayed for grace to be -silent, for she feared to aggravate him. Suddenly, he shook his fist in -her face, and hissed:— - -“Curse you! You ——! Do you know I’ve only come back to you to settle all -my scores. I’ve come to——” - -His foaming, blaspheming rage choked him, and he leaped forward, (she had -drawn back from his clenched fist) and caught her by the throat. - -She could not cry out. She thought his purpose was to strangle her. He -glared murderously back into her eyes, which his awful grip was forcing -from their sockets. He shook her fiercely, hurling hideous blasphemies at -her all the time. Then he essayed to put his real purpose in view, and -drawing himself up, and drawing her, at the same time, towards himself, -he hurled himself forward to dash her head against the wall of the room. - -It was _his_ head that struck the wall. His hands clutched air. He fell -head-long stunned, bleeding, and—presently, he was dead. - -The room was very still. Awesomely silent. - -Margaret Joyce was _in the air_, with her Lord! - - - - -CHAPTER XXVI. - -A CASTAWAY. - - -Madge and her husband left Albany on the Monday morning, ostensibly for -a brief honey-moon, but, chiefly, with a view to recruit her husband’s -health. They had gone to a tiny little house among the Catskills, kept by -a coloured woman named “Julie.” The pastor had been there before, and had -himself chosen this quiet retreat for their marriage trip. - -The heart of Madge was broken, for her husband would not be friendly with -her. He was barely civil when he spoke to her, and answered her in short, -sharp monosyllables only. All the old natural pride, with which she would -have met this treatment a fortnight ago, or less, was, fortunately, for -_him_, swallowed up in her new found faith _in_, and her utter surrender -_to_ God. And with this there had come to her the patience and purifying, -born of the Hope of the near return of the Lord, whom she now loved. - -She had been alone, thinking over the whole position, for a couple of -hours. The situation had become intolerable. She determined to make an -appeal to him, though it hurt her natural pride even to contemplate it. - -“Help me! Teach me! Guide me!” she cried unto her God. And in the -strength of the divine promises of upholding and guidance, she decided to -go to her husband. - - * * * * * - -He was alone, with a book before him on the table. But he was not -reading. He was not even thinking. His mind was in a confused whirl, -born of the inward rage of a much discomfited man. He had made a fool of -himself, in public. He knew it, and he had been too proud to apologize. -He had spurned and snubbed the woman, for whom he had professed to be -dying of love, and who had made the greatest sacrifice any honest woman -can make to man—since she had offered herself to him, in marriage. - -He knew that, in the eyes of his wife, and in the eyes of the little -world he had lived and laboured in, that he had lowered himself, had -proved himself less than ordinarily human. - -Some of his own recent platform and pulpit utterances, returned to his -mind, and they stung him by their reproach. The very last sermon he had -preached, before his breakdown of health, had had for its text, “To him -that overcometh, will I give——.” - -In the course of his address he had alluded to the shame of some of -life’s failures, and had quoted William S. Walsh’s “Ichabod.” - -Now, as he sat brooding over his own fall, the lines returned to him. -They mocked him, gibed at him, becoming, to his brooding imagination, -sentient things with laughing, mocking, sneering voices, that somehow -contrived to fling back into his ears, the very tones of his own voice, -as he had declaimed the verses from his platform, weeks ago: - - “Alas, for the lofty dreaming, - The longed-for high emprise, - For the man whose outer seeming - His inner self belies! - - “I looked on the life before me - With purpose high and true, - When the passions of youth surged o’er me, - And the world was strange and true. - - “Where the hero-soul rejoices - I would play the hero’s part; - My ears were attuned to the voices - That speak to the poet’s heart. - - “I would conquer a place in story, - With a soul unsmirched by sin; - My heart should be crowned with glory, - My heart be pure within. - - “_But the hour that should have crowned me,_ - _Cast all high hope adown,_ - _And the time of trial found me,_ - _A sinner, coward, clown._” - -The thought that many of those who heard him declaim those lines, would -be now recalling them, and perhaps be applying them to himself, half -maddened him. And it was at this worst of all moments for her mission of -reconciliation, that Madge entered the room. - -With a rare gentleness she began to plead with him, reminding him of -all the passionate love he had expressed for her up to the very moment, -almost, when they entered the church together for that Sunday morning -service. - -He answered her coldly, sullenly at first. Then he grew pettishly angry -with her, and snapped sharply at her, contradicting her in nearly all she -said: - -“But, Homer,” she pleaded again, and in the deep yearning heart to win -him back to his old loving self, she knelt before him, and tried to take -his hand. - -With an angry exclamation, he rose sharply to his feet and thrust her -away with his foot, as he cried:— - -“I don’t want you! You go your way, I’ll go mine, and——” - -He stopped suddenly. With a sharp cry of agony, he stretched his hands -out into the empty space, where an instant before, she had knelt—for, in -one flashing moment, she had disappeared from before his eyes. - -“Madge! Madge, dear love, dear love, dear wife!” he cried. - -The sound of his own voice struck chilly upon his soul. Deep, deep down -in his heart he knew what had happened—_only he would not own it to -himself_. - -He flashed a swift glance at the window and door. Both were fast shut. - -“This is what Doig preached! What Madge believed would come to pass!” he -cried, hoarsely. - -There was a strange look of terror in his eyes. - -“Julie will have gone, too, if it _is_ the—the—.” - -He did not finish his muttered thought. Like a man walking in his sleep, -he moved to the door, opened it, and called, loudly:—“Julie!” - -There came no reply. An eerie stillness was in the house. - -He moved on into the kitchen, the room was empty. A saucepan of milk was -boiling over on the hot-plate of the grate! - -He hurried into the garden, calling “Madge! Julie!” There was no response. - -He went back to the house. The turkeys had strayed into the kitchen, -there being no one to drive them back. He made a hurried, fearsome tour -of the house. Every room was empty! - -He went back to where he had been, when Madge was taken, with a groan he -dropped into his chair, staring into space with horror-stricken eyes. - -Suddenly, as though a living voice uttered them, the words of scripture -sounded in his ears. - -“_Lest, that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself -should be a castaway!_” - -A mortal agony filled his eyes, as he groaned:— - -“God help me! I know now that I have only been a _minister_, by training -and by profession, I have never been a son of God by conversion, by the -New Birth!” - -His untaught soul had misinterpreted the real inwardness of that passage -of Paul’s. But it was true, in the sense _he_ meant it, he _was_ “a -castaway.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXVII. - -A STRICKEN CITY. - - -It was not really until business time next morning, that London, that the -whole country, really fully awoke to the fact of the great event of the -previous night. Suburbans, in many cases, only heard the strange news on -their arrival at their particular railway stations. Even then, a hundred -rumours were the order of the moment. Everything reported was vague and -shadowy. There were a few rank unbelievers of the garbled stories of -the translation, who laughed sceptically, then began to grumble at the -strange disorganization of the Railway traffic. - -More than one annoyed, belated traveller, remarked in similar terms to -the utterance of a commercial traveller, at Surbiton station:— - -“If there is _any_ actual truth in this story of the secret translation -of a number of religious people, then the mysterious taking away of so -many signal-men, and engine-men, will be an eye-opener to the travelling -public, who never, somehow, suppose that Christianity is a strong factor -in the lives of railway men.” - -“It is a revelation in another way,” remarked a second, “since it -suggests _why_ we have hitherto had so few railway accidents, _compared -with other nations_.” - -The tens and hundreds of thousands, the millions, poured into London as -usual. But the snap had gone out of most of them. A horrible sense of -foreboding, was upon the spirits of the travellers. As the newspapers -more fully confirmed the news, London approached perilously near the -verge of a general panic. - -The newspapers were bought up with phenomenal eagerness. “Souf Efriken -War worn’t in it, fur clearin’ out peepers!” a street seller remarked. - -But few of the morning papers, (except the “Courier”) had anything -special to say on the great event. Most of them, in fact, were absolutely -silent. - -There were weather prophecies, political prophecies, financial -prophecies, social prophecies, sporting prophecies, commercial -prophecies,—but no prophecy of the Coming of the Christ. - -The “Courier’s” rival had a brief note to the effect:— - -“Some wild, senseless rumours were abroad in London last night, as to -the sudden, mysterious disappearance of numbers of the _ultra_ religious -persons of London, and elsewhere. Some people talked wildly of the end of -the world. We therefore despatched special commissioners, to ascertain -what truth there was in all this. - -Our representative returned an hour and a half later, after having -visited all the chief places of amusement and principal restaurants. But -everywhere managers told the same story, ‘there has been no signs of the -end of the world in _our_ place. We are fuller than ever.’ - -The genial manager of the —— Theatre, assured our Representative, that no -later than last Sunday morning, he heard it repeated at his Church, that -‘as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, _world without -end_, Amen.’ So that, for the life of him, he could not conceive any one -being such a fool as to talk of the end of the world.” - -But the note of the “Courier’s” clarion call had no uncertain sound. -Besides all that we have already seen written in the office by the -translated Tom Hammond, and afterwards by Ralph Bastin, the latter had -added to his postscript, another. It was a solemn, a pathetic word, and -ran as follows: - -“Our sheets must go to press in a few moments, if the “Courier” is to be -in the hands of its readers at the usual hour. But before we print, we -feel compelled to add a word or two more to what we wrote two hours ago. - -“During the last two hours, we have made many discoveries, not the -least of which, from the _personal_ standpoint, is the fact, that the -nearest and dearest being to our own heart and life, one whose life and -thought, of late, has been strangely taken up by the Christ of God, is -missing. She has shared in the glory and joy of the wondrous, mysterious, -and—to _most_ of us, to _all_ of us surely who are _left_—_unexpected_ -translation. - -“We have no wish or intention to parade our own personal griefs before -our readers, but dare to say that no journalist ever worked with a more -broken, crushed sense of life, than did we during the two hours we -afterwards spent in searching London for facts. - -“One curious fact which we speedily discovered, was, that no one had -been taken in this wondrous translation, from any of the Theatres or -music-halls. In the old days—four _hours_ ago, seems, to look back to, -like four centuries—before this awfully solemn event, discussions arose, -periodically, in certain religious and semi-religious journals, as to -whether _true_ Christians could attend the theatre and music-hall.” - -“The fact that no one appears to have been translated from any of these -London houses of amusement, answers, we think, that question, as it has -never been answered before.” - -Here followed a brief _resume_ of his experiences in other quarters. Then -in big black type he asked the question:— - -“WHAT FOLLOWS, (ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE PROGRAM) THIS STUPENDOUS -EVENT?—The Bible, evidently, (when read aright) told those, who have been -taken from our midst, that this translation was approaching, then it must -surely give some hint of what we may expect to follow so startling an -episode as that of to-night. The question is, _what_ follows?” - -“There must surely be many clergymen and ministers who knew _about_ this -great translation, who though not living in the spirit of what they knew, -and being therefore left behind, like the common ruck of those of us, -who were carelessly ignorant—there must be many such ministers left, who -could teach us _now, what_ to expect _next_, and _how_ to prepare for the -next eruption—whatever form it may take.” - -“We therefore propose to any such ministers, that they gather us into -the Albert Hall, Agricultural Hall, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Spurgeon’s -Tabernacle, Whitfields—why not, in fact, into every church, chapel, -Salvation Army Barracks, or even in the great open spaces such as Hyde -Park, and other Parks, Primrose Hill, Hampstead Heath, etc., and teach -us, who are left behind from the wondrous Translation, that has just -occurred, how to be prepared for the next mighty change, for we believe -the bulk of us are absolutely in the dark.” - -“Meanwhile, are there no houses in Paternoster Row, and its -neighbourhood, where books and pamphlets on these momentous subjects can -be obtained, or are all such publishers translated with those of whom we -have been writing?” - -One effect of the last suggestion, in Bastin’s _second_ postscript, was -to send thousands of people to Paternoster Row, the Square, Ivy Lane, -and all the neighbourhood. Some of the publishers of books on the Lord’s -Second Coming, _had_ been _left_ behind, had _not_ shared in the Rapture -of which they had printed and published. - -Storekeepers, packers, masters, clerks, were most of them reading up the -contents of their own wares. Business system among them, at first, seemed -an unknown quantity. Deadness, amaze, fear, uncertainty, all of these -things held and dominated them. - -But they had to wake up. Their counters were besieged. Hordes of people -thronged the doors. In twenty minutes after the first great influx, there -was not a tract, a booklet, or a volume, on the “Lord’s coming, and the -events to follow,” left in the “Row.” - -At any other time those in command of the stores, would have tried to -get the printing presses at work, to run off some hundreds of thousands -of the briefest of the “Second Advent” literature. But, to-day, fear, -nameless fear held every one in thrall. - -The “Row” put up shutters, and went home—or at least got away from -business. - -Business, everywhere, was at a standstill. By eleven o’clock most of -the city houses were closed. Some of the banks never opened at all. -Throgmorton Street and the Stock Exchange were in a state of dazed -incredulity. A few members were missing, and these were known to be -“Expectants” of the Translation. - -“Salvation S——, is gone!” some one called out. - -“Aye!” cried another, “I’d give all I possess, or ever hoped to possess, -to be where he is now. I remember how he tried and prayed to persuade me -once to——” - -There was a rush of members across “The Floor” at that moment. Some one -had a proposition to make, namely a trip to 101 Queen Victoria Street, to -see if there were any Salvationists left there. A little band, about a -dozen, responded, and the silk-hatted, excited little crowd swept away on -their curious quest. - - - - -CHAPTER XXVIII. - -“HALLELUJAH LASS.” - - -There was one “Hallelujah Lass,” in the front shop, at the -“Headquarters.” She was bonnetless, but the big, navy-blue head-dress -laid on a glass show-case. She wore a finely-knitted crimson jersey and -braided blue skirt. Her eyes were red with weeping. She was strangely -distraught. There was no lilt of the song upon her lips:— - - “Oh! the peace my Saviour gives, - Peace I never knew before.” - -“Not all translated then?” began the leader of the Stock Exchange band, -addressing her. - -There was nothing flippant, nothing sneering in his tone or manner. - -The girl essayed a reply, but at first it ended in a sob only. Presently -she recovered herself enough to say:— - -“No, we’re not _all_ translated! You see, sir, the Army, as a body, never -quite admitted the truth of _this_ Second coming of our Lord. It has -always preached that we, as an Army of Salvation, were raised up by God -to get _all the world_ converted. A lady in the train, as I came up to -business, only yesterday——” - -The girl sighed wearily, as she interpolated, “Yesterday seems as far off -as Wesley’s times. But, only yesterday, this lady, in the train talked to -me about the ‘Lord’s near return’—that is how _she_ put it—and said, ‘God -is undoubtedly using the Army in evangelizing the distant heathen, and -thus allowing them to fulfil His purpose in calling out those who are to -form the Bride of the Heavenly Bridegroom—but, believe me, my dear, the -world will never be converted _before_ Christ comes for His Church.’ - -“She talked to me very beautifully, and simply, only, as she said, one -could only grasp these truths in proportion as one kept clear in their -minds the things which belonged to the separate dispensations. - -“‘If,’ she said, ‘The Lord came to-night’—how little she or I dreamed -that He actually would—‘this dispensation would be closed, and a new one -would begin to-morrow.’” - -The girl looked around in a bewildered way, almost as though she was -looking for something she had lost. - -“I have never known anything about the dispensations, and their bearing -on the Bible,” she went on. “The Army has always taught us that we should -_all_ die, lie in our graves until “the _last Day_,” then appear before -the Great White Throne, and be judged according to our lives, and all -that. The lady who spoke to me yesterday—yesterday? oh, how far off it -seems—explained to me, _from the Bible_, that true Christians would -_never_ appear before the Great White Throne. - -“That when the Great White Throne shall be set, the real Christian will -be seated in glory _with_ Jesus, the Judge. And only the wicked, unsaved -dead will be judged there. The sin of the _true_ Christian, she said, is -done with, settled, put away at the Cross. - -“‘There is therefore _now no_ condemnation (_judgment_) to them who are -_in_ Christ Jesus.’ ‘He that heareth, and believeth on Jesus, _hath_ -everlasting life, and _shall not come into the judgment_, but _is_ -passed from death unto life.’ - -“She told me that the true Christian, who might be living, when the Lord -should Return, would be caught up _into the air_, with all the Christian -dead, who will rise from their graves; and, that then the only judgment -that can ever come to the Christian, will take place. That will be at -Christ’s judgment _of Rewards_. She said that eternal life did not enter -into the question. That was settled once and for ever, but at Christ’s -Reward-judgment, the Christian’s _work_ would be tried.” - -Some of the silk-hatted listening men began to fidget. All this talk was -foreign and uninteresting to them. - -“The lady,” the girl went on, “promised to meet me this morning at the -station, at the same time as we met yesterday, ‘_Should the Lord Tarry_’ -she said. But I saw nothing of her this morning. She had been ‘_caught -up_,’ of course, to meet her Lord in the air, and I——” - -The girl’s voice broke, her eyes streamed with tears. One of the youngest -of the stock-brokers asked:— - -“But why, if Salvationists are Christians, are _you_ here? Why were _you_ -not translated?” - -“God help me!” she cried, “I know _now_, now that it is too late, that -I was never converted. I was drawn into an Army meeting by reports I -heard of the singing and music. The Army’s methods fascinated me—the -young officer who came to our town, was a very taking fellow. He talked -to me in an after-meeting, I wept with the many emotions that were at -work within me; I went to the penitent form—and—and—afterwards joined the -Salvation Army—but I know _now_, I was not really saved.” - -She caught her breath in a quick sob, then a little glow suddenly filled -her face, as she added:— - -“But I have settled the matter this morning. I have yielded, -intelligently to Christ, and I know that - - “Jesus with me is united, - Doubting and fears they are gone; - With Him now my soul is delighted, - I and King Jesus are one.” - -“And,” she cried, her eyes flashing with a holy light, “If witnessing for -Jesus means martyrdom, then, by God’s grace, I’ll show by my death that——” - -“Are there many Salvationists left?” interrupted one of her listeners. - -A quick flush dyed her cheek; as she replied:— - -“I _can’t_ say! There are some here at head-quarters, whom I should not -have thought would have been _left behind_, but who are. Though I don’t -believe there will be more, if so many Salvationists, as other sects, _in -proportion_, be found to be left behind, or——” - -The sound of thousands of tramping feet broke into the girl’s speech. The -little crowd of Stock-brokers rushed to the door. - -A dense mass of men and women were marching up the street. Every face was -set and serious. There were many clergymen and ministers in the crowd, if -the clerical collar and ministerial garb gave true indication of their -calling. - -“To St. Paul’s! To St. Paul’s!” a stentorian voice was shouting. - -The stock-brokers joined the mighty crowd, which, grim, resolute, silent, -swept on. - - * * * * * - -By midnight, or soon after, a few hours only after the great Translation, -the hordes of the vicious that festered in the slums—women, as well as -men, _aliens_ and British alike—had heard something of what had happened, -and creeping from their filthy lairs, began, at once to become a menace -to public life and property. - -Many of the police beats were unprotected, the men who had been -patrolling them sharing in the sudden glorious Rapture of their Lord’s -return. By midnight, the whole police service had become temporarily -disorganized, if not actually demoralized. - -Scotland Yard heads of departments were missing, as well as local -Superintendents, Sergeants, etc. In many cases there was no one to give -orders, or to maintain control. And where leaders _were_ left, they were -often too scared and unnerved to exercise a healthful authority. - -Under these circumstances the hordes of vicious, and out of work grew -bolder every hour. They had no fear of the Spiritual character of the -strange situation, for God, to them, was a name only to blaspheme. Hell -was a merry jest to them, a synonym for warmth and rest,—a combination -which had been all too rare with them on earth. Besides, Hell had no -shadow of terror to people who, for years, had suffered the torments of a -life in a literal hell in London. - -Shops, and private houses, and some of the larger business houses had -been openly burgled. A rumour got abroad, that the Banks were to be -raided. - -Ralph Bastin, passing the Bank of England, found that the guard of -Soldiers had been quadrupled, and this too for the _day_-time. Curious to -know how the Translation of the night before had affected the army, he -asked one of the privates if any of the London soldiers were missing? - -“All the ‘blue-lights,’ (as we calls the Christians, sir,) is missin’. -Yer see, sir, if a feller perfesses to be a Chrishun in the Army, an’ -aint real, ’e soon gits the perfession knocked outer ’im. On the other -han’ if ’e’s real, why all the persekushun on’y drives ’is ’ligion deeper -inter ’im. Yes, all the ‘blue-lights’ is gone, sir, an’ any amount o’ -officers. - -“These, as is gone, is mos’ly the middle-age an’ ole ones, an’ those -wot’s been in India, Malta, an’ other furrin stations. I’ve knowed -lots o’ that sort o’ officer, as oosed to hev Bible-Readin’s at their -Bungalows. Ah, they wur _right_, they wur, the other wur wrong, an’ the -wrong ’uns knows to-day as they’s out o’ luck! - -“If yer arsks my erpinun, ser, I sez, that London’s full o’ fools, -to-day, fur if we’d all been doin’ an’ thinkin’ as we’d oughter, why we’d -be now up in Glory wi Jesus. I’ve yeard the truth at So’dger Homes, an’ -sich places, an’ I’ve sung wi’ lots o’ others:— - - “Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching; - In his glory they shall share: - If He shall come at the dawn or midnight, - Will He find us watching there?” - - “O, can we say we are ready, brother?— - Ready for the soul’s bright home? - Say, will He find you and me still watching, - Waiting, waiting, when the Lord shall come?” - -The man suddenly straightened himself, and glanced away from Bastin. An -officer was approaching. - -Ralph Bastin walked away, the thought that filled his mind, was of the -strange mood that had suddenly come over _every_one, since to-day, -everybody seemed ready to talk freely of religious things. - -He moved on up Cheapside, his destination being St. Paul’s Cathedral. - - - - -CHAPTER XXIX. - -IN ST. PAUL’S. - - -The cathedral was packed, packed out to the doors. The aisles, and every -other inch of standing-room was a solid Jam. The whole area of the -interior showed one black mass of silent waiting, expectant people—it was -curious to note that almost every woman had donned black, in some form or -other. - -The great organ was silent. No one dreamed of singing. The choir seats -were full of strangers. The stalls were filled with an indiscriminate -crowd. There was no rule, no discipline to-day. - -Suddenly the tall, square-built form of a certain well-known Bishop, rose -near the pulpit. He had linked his arm in that of one of London’s most -popular Nonconformist preachers, and almost dragged him to his feet. - -There was evidently a controversy going on between the two men as to -which of them should address the people, each urging the other to lead -off. The same thought was in the minds of nearly all who were in view of -the pair, _namely_, “how comes it that a Bishop, and a popular preacher -like the Rev. ——, have been left behind?” - -A strange new tenseness, a deepening silence, settled upon the mighty -mass gathered under that great dome. Suddenly the silence was broken by a -voice calling: - -“Bishop ——.” Another voice immediately cried, “No! The Rev. ——.” - -A momentary clamour of voices ensued. The voices were not shrill in their -eagerness, but sullen, sombre, almost savage, in fact. A moment, and the -Bishop slowly entered the pulpit. He bowed his head in prayer. - -Like the slow, rushing sound of the letting loose of some distant water, -the noise of thousands of bending forms filled the place, for everyone -bowed the head. - -A moment later, the heads were raised. The silence almost of a tomb -filled the place, when the first momentary rustle of the uprearing had -subsided. - -The voice of the Bishop broke the silence, crying:— - -“Men and women of London, fellows with me in the greatest shame the world -has ever known—the shame of bearing the name Christian, and yet of being -the rejected of Christ,—we meet to-day under awful, solemn circumstances. - -“We are face to face with the most solemnly awful situation the human -race has ever known, if we except the conditions under which, during -those three hours of blackness at Calvary, the people of Jerusalem were -found, while the Crucified Christ hung mid-air, on the Fatal Tree. - -“It may be said that our position bears some likeness to that of the -people who were destroyed at the Flood. Those antediluvians had one -hundred and twenty years warning, we, as professing Christians, have had -nearly two thousand years warning, yet, London, England and the whole -world has by last night’s events, been proved practically heathen—or -atheist, atheist will perhaps best fit our character. - -“The moment came when God called Noah and his family into the ark. But -what never occurred to me, until this morning, was the significant fact, -that God did not shut the door of the ark, or send the flood, until -_seven days later_, thus giving the unbelievers another opportunity to be -saved. - -“And God has given London, England, America, the world, this same extra -opportunity of being prepared for the Return of the Lord, and the -Translation of His Church. - -“For, for some years, now, conferences, and conventions, addresses, -Bible-Readings, etc., where this subject of the Second Coming of Christ -has been specially taught, has been multiplied mightily. I have been -present at some of these gatherings, but, smiling amusedly at what I -termed the wild utterances of visionaries, I neglected my opportunity. - -“Yet, of all men, _I_ ought to have been prepared for this Coming of -the Lord. I have held ministerial office in a church that taught the -doctrine, plainly, in many of its prayers and collects. But I see, -now, that all through my life, I have been blinded by the _letter_ of -things, and have mistaken christening, confirmation, communicating, for -conversion, and for life in Christ. - -“I see, to-day, that I entered the established church of this realm, and -not the family of God, and the service of Christ. I have never really -been God’s, by the New Birth, until last night, when my dear wife, in -company with all the waiting, longing church, was suddenly called up to -be with her Lord. Not by death, dear friends—she saw no death—but by that -sudden translation, that has startled us all so.” - -A low sobbing sound ran through all the building. The gathered thousands, -almost to a man, realised that they, with the speaker, were equally -lifeless, spiritually. - -“I was in the room when my wife disappeared,” the Bishop went on. “She -had been very ill. It became necessary to perform a critical operation on -her. I insisted on being present. I see the scene now. - -“The nurses standing by the antiseptic baths with the sponges and clips -immersed. In the eerie silence of that room, no sound came save the voice -of the great surgeon, as he cried ‘clip’—‘iodoform’—‘bandages.’ Suddenly, -as he half turned to take a bandage of the nurse, the form of my precious -wife disappeared from the operating table. One of the nurses at the -antiseptic bowl, was gone also. - -“And I, a _professed_ servant of the Christ who had called the translated -ones, was _left_, with the great surgeon, and others, as you, dear -friends, many, _most_ perhaps, members of some Christian church, have -been left. - -“‘Sister Carrie gone too!’ cried the great surgeon, ‘then you may depend, -Bishop, that Christ has come for all His real church, for Nurse Carrie -lived in daily, hourly expectation of some kind of translation.’ With a -puzzled look upon his face, he said, suddenly: - -“‘But, Bishop, how is it that you are left behind, who, of all men in our -midst, one would have thought would have gone?’ - -“I had to say last night to him, dear friends, what, with shame and -regret, I have to say to you now, that I _ought_ to have known the Truth, -and have been prepared, but because I was unconverted, I had failed to -apprehend the fact of the Lord’s near Return. - -“Yet, how often, on the third Sunday in Advent, have I, with many of you, -repeated the _Great Truth_, in the collect:— - -“‘O Lord Jesus Christ, who, at Thy first coming, didst send Thy messenger -to prepare Thy way before Thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards -of Thy mysteries, may likewise so prepare and make ready Thy way, by -turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at -Thy _second_ coming to judge the world, we may be found an acceptable -people in Thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father, and the -Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.’ - -“In the burial of our dead, too, how often have I recited, and have heard -the words, - -“‘Beseeching Thee that it may please Thee, of Thy gracious goodness, -_shortly to accomplish the number of Thine elect_, and to hasten Thy -Kingdom; that we, _with_ all those that are departed in the True faith of -Thy Holy Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both in body -and soul, in Thy eternal and everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our -Lord.’ - -“Again, the words of Paul in the matter of the Lord’s Supper ‘TILL HE -COME!’ ought to have opened my eyes. But I confess, with shame, I have -been blind, a blind leader of the blind——” - -Visible emotion checked the Bishop’s speech, for a moment. Recovering -himself, he went on:— - -“A blind leader of the blind, because unborn of God. I _ought_ to have -known that Christ’s Return was near. I _should_ have known it, had I been -spiritually-minded, by the signs of the Apostasy which, (prophesied to -precede the Second Coming of the Lord) have been having their fulfillment -all around us for years. - -“Since last night, I have lived a whole life-time. I have read the -whole of the Gospels and Epistles, and, taking my true place as a lost -soul before God, I have been born of God. And now, here, in this solemn -moment, I bring to you the Spirit-taught knowledge that has been given to -me.” - -For a few minutes, he traversed ground already covered in these pages, -then, continuing, he said:— - -“Last Sunday, when, in all the pride of my office, I preached—preached in -my unconscious unbelief—I quoted those lines of the poet:— - - “‘They pass me like shadows, crowds on crowds, - Dim ghosts of men, that hover to and fro, - Hugging their bodies round them like their shrouds - Wherein their souls were buried long ago; - They trampled on their youth, and faith and love, - With Heaven’s clear messages they madly strove, - And conquered—and their spirits turned to clay.... - Alas! poor fools, the anointed eye may trace - A dead soul’s epitaph in every face.’ - -“To-day, friends, I know that ‘the anointed eye’ must have traced ‘The -dead soul’s epitaph,’ in my _life_, if not in my face. - -“Now let us face our present position, as those who are _left_! What is -the future to be? This is what you need to know, what I need to know! -_First_, let me say, the next thing for each to do is to seek the Lord, -to cry unto Him for mercy and pardon, while all our hearts are shocked -and startled, and our thoughts are turned God-wards. For unless we close -with God, become His, and live out the future to Him, our portion will be -an Eternal Hell.” - -An awful hush rested upon the gathered thousands, as he proceeded:— - -“One thing appears very plain from Scripture, that is, that when, last -night, Christ came into the air and caught up His Church, living and -dead, that the Devil, who has been the Prince of the Power of _the air_, -had to descend to earth. Christ and Beelzebub can never live together in -the same realm. - -“In the re-creation of this earth, recorded in Genesis, God blessed -everything that He created, _save the atmosphere_, He _did_ not, He -_could_ not bless that because Satan, driven from the re-created earth, -by the breath of the divine Spirit, had taken refuge _in the air_. He is -therefore called in Scripture, not only the ‘_Prince of this World_,’ but -‘THE PRINCE OF THE POWER OF THE AIR.’ - -“Now, beloved, the Spirit of God has left the earth. The Devil has taken -up his abode here with all his myriad agents, and he is going to make -earth as hot for those of us who will witness for God, as is hell itself -to the lost. - -“If we will witness for God during the years we are beginning -to-day—called the years of ‘The Great Tribulation,’ they will probably -be seven in number, and extend therefore to the dawning moment of -the Millennium—if we witness therefore for God, I say, during these -intervening seven years, we may expect to meet with hideous trial and -suffering. - -“Antichrist will now soon make himself known—he will be a _man_, not a -system, mind,—he will mislead the Jews, who will now, immediately, return -to their own land, and build their New Temple. For a time, Antichrist -will appear to be the friends of the Jews, but he will seek to force the -most awful idolatry upon them. The mass of Jewry will accept all this. - -“With the Jew, every Gentile will presently be compelled to accept -Antichrist, and the Roman Beast——” - -A sound of protest was heard from a seat near the pulpit, as the Bishop -spoke of the “Roman Beast.” But the preacher took no note of the -interruption and went on:— - -“The Devil will be so mad at being cast down out of heaven, and because -he knows such a very limited time to work against God, that he will call -up all hell to stamp out God’s people.” - -For one instant the Bishop paused. He leaned over the pulpit edge, his -eyes were full of the light of a holy determination, but into his voice -there crept a tender yearning, as he continued:— - -“Are we prepared for actual martyrdom? For this will certainly be the -fate of many who will not bear about upon them the mark of the Beast.” - -Again there came a growl from that seat near the pulpit. But the most -solemn hush rested upon the vast mass of people. - - - - -CHAPTER XXX. - -CONCLUSION. - - -Quietly, giving the impression that the sense of a great shame rested -upon him, the Rev. —— —— the noted popular Nonconformist minister rose -from his seat and faced the congregation. - -Many of his own church were there. Many others, who had followed the -criticisms of the more spiritual-toned Christian papers, upon his pulpit -and other utterances, were there. Every one waited breathless, wondering -what contribution he would make to the great matter in hand. - -It was evident that it was only by the exercise of tremendous will-power -that he could restrain his emotions sufficiently to speak. - -“God help me, dear friends!” he began, “for I know now that I have been -a Judas to the Lord of Life and Glory, whose _professed_ servant I have -been. I have gloried in my success; in the crowd that always filled my -church; in the adulation of my intellectual powers by the Press. But -I have never glorified Christ. In a hundred subtle ways I have denied -my Lord——He _is_ my Lord _now_, I have found Him in the silence of the -past awful night——. I have been practically denying His deity for years, -I have talked learnedly, when I ought to have been walking humbly, -and—and——.” - -The strain was too much for him, tears streamed down his face, he covered -his face with his hands, and dropped, sobbing, into his seat. - -Sobs broke from many of the people. Weeping is infectious. In another -moment the released pent-up emotions would have become a storm that none -could have stayed. But the Bishop’s voice called out, - -“Let us pray!” - -Every head was bent, and a prayer, such as London’s Cathedral had never -heard before, poured from the Bishop’s lips. The conclusion of the prayer -was followed by a moment or two of deepest stillness. - -The silence was, suddenly, sharply broken by a full, rich voice crying:— - -“Sit up, dear friends! Hear ye the word of the Lord!” - -As the people lifted their heads a cry of amaze rang out from many -throats:— - -“The Monk of ——!” - -The face of the Monk was familiar to all Londoners by his photograph, -which beside being on sale in the shops, had appeared again and again -in magazines. He had a striking figure, and there was a curious -picturesqueness about his appearance, with his smooth, clean-shaven -face, eagle eyes, tonsured crown, and curious purple-brown cowled habit, -girdled with a stout yellow cord about the waist. His bare feet were -sandaled. His hands, long, thin, with white tapering fingers, were -outstretched a moment, then dropped slowly as he went on:— - -“These are times when no one of us may shrink from speaking the truth -boldly, if the Truth has been committed to us. - -“With all due respect to our friend, Bishop ——, I would say, that all the -surmises abroad in London, to-day, and those that have been voiced in our -hearing here, during this hour, are wrong! - -“The true meaning of the mysterious disappearance of so many -ultra-protestants, is this: The great end _is_ near! God’s work was being -frustrated by those unholy zealots, who have been therefore graciously -snatched away to hell, before they could do further mischief.” - -Murmurs of dissent and protest ran through the mass of people, like the -low sullen roar, at sea, of a coming storm. - -The Bishop thought of his Translated wife. He knew, too, that God not -only indwelt himself, now, but that He had guided him in speaking to -the people. He rose in the pulpit to protest against the words of the -Romanist. - -But a voice cried out from the congregation:— - -“Let the Monk have his say. These are strange times, and we would hear -all sides before we can judge.” - -And the Monk went on:— - -“His supreme Holiness, the Pontiff, had been warned of God—as he is God’s -Regent on earth—of the event that has happened in our midst. His priests -were warned a few days ago, and in most of our churches, last Sunday, -certain dark hints of the coming catastrophe were given. God therefore, -now, calls upon you all, through me, to turn to the _true_ church, the -_real_ church, the church of St. Peter’s, the church of Rome——.” - -A storm of protesting murmurs rolled up from the people. - -He waited, smiling confidently a moment. Then he went on: - -“When all the inhabitants of the earth bear upon them the sign of the -true church——” - -“THE MARK OF THE BEAST!” yelled a voice. - -Another instant and there would have been a hideous uproar, but that -everything became forgotten in a new excitement. - -From outside, in the street, there rose the roar of a multitude, crying -“Fire!” Fortunately the packed congregation within the Cathedral, one -and all realised that the alarming thing was _out_side, not _in_side the -building, so that there was no panic. - -In a few minutes the great place was cleared. The Bishop, the Great -Nonconformist, and a dozen other ministers, and laymen, remained gathered -together as by a common instinct, by the pulpit. - -“What is coming, brethren?” - -“The _power_ of Antichrist, and the manifestation of The man of Sin, -himself,” cried the Bishop, solemnly. “The Monk of ——,” he went on “has -been the first to voice the awful claims of this Man of Sin.” - - * * * * * - -A week later!!! - -Like a sow that returneth to the mire, London, England, the world had -returned to its old careless life. The fever for sport, pleasure, -money-getting, drinking, gambling, licentiousness, was fiercer than ever. -Everyone aimed at forgetting what had happened a week before—and the bulk -of the people were succeeding in finding the lethal element. - -There had been many conversions during the first forty-eight hours -_after_ the Translation of the Church, but, since then, scarcely one. -Already there had arisen, all over the land, all over the world in fact, -as the American, Australasian, and Foreign Press Telegrams made clear, a -multitude of men and women who were preaching the maddest, most dangerous -doctrines. - -Among the most popular, and successful, of these was Spiritualism. Not -the comparatively mild form known _before_ the Great Translation, but an -open, hideous blasphemous exhibition that proved itself to be, what it -had really always been—_demonology_. - -Antichrist’s sway had begun. Satan was a _positive, active_, agent. -The restraints of the Holy Spirit were missing, for _HE_ had left the -earth when the Church had been taken away. Other restraints were also -taken from the midst of the people, since, whether the world recognise -it or not, the fact remains, that the people of God are the Salt, the -preservative of the earth. - - * * * * * - -Final word! Whether or no, the writer has failed in the purpose he had -when he set pen to paper; whether or no he has bungled his subject; -whether the reader is, or is not willing to accept the main statements -of the special teaching in this book, does not really affect the real -question, namely, _The Near Return of our Lord._ His word to us, whether -we believe and accept it, or whether we slight and reject it, is:— - -“BEHOLD I COME QUICKLY!” BE YE ALSO READY, FOR IN SUCH AN HOUR AS YE -THINK NOT, THE SON OF MAN COMETH. - -FOR THE LORD HIMSELF SHALL DESCEND FROM HEAVEN.... AND THE DEAD IN CHRIST -SHALL RISE FIRST: THEN, WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN, SHALL BE CAUGHT -UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR: AND SO -SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD! - - TO-DAY? - PERHAPS! - -The continuation of this Book is published under the title “The Mark of -the Beast.” - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK “IN THE TWINKLING OF AN -EYE” *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: “In the twinkling of an eye”</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Sydney Watson</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: August 9, 2022 [eBook #68722]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Richard Hulse and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK “IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE” ***</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_iii"></a>[iii]</span></p> - -<p class="titlepage largest">“IN THE<br /> -TWINKLING<br /> -OF AN EYE”</p> - -<p class="titlepage larger">By Sydney Watson</p> - -<p class="center"><span class="smaller"><i>Author of</i></span><br /> -“The Mark of the Beast”<br /> -“Life’s Lookout”, “Wops, the Waif”,<br /> -Etc.</p> - -<p class="titlepage">Copyright 1918</p> - -<p class="center"><span class="smaller">THE BIOLA BOOK ROOM</span><br /> -BIBLE INSTITUTE OF LOS ANGELES<br /> -<span class="smaller">536-558 South Hope Street<br /> -Los Angeles, Cal.</span></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_iv"></a>[iv]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_v"></a>[v]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak">AUTHOR’S FOREWORD</h2> - -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 50px;"> -<img src="images/deco1.jpg" width="50" height="50" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Some</span> years ago, I received from an important Southern -town, a letter from a Ladies’ Temperance Committee, to -this effect:—“Sir, We, the undersigned, are a committee of -Ladies, who, for many years, have purchased your “Stories for -the People” in very large numbers, for free distribution and -loan; always assuming that you were to be thoroughly relied -upon as an upholder of strict Total-abstinence principles. But -your latest story has sadly undeceived us, as regards your usefulness -as a worker in the great cause we are pledged to uphold -and further. On <i>pp</i> —— of your last story, you make your hero, -returning from a day’s run with the hounds, come upon a woman -lying in a lonely place, who has been injured in a trap accident. -You say, speaking of your hero’s prompt help to the woman, that -“taking his hunting flask from his pocket, he forced a few drops -of the brandy between the woman’s lips, etc.” Now, sir, we -contend that had you had the cause of Total-abstinence fully -at heart, you would have made that huntsman’s flask to have -contained <i>water</i>.”</p> - -<p>So much for the letter. The moral of it lies on the surface. -There are some persons who seem unable to see anything from -the side of <i>real, actual</i> life—that Ladies’ committee could not—whose -vision is narrowed down to the tiny slit of their own -cramped, cabined life and thought, they have no true <i>out</i>look -upon life, as a whole.</p> - -<p>I preface this foreword with the above incident, because -I am perfectly certain that the standpoint from which I have -written this book will be utterly, absolutely misunderstood by -many earnest, loving-hearted people, whose eyes, with my own, -have caught the <i>up</i>ward gaze “from whence we look for the -return of the Lord Jesus Christ.”</p> - -<p>I would at once acknowledge that the inceptive idea of writing<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vi"></a>[vi]</span> -such a book as this was born within me from reading “Long -Odds,” that wondrous little half-penny booklet written by the -late General Robertson, I believe, a booklet that has been so -marvellously “owned and blessed.”</p> - -<p>For five or six years the idea for this present volume has -been simmering and seething in my mind. The first and only -real problem I had to face in the matter was that of the <i>principle</i> -involved in using the fictional form to clothe so sacred a subject -(for, to me, the near Return of our Lord is the <i>most</i> sacred -of all subjects.) But the problem of the <i>principle</i> was speedily -settled, as I remembered how wondrously God had owned and -blessed “Long Odds,” in which the fictional is the vehicle of -the teaching.</p> - -<p>Then, too, there are, I know, myriads of people into whose -hands “Long Odds,” could never, by any chance, fall—for there -are multitudes who will not so much as glance at, or touch a -tract, while a volume will easily win its way among all classes. -There is an enormous percentage of attendants at our churches -and chapels, and many otherwise very earnest Christian workers, -to whom the whole subject of the Lord’s Second Coming is an -absolutely unknown realm of Truth—and these I would fain -reach and arouse with the message of this book.</p> - -<p>To those Christians who are looking for the Return of the -Lord, to whom the subject is the most tenderly sacred of all -subjects, who will at first sight condemn the use of the fictional -element, the dramatic colour in this book—and many good -people will, I am assured—I would say, first, that the book is -not written for them, and second, that, our Lord Himself, speaking -of His own Return, used two very remarkable illustrations -from life’s strangest dramas. First, “<i>As it was in the days of -Noah, even so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man. -They ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, -until <span class="smcap">the day</span></i>, etc.” Now, think what a myriad <i>dramas</i> were -being enacted when the flood came. And had the disciples asked -their Lord, privately, after His utterance, to explain more fully -what He meant, what thrilling stories He <i>could</i>, He <i>doubtless -<span class="smcap">would</span> have sketched</i>. If any Christian cavils at the dramatic in -this book, I would refer him or her to Christ’s own pointing in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vii"></a>[vii]</span> -the picture of Noah’s time, then bid them fill out, by help of the -feeblest, simplest imagination, the picture of the myriad dramas -that were being enacted when that flood came, of old time. Then, -if the objector is honest, and is <i>capable</i> of the least imagination, -he will say “I see! and, now that I see this fact, my wonder is -<i>not</i> that there is a certain dramatic freedom in this book, but -that the writer has kept so powerful a restraint upon his pen.”</p> - -<p>Again, Christ said:—“<i>As it was in the days of <span class="smcap">Lot</span></i>,” etc. Now -think over <i>this</i> saying of our Lord’s, and remembering what is -actually recorded in Genesis, of the <i>vice</i> and <i>crime</i> of Sodom, -(and how, alas! even when saved from the doomed city, Lot -and his daughters brought away much of the vicious, criminal -essence of the place with them,) think how the Return of our -Lord, presently, will mean the snatching away of many of His -own out of scenes infinitely more awful than anything I have -used herein, or ever hinted at. A book written on the subject -here chosen, and written in the vein our Lord Himself suggests -in the two passages referred to above, could not have been -written in any other way—to be true to life, and to the subject.</p> - -<p>Should any reader object to the expository lectures of Major -H——, as the chief vehicle for the doctrinal teaching, I would -say that personal experience has proved the style to be infinitely -more acceptable to readers than that of the dialogue mode.</p> - -<p>I have purposely placed special emphasis on the Jewish side -of the subject, since the Jewish question is infinitely more closely -enwrapped with the fact of our Lord’s near return, than many -speakers and writers give prominence to.</p> - -<p class="right">SYDNEY WATSON.</p> - -<p><span class="smcap">“The Fire,” Vernham Dean, Hungerford, Berks.</span></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_viii"></a>[viii]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_ix"></a>[ix]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS</h2> - -</div> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 50px;"> -<img src="images/deco2.jpg" width="50" height="50" alt="" /> -</div> - -<table> - <tr> - <td class="tdr smaller">Chapter</td> - <td></td> - <td class="tdpg smaller">Page</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">I.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Taken at the Flood</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">11</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">II.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">“The Courier”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">20</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">III.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Flotsam</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">26</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IV.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">“I only Reaped what I Sowed”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">33</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">V.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">“Lily Work”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">38</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VI.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">An Interesting Talk</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">44</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">“Coming”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">55</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VIII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Reverie</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">64</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IX.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">A Threat</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">75</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">X.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">In the Nick of Time</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">82</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XI.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">“Long Odds”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">93</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Center of the Earth</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">101</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XIII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">A Demon</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">110</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XIV.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Major H—— on “The Coming!”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">118</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XV.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Address</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">124</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XVI.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Her Cabin Companion</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">136</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XVII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Casting a Shoe</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">142</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XVIII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Told in a Cab</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">154</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XIX.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Tom Hammond Reviewing</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">164</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XIX<span class="smcap">a</span>.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">“My Mentor”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIXa">176</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XX.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Placard</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">185</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXI.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Was He Mad</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">189</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">From the Prophet’s Chamber</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">195</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXIII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Passover!</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">200</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXIV.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">“This Saying Shall Come to Pass”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">209</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXV.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Foiled!</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">218</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXVI.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">A Castaway</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">221</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXVII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">A Stricken City</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">226</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXVIII.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">“Hallelujah Lass”</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">232</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXIX.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">In St. Paul’s</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX">238</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XXX.—</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Conclusion</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXX">246</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_x"></a>[x]</span></p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11"></a>[11]</span></p> - -<h1>“IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE”</h1> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 50px;"> -<img src="images/deco1.jpg" width="50" height="50" alt="" /> -</div> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.<br /> -<span class="smaller">TAKEN AT THE FLOOD.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">The</span> man walked aimlessly amid the thronging press. -He was moody and stern. His eyes showed his -disappointment and perplexity. At times, about his -mouth there lurked an almost savage expression. As a -rule he stood and walked erect. Only the day before -this incident one of a knot of flower-girls in Drury Lane -had drawn the attention of her companions to him as -he strode briskly along the pavement, and in a rollicking -spirit had sung, as he passed her:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Stiff, starch, straight as a larch,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Every inch a soldier;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Fond o’ his country, fond o’ his queen,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">An’ hawfully fond o’ me.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>But to-day there is nothing of the soldier in the -pose or gait of Tom Hammond.</p> - -<p>Yet the time and place ought to have held his attention -sufficiently to have kept him alert to outward appearance. -It was eleven in the forenoon. The place was -Piccadilly. He came abreast of Swan and Edgar’s. The -pavement was thronged with women on shopping bent. -More than one of them shot an admiring glance at him,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12"></a>[12]</span> -for he had the face, the head, of a king among men. -But he had no eyes for these chance admirers.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond was thirty years of age, a journalist, -and an exceptionally clever one, at the time we make -his acquaintance. He was a keen, shrewd man, was gifted -with a foresight and general prescience that were almost -remarkable, and hence was commonly regarded by his -journalistic friends as “a coming man.” He had strongly-fixed -ideas of what a great daily paper should be, but -never having seen any attempt that came within leagues -of his ideal, he longed—lusted would not be too strong -a term—for the time and opportunity when, with practically -unlimited capital behind him, and with a perfectly -free hand to use it, he could issue his ideal journal.</p> - -<p>This morning he seems farther from the goal of his -hopes than ever. For two years he had been sub-editor -of a London daily that had made for itself a great name—of -a sort. There were certain reasons which had -prompted him to hope, to expect, the actual editorship -before long. But now his house of cards had suddenly -tumbled about his ears.</p> - -<p>A change had recently taken place in the composition -of the syndicate that financed the journal. There were -wheels within wheels, the existence of some of which he -had never once guessed, and which in their whirling had -suddenly produced unexpected results. The editor-in-chief -had resigned, and the newly elected editor proved -to be a man who had, years before, done him, Tom Hammond, -the foulest wrong one journalist can do to another.</p> - -<p>Under the present circumstances there had been no -honourable course open for Hammond but to resign. -That morning he had found his resignation not only -accepted, but he found himself practically dismissed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13"></a>[13]</span></p> - -<p>Enclosed in the letter of acceptance of his resignation -was a cheque covering the term of his notice, -together with the intimation that his services would cease -from the time of his receipt of the cheque.</p> - -<p>His dejection, at that moment when we meet him, -was caused not so much at finding himself out of employment -as from the consciousness that the new editor-elect -had accomplished this move with a view to his -degradation in the eyes of his profession—in fact, out -of sheer spite.</p> - -<p>To escape the crowd that almost blocked the pavement -in front of Swan and Edgar’s windows, he turned -sharply into the road, and literally ran into the arms of -a young man.</p> - -<p>“Tom Hammond!”</p> - -<p>“George Carlyon!”</p> - -<p>The greeting flew simultaneously from the lips of the -two men. They gripped hands.</p> - -<p>“By all that’s wonderful!” cried Carlyon, still wringing -his friend’s hand. “Do you know, Tom, I am actually up -here in town for one purpose only—to hunt you up.”</p> - -<p>“To hunt me up!”</p> - -<p>“Oh, let’s get out of this crush, old man,” interrupted -Carlyon.</p> - -<p>The pair steered their way through the traffic, crossed -the Circus, stopped for a moment at the beautiful Shaftesbury -Fountain, then struck across to the Avenue. In -the comparative lull of that walk Carlyon went on:</p> - -<p>“Yes, I’ve run up to town this morning to find you -out and ask you one question: Are you so fixed up—excuse -the Americanism, old boy. I’ve a dashing little -girl cousin, from the States, staying with my mother, -and—well, you know, old fellow, how it is. Man’s an<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14"></a>[14]</span> -imitative creature, and all that, and absorbs dialect -quicker than anything else under the sun. But what I -was going to say was this: are you too fixed up with -your present newspaper to forbid your entertaining the -thought of a real plum in the journalistic market?”</p> - -<p>Hammond’s customary alert look returned to his face. -He was now “every inch a soldier,” as he cried, excitedly, -“Don’t keep me in suspense, Carlyon; tell me quickly -what you mean.”</p> - -<p>“Let’s jump into a gondola, Tom. I can talk better -as we ride.”</p> - -<p>Carlyon had caught the eye of a cab-driver, and the -next moment the two friends were being driven along -riverwards.</p> - -<p>“Someone, some Johnnie or other,” began Carlyon, as -the two men settled themselves back in the cab, “once -called the hansom cab the gondola of London’s streets——”</p> - -<p>He caught the quick, impatient movement of Hammond’s -face, and with a light laugh went on:</p> - -<p>“But you’re on thorns, old boy, to hear about the journalistic -plum. Well, here goes. You once met my uncle, -Sir Archibald Carlyon?”</p> - -<p>Hammond nodded.</p> - -<p>“He is crazy to start a daily,” said Carlyon. “It is -no new craze with him; he has been itching to do it for -years. And now that gold has been discovered on that -land of his in Western Australia, and he is likely to be -a multi-millionaire—the concessions he has already sold -have given him a clear million,—now that he is rich -beyond all his dreams, he won’t wait another day; he -will be a newspaper proprietor. It’s a case of that -kiddie in the bath, Tom, doncher-know, that’s grabbing<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15"></a>[15]</span> -for the soap—‘he won’t be happy till he gets it.’”</p> - -<p>“He wants to find at once a good journalist, who is -also a keen business man; one who will take hold of -the whole thing. To the right man he will give a perfectly -free hand, will interfere with nothing, but be -content simply to finance the affair.”</p> - -<p>An almost fierce light was burning in the eyes of the -eager, listening Hammond. A thousand thoughts rioted -through his brain, but he uttered no word; he would -not interrupt his friend.</p> - -<p>“I told Nunkums last night, when he was bubbling -and boiling over with his project, that I had heard you -say it was easier to drop a hundred or two hundred -thousand pounds over the starting of a new paper than -perhaps over any other venture in the world.</p> - -<p>“Nunkums just smiled as I spoke, dropped a walnut -into his port glass, and said quietly, ‘Then I’ll drop -them.’</p> - -<p>“He hooked that walnut out of his wine with the -miniature silver boathook—he had the thing made for -him for the purpose,—devoured the wine-saturated nut, -then smiled back into my face, as he said: ‘Yes, Georgie, -I am quite prepared to drop my hundred, two hundred, -three hundred thousand, if needs be, as I did my walnut. -But I am equally hopeful—if I can secure the right man -to edit and manage my paper,—that I shall eventually -hook out an excellent dividend for my outlay. I want a -man who not only knows how to do his own work well, -as an editor, but one who has the true instinct in choosing -his staff.’</p> - -<p>“Of course, Tom, I trotted you out before him. He -remembered you, of course, and jumped at the idea of -getting you, if you were to be got. The upshot of it<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16"></a>[16]</span> -is, nothing would satisfy him but that I should come up -by an early train this morning—early bird catches the -worm, and all that kind of business, you know,—and -now, in spite of the fact that my particular worm had -wriggled and squirmed miles from his usual habitat, -I’ve caught him. Now, tell me, are you open to treat -with Sir Archibald?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, and can begin business this very day!” Hammond -laughed with the abandon of a boy, as he told, in -a few sentences, the story of his dismissal.</p> - -<p>“Good!” Carlyon, in his own exuberant glee, slapped -his friend’s knee.</p> - -<p>“Sir Archibald,” he went on, “was to come up by the -10:05 from our place, due at Waterloo at 11:49. He’ll -be fixed up—“Hail Columbia!” again—at the hotel by -this time. That’s where we are driving to now, and—ah! -here we are!”</p> - -<p>A moment later the two men were mounting the hotel -steps. One of the servants standing in the vestibule -recognized Carlyon, and saluted him.</p> - -<p>“My uncle arrived, Bates?” Carlyon asked.</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir, and a young lady with him!”</p> - -<p>Carlyon turned quickly to Hammond.</p> - -<p>“That’s Madge, my American cousin, Tom. I’m -awfully glad she has come; I should like you to know -her.”</p> - -<p>Turning to the servant, he asked, “Same old rooms, -Bates?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir.”</p> - -<p>Three steps at a time, laughing and talking all the -while, Carlyon, ignoring the lift, raced up the staircase, -followed more slowly by his friend.</p> - -<p>Hammond never wholly forgot the picture of the sitting-room<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17"></a>[17]</span> -and its occupant, as he entered with Carlyon. -The room was a large one, exquisitely furnished, and -flooded with a warm, mellow light. A small but cheerful-looking -wood fire burned upon the tiled hearth, the atmosphere -of the room fragrant with a soft, subtle odour, as -though the burning wood were scented. From a couch, -as the two men entered, a girl rose briskly, and faced -them. She made a picture which Tom never forgot. -The warm, mellow light that filled the room seemed to -clothe her as she stood to meet them. “America” was -stamped upon her and her dress, upon the arrangement -of her hair, upon the very droop of her figure. She was -tall, fair, with that exquisite colouring and smoothness -of complexion that is the product of an unartificial, -hygienic life.</p> - -<p>Her face could not be pronounced wholly beautiful, -but it was a face that was full of life and charm, her -eyes being especially arrestive.</p> - -<p>“Awfully glad you came up, Madge!” cried Carlyon. -“I’ve run my quarry down, and this is my own particular, -Tom Hammond.”</p> - -<p>He made a couple of mockingly-funny elaborate bows, -saying: “Miss Madge Finisterre, of Duchess County, -New York. Mr. Tom Hammond, of—oh, shades of -Cosmopolitanism!—of everywhere, of London just at -present.”—Tom bowed to the girl.—She returned his -salute, and then held forth her hand in a frank, pleasant -way, as she laughingly said, “I have heard so much of -Tom Hammond during the last few days, that I guess -you seem like an old acquaintance.”</p> - -<p>Tom shook hands with the maiden, and for a moment -or two they chatted as freely and merrily as though they -were old acquaintances.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18"></a>[18]</span></p> - -<p>The voice of Carlyon broke into their chat, asking: -“Where’s Nunkums, Madge?”</p> - -<p>Before the girl could reply, the door opened and Sir -Archibald entered the room.</p> - -<p>One glance into his face would have been sufficient -to have told Tom the type of man he had to deal with, -even if he had not seen him before. A warm-hearted, -unconventional, impulsive man, a perfect gentleman in -appearance, but a merry, hail-fellow-well-met man in his -dealings with his fellows.</p> - -<p>With a bit of mock drama in the gesture, Madge Finisterre -flourished her hand towards the newcomer, crying,</p> - -<p>“Sir Archibald, George? Lo, he is here!” She -flashed a quick glance to the piano as she added, “If -only I had known you were about to enter, uncle, I -would have treated you to a few crashing bars of stage-life -entree-music.”</p> - -<p>“Go away with your nonsense!” laughed the old man.</p> - -<p>“Nonsense, indeed!” the girl laughed as merrily as -the old man. Then, with a sudden, swift movement, -she crossed to the piano, struck one sharp note upon it, -and whispered in well-feigned hoarseness, “Slow music -for the three conspirators as they retire to plot the -destruction of London’s press, and the accumulation of -untold millions by their own special journalistic production!”</p> - -<p>Her fingers moved over the ivory keys, and low, weird, -creepy music filled the room with its eerie notes.</p> - -<p>Sir Archibald and George Carlyon fell in with the -girl’s mood, and crept doorwards on tiptoe.</p> - -<p>“Number three,” hissed the girl.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19"></a>[19]</span></p> - -<p>And Tom Hammond laughingly followed with the -two other men.</p> - -<p>“She is a treat, is Madge!” laughed George Carlyon, -as the three men passed through the doorway and made -for the study-like room of Sir Archibald.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20"></a>[20]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“THE COURIER.”</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">For</span> two hours the three men held close conference -together. At the end of that time all the preliminaries -of the new venture were settled. Tom Hammond -had explained his long-cherished views of what -the ideal daily paper should be. Sir Archibald was -delighted with the scheme, and, in closing with Hammond, -gave him a perfectly free hand.</p> - -<p>“You were on the point of saying something about a -striking poster to announce the coming paper, Mr. -Hammond,” said the old baronet.</p> - -<p>“Yes,” Tom replied; “I think a great deal may be -done by arresting the attention of the people—those in -London especially. My idea for a poster is this: the -name of the paper is to be ‘The Courier.’ Very well, -let us have an immense sheet poster, first-class drawing, -striking but harmonious colouring, and bold, arrestive -title of the paper and announcement of its issue. Following -the title, I would have in the extreme left a -massive sign-post, a prominent arm of the structure bearing -the legend ‘To-morrow.’ On the extreme right of -the picture I would put another sign-post, the arm of -which should bear the words ‘The Day After To-morrow.’ -I would have a splendidly-drawn mounted courier, -the horse galloping towards the right-hand post, having -left ‘To-morrow’ well in the rear.”</p> - -<p>The old baronet exclaimed, “Rush the thing on! Flood -the hoardings of London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Liverpool,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21"></a>[21]</span> -Birmingham, Cardiff—all the large towns, and -the smaller ones as well, if you can get hoardings big -enough. Don’t study the expense, either in the get-up or -in the issue of the picture. Don’t let the pill-sellers or -cocoa or mustard people beat us.”</p> - -<p>The old man sprang to his feet and paced the floor, -rubbing his hands, crying continually,</p> - -<p>“Good! good! We’ll wake old England up. -We’ll——”</p> - -<p>“Toddle into lunch,” interrupted George Carlyon. -“That’s the third summons we’ve had!”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond sat next to Madge at luncheon, and -was charmed with her easy, unconventional manners. -But his mind was too full of the new paper, of the great -opportunity that had come to him so unexpectedly, to -be as wholly absorbed with the charm of her personality -as he might otherwise have been.</p> - -<p>He did not linger over the luncheon table.</p> - -<p>“There are one or two fellows, Sir Archibald,” he -explained, “whom I should like to secure on my staff at -once. I don’t want to lose even an hour.”</p> - -<p>As he bade Madge Finisterre good-bye, he expressed -the hope that he might see her again soon, and the girl -in reply allowed her eyes unconsciously to express more -than her words.</p> - -<p>“She is the most charming woman I ever met,” he -told himself, as he followed Sir Archibald into his room -for the final word for which the baronet had asked. -George Carlyon had remained behind with Madge.</p> - -<p>“It was about the first working expenses I wanted -to speak to you, Mr. Hammond,” the baronet began. -They were seated in the baronet’s room.</p> - -<p>“I will have fifty thousand pounds—or shall we say a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22"></a>[22]</span> -hundred thousand?—deposited, at once, in your name at—what -bank?”</p> - -<p>“Any good bank you please, Sir Archibald, so long as -the particular branch is fairly central.”</p> - -<p>“Capital and Counties—how will that do?” the baronet -asked, adding, “I always bank with them myself.”</p> - -<p>“That will do, sir.”</p> - -<p>“How about the Ludgate Hill branch, Mr. Hammond?”</p> - -<p>“Could not be better, sir.”</p> - -<p>“Settled, then, Mr. Hammond!” There were a few -more words exchanged between master and man, and -then they parted.</p> - -<p>As Tom Hammond strode along the Embankment -towards Waterloo Bridge, his heart was the heart of a -boy again.</p> - -<p>“Is life worth living!” he cried inwardly, answering -his own question with the rapturous words: “In this -hour I know nothing else that earth could give me to -make life more joyous!”</p> - -<p>People passing him saw his face radiant with a wondrous -joy. It’s rare to see peace, even, in faces in our -great cities. It is rarer still to see joy’s gleam. He -allowed his glance to flash all around him, as he murmured, -“I am glad, too, that I am in London. Who -dare say that London is dull, or grim, or sordid? Who -was it that wrote, “No man curses the town more -heartily than I, but after travelling by mountains, plain, -desert, forest, and on the deep sea, one comes back to -London and finds it the most wonderful place of them -all!”</p> - -<p>“Ah! It was Roger Pocock, I believe, wrote that -sentiment. Roger Pocock, ‘I looks towards yer, sir.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23"></a>[23]</span> -Them’s my senterments!’”</p> - -<p>He laughed low and gleefully at his own merry mood. -Then as his eyes took in the river, the moving panorama -of the Embankment, and caught the throb of the mighty -pulsing of life all about him, Le Gallienne’s lines came -to him, and, while he moved onward, he murmured:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“London, whose loveliness is everywhere.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">London so beautiful at morning light,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">One half forgets how fair she is at night.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“London as beautiful at set of sun</div> - <div class="verse indent0">As though her beauty had just begun!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">London, that mighty sob, that splendid tear,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">That jewel hanging in the great world’s ear.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Ah! of your beauty change no single grace,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">My London with your sad mysterious face.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>He moved forward in a strange rapture of spirit. He -forgot even “beautiful London”; he was momentarily -unconscious how he travelled or whither. He might -have been blind or deaf for all that he now saw or heard. -The drone of a blind beggar’s voice reading the Scriptures, -however, presently had power to break his trance. -He paused a moment before the man.</p> - -<p>“This same Jesus,” droned the blind man’s voice, “who -is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like -manner as ye have seen Him go.”</p> - -<p>Hammond dropped a sixpence into the beggar’s box, -and moved away, the wonder of the words he had just -heard read arresting all his previous thoughts of his -glad success.</p> - -<p>“Shall so come in like manner!” he murmured. “I -wonder what it means?”</p> - -<p>The next instant a woman’s pitiful voice filled his -ear, crying:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24"></a>[24]</span></p> - -<p>“For the love of God, good sir, give me the price -of a piece of bread.”</p> - -<p>He turned sharply towards her. Her face was haggard -and hunger-filled; her eyes were wells of despair. -He slipped his finger and thumb into the fob of his -coat. The first coin that came to his touch was a shilling. -He dropped it into the emaciated, outstretched -palm.</p> - -<p>The wretched creature gazed at the coin, then at him. -Her lips moved, but no words came from them. Her -eyes filled with a rush of tears. He passed on. But -the incident moved him strangely.</p> - -<p>“If Christ,” he mused, “ever comes back to earth -again, surely, surely He will deliver it from such want -and misery as that!”</p> - -<p>He paused and looked back at the woman. Her face -was buried in her hands. Her form was shaking with -sobs. Curiosity tempted him to go back.</p> - -<p>As he came abreast of her, a child, a girl about nine, -barefooted and tired-looking, was saying to the woman, -“What’s the matter, missis? Wouldn’t that swell giv’ -yer nuffink w’en yer arst ’im?”</p> - -<p>“Give me nothing?” The woman glanced down at -the child. “Why, he is kinder than Gawd, fur he give -me a shilling!”</p> - -<p>At this Tom Hammond hurried away.</p> - -<p>“Kinder than God!” he murmured. “Oh, God, that -we should have it in our power to buy such happiness -for so small a sum!”</p> - -<p>“Kinder than God” he repeated to himself. He was -now mounting the granite steps to the bridge. “Of -course, one knows better; yet how difficult of proof it<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25"></a>[25]</span> -would become, if one had to explain it to that poor soul, -and to the thousands like her in this great city!”</p> - -<p>For the first time since leaving Sir Archibald his own -joy was forgotten. The awful problem of London’s -destitution had supplanted London’s beauty in his -thoughts.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26"></a>[26]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.<br /> -<span class="smaller">FLOTSAM.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">“Only</span> nine hours!”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond laughed amusedly at his own -murmured thought. It seemed ridiculous almost to try -to believe that only nine hours before he had been a -discharged journalist, while now he was at the head of -what he knew would be the greatest journalistic venture -London—yea, the world—had ever seen.</p> - -<p>He had just dined. He felt that he wanted some kind -of movement, some distraction, to relieve the tension. -He was in that frame of mind when some kind of -adventure was necessary, although he did not tell himself -this, being hardly conscious of his own need. He -knew that the haunts of his fellows—club, theatre, music-hall—would -only serve to irritate him. Some instinct -turned his feet riverwards.</p> - -<p>It was now a quarter past seven o’clock. Night had -fallen upon London. Tom Hammond crossed the great -Holborn thoroughfare. The heavier traffic of London’s -commercial life had almost ceased. The omnibuses -going west were filled with theatregoers, and other pleasure-seekers. -Hansoms flitted swiftly either way, each -holding a man and a woman in evening dress.</p> - -<p>Having crossed the roadway, he paused for a moment -at the corner of Chancery Lane, and let his eye take in -all the scene. And again Le Gallienne came to his mind, -and he softly murmured:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27"></a>[27]</span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Ah! London! London! our delight,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Great flower that opens but at night,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Great city of the midnight sun,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Whose day begins when day is done.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Lamp after lamp against the sky</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Opens a sudden beaming eye,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Leaping alight on every hand,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The iron lilies of the Strand,</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Like dragonflies the hansoms hover</div> - <div class="verse indent0">With jewelled eyes to catch the lover;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">The streets are full of lights and loves,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Soft gowns and flutter of soiled doves.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>He turned with a faint sigh, and began to pass on -down Chancery Lane.</p> - -<p>“Oh, London!” he mused, “thy surface may be wonderful -and beautiful; but below—what are you below -the surface?”</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“The human moths about the light</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Dash and cling in dazed delight,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And burn and laugh, the world and wife,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For this is London, this is life!</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Upon thy petals butterflies,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">But at thy root, some say, there lies</div> - <div class="verse indent0">A world of weeping, trodden things,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Poor worms that have not eyes or wings.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>He moved onwards in the direction of the Law Courts. -Presently he neared the Waterloo Bridge approach. -He had, all unrealized by himself, since he left the -restaurant where he had dined, been walking towards the -river. A moment or two after, and he was leaning on -the parapet of the bridge, looking down into the dark -waters. Sluggish, oil-like in appearance, as seen in the -dull gleam of the lamps, the river moved seawards. A -sudden longing to get out upon those dark waters came -to him.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28"></a>[28]</span></p> - -<p>“If only——” he mused. Then, turning briskly, he -came face to face with a man in a blue guernsey, who -was crossing the bridge. It was the very man of his -half-uttered thought. “If only I could run up against -Bob Carter!” he had almost said.</p> - -<p>“Good evening, Mister Ham’nd.” The man in the -guernsey saluted with a thick, tar-stained forefinger as -he recognized Tom Hammond.</p> - -<p>“Good evening, Carter.” Hammond laughed as he -added, “I was just wishing I could meet you, for I felt -I should like to get out on the river.”</p> - -<p>“I’m jes’ going as fur as Lambeff, sir. Ef yer likes -ter go wif me, you’ll do me proud, sir; yer know that, -I knows!”</p> - -<p>A few minutes later the two men sat in Carter’s boat. -Hammond, in the stern, was steering. The man Carter, -on the first thwart, manipulated the oars. Hammond -had known the man about a year. He had done him a -kindness that the waterman had never forgotten.</p> - -<p>“Aw’d go to ther world’s end fur yer, sir,” he had -often said since.</p> - -<p>The man was ordinarily a silent companion, and to-night -after a few exchanged words between the pair, he was -as silent as usual.</p> - -<p>Down the wide, turgid river the boat, propelled by -Carter’s two oars, shot jerkily, the rise and fall of the -glow in the rower’s pipe-bowl synchronizing with the -lift and dip of the oars.</p> - -<p>Hammond enjoyed the silence. There was a weirdness -about this night trip on the river that fitted in -with his mood. His brain had been considerably overwrought -that day. The quiet row was beginning to -soothe the overwrought nerves. Where he sat in the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29"></a>[29]</span> -stern of the boat, he faced the clock-tower at Westminster. -The gleaming windows of the great embankment -hotels lay behind him. A myriad electric lights -were on his right hand. The gloom and darkness of the -unlighted wharfage on the Surrey side were on his left.</p> - -<p>Only by a waterway miracle Carter cleared an anchored -barge that, defying the laws of the river, carried no -warning light.</p> - -<p>“Drat ’em!” growled the man Carter. “They oughter -do a stretch in Portlan’ or Dartmoor fur breakin’ the -lor. There’s many a ’onest waterman whose boat’s foun’ -bottom-up, or smashed to smithereens, an’ whose body’s -foun’, or isn’t, jes, as the case may be, all becos’ they -lazy houn’s is too ’ide-boun’ to light a lamp, cuss ’em!”</p> - -<p>His growl died away in his throat. The glowing fire -of his pipe rose and fell quicker than ever, telling of a -fierce anger burning within him.</p> - -<p>“Ssh!” he hissed. Hammond saw that his face was -turned shorewards. He heaved aft towards Hammond, -and whispered, “Kin yer see that woman, sir?” He -jerked his chin in the direction of a line of moored -barges.</p> - -<p>Hammond had turned his head, and could plainly -discern the form of a woman standing on the edge of -the outer barge of the cluster.</p> - -<p>The men in the boat sat still, but watchful.</p> - -<p>“Do she mean sooerside, sir?” whispered Carter. -“Looks like it, sir. Don’t make a soun’.”</p> - -<p>Even as he spoke the woman leaped into the air. -There was a low scream, a splash, a leap of foam flashed -dully for one instant, then all was still again.</p> - -<p>The waterman plied his oars furiously. Hammond -steered for the spot where that foam had splashed. An<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30"></a>[30]</span> -instant later the boat was over the place where the body -had disappeared. Carter lay on his oars, and peered into -the darkness on one side. Hammond strained his eye -on the other side.</p> - -<p>With startling suddenness a hand darted upwards -within a foot of where Hammond sat in the stern of the -boat. In the same instant the woman’s head appeared. -Hammond reached out excitedly, and caught the back -hair of the woman, twisting his fingers securely into the -knot of hair at the back of her head.</p> - -<p>Carter shipped his oars, and in two minutes the -wretched woman was safe in the boat. Her drenched -face gleamed white where they laid her. A low whimpering -sob broke from her.</p> - -<p>“Turn ’er over on her face a little, sir, while I makes -the boat fast fur a minute or two, sir,” jerked out the -waterman.</p> - -<p>“Pore soul ov ’er!” he went on, knotting his painter -to a bolt in the stern of a barge. “She ’ave took in a -bellyful of Thames water, an’ it ain’t filtered no sort, -that’s sartin!”</p> - -<p>Hammond had by this time turned the woman over -on her face.</p> - -<p>Carter came aft bearing a water-beaker in his hands.</p> - -<p>“I’ll lift her legs, sir,” he said, “and you put this beaker -under her, jes’ above her knees; that’ll ’elp her a bit.”</p> - -<p>That was done, and almost instantly the woman was -very sick.</p> - -<p>“In my locker there, sir, I’ve got a drop o’ whisky. -I keeps it there fur ’mergencies like this,” said Carter.</p> - -<p>Hammond moved to allow the man to reach a seat-locker -in the stern. The next minute, while Hammond<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31"></a>[31]</span> -supported the woman, the waterman poured a few drops -of the spirit down her throat.</p> - -<p>She coughed and sputtered, but the draught restored -her. She began to cry in a low, whimpering way.</p> - -<p>“We must get her ashore, Carter,” cried Hammond. -“I’ll take the oars, and, as you know the riverside better -than I do, just steer into the nearest landing-place you -know.”</p> - -<p>Carter leaped to the bows, cast off the painter, and -hurried aft again.</p> - -<p>“Jes’ ’long yere, sir, there’s an old landin’ as’ll jes’ -serve us. Wots yer fink ter do wi’ the pore soul, sir—not -’and her over to the perlice?”</p> - -<p>“No, neither the police nor workhouse, Carter. I -wish I could see her face, and see what kind of woman -she is.”</p> - -<p>By way of reply, Carter struck a match, and lit a -small bull’s-eye lantern. When the wick had caught -light, he flashed it on the face of the woman.</p> - -<p>Her eyes were closed, her face was deadly pale. Her -hair was dishevelled. But in the one flashing glance -Hammond took at her, he recognized her.</p> - -<p>“It’s Mrs. Joyce!” he muttered half-aloud and in -amazed tones.</p> - -<p>“Know ’er, sir?” asked the waterman.</p> - -<p>“A little!” he replied. “Her husband is a reporter—a -drinking scamp.”</p> - -<p>Carter shut off the light of the bull’s-eye, at that -moment.</p> - -<p>“We’re jes’ ’ere now, sur, so’s best not to be callin’ -’tention like wi’ a light.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32"></a>[32]</span></p> - -<p>He steered the boat into a kind of narrow alley-way -between two crazy old wharves.</p> - -<p class="tb">Hammond, rightly gauging the kindly heart of his -landlady, had brought the drenched woman in a cab -to his lodgings. She was still in a half-fainting condition -when he carried her into the house. In two sentences -he explained the situation to the landlady, whose -natural kindness and loyalty to her lodger made her -willing to aid his purpose of rescue.</p> - -<p>“I will carry her up to the bath-room,” he said. “Let -your girl get a cup of milk heated as hot as can be sipped, -while you bath this poor soul quickly in very hot water. -Then let her be got to bed, and have some good, nourishing -soup ready. She’ll probably sleep after that. -And in the morning—well, the events of the morning will -take their own shape.”</p> - -<p>Half-an-hour later, as Hammond took a cup of coffee, -he had the satisfaction of knowing that the woman he -had saved was in bed, and doing well.</p> - -<p>“Poor soul!” he mused. “That brute of a husband -has probably driven her to this attempt on her life. I -wonder what her history was before she married, for I -remember how it struck me, that day when I saw her -at the office, that she was evidently a woman of some -culture.”</p> - -<p>It was nearly ten now. He had no desire to go out -again. It wanted two hours quite to his usual bed-time. -But a strange sense of drowsiness began to steal over -him, and he went off to his bed.</p> - -<p>“What a day this has been!” he muttered, as he laid -his head on the pillow.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33"></a>[33]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“I ONLY REAPED WHAT I SOWED.”</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Hammond</span> awaited the woman whom he had saved -from drowning.</p> - -<p>“She has slept fairly well,” the landlady told him, -“and I made her eat a good breakfast that I carried up -to her myself, Mr. Hammond!”</p> - -<p>Now he waited to speak to her. A moment or two -more, and the landlady ushered her into the room, then -slipped away.</p> - -<p>“How can I ever repay you, sir!” cried the woman, -seizing the hand that Hammond held out to her.</p> - -<p>For a moment or two her emotion was too great for -further speech. Hammond led her to an armchair and -seated her. She sobbed convulsively for a moment or -two. He allowed her to sob. Presently tears came. The -paroxysm passed, the tears relieved her, and she lifted -her sad, beautiful eyes to his face.</p> - -<p>“You know—oh, yes, you must know, Mr. Hammond—(I -recognized you last night)—how I came to be -in the water. I tried to take my life. I was miserable, -despairing! God forgive me.”</p> - -<p>His strong eyes were full of a rare tenderness, as -he said, “But, Mrs. Joyce, you surely know that death -is not the end of all existence. I am not what would -be called a religious man, but every fibre of my inward -being tells me that death does not end all.”</p> - -<p>He saw a shiver pass over her, as she hoarsely replied, -“I, too, realize that this morning, Mr. Hammond. But<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34"></a>[34]</span> -last night the madness of an overwhelming despair was -upon me. My life had been a literal hell for years, -until yesterday I could bear it no longer. I was famished -with hunger, sick with despair, and——”</p> - -<p>She sighed wearily. “Perhaps,” she went on, “if you -knew all I have borne, you would not wonder at my -rash, mad act.”</p> - -<p>“Tell me your story, Mrs. Joyce,” he said, gently. “It -may relieve your overcharged heart, and, anyhow, I will -be your friend, as far as I can.”</p> - -<p>She sighed again. This time there was a note of -relief, rather than weariness, in the sigh.</p> - -<p>“My father was a well-to-do farmer,” she began, “in -North Hants. I was the only child, and I fear I was -spoiled. I received the best education possible, and -loved my studies for their own sake, for culture, in all -its forms, had a strong attraction for me. I had been -engaged to a young yeoman farmer for nearly a year. -I had known him all my life, and we had been sweethearts -even as children. Then there came suddenly -into my life that man Joyce, for whom I sacrificed everything. -God only knows how he contrived to exercise -such an awful fascination over me as to make me leave -everyone, everything, and marry him.”</p> - -<p>For a moment she paused, and shuddered. Her voice, -when she spoke, again, was hollow, and full of tears.</p> - -<p>“I killed my father by eloping on the very eve of -my arranged marriage with Ronald Ferris. Ronald left -the country as soon as he could wind up his affairs. -And I—well, here in this mighty Babylon, I have ever -since been reaping some of the sorrow I had sown. -Not a penny of my father’s money ever reached me, -and that brute Joyce only married me for what he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35"></a>[35]</span> -expected to get with me. He has done his best to make -earth a hell for me, and I, in my mad blindness, last -night, almost exchanged earth’s fleeting hell for God’s -eternal hell.”</p> - -<p>A look of shame filled her eyes as she lifted them -to Hammond.</p> - -<p>“What you reminded me of just now, Mr. Hammond, -I, deep down in my soul, know only too well—that -death does not end all. My father was a true -Christian, and a lay preacher. I have travelled with -him hundreds of times to his preaching appointments, -playing the harmonium and singing solos for him in -his services. More than once the sense of God’s claim -upon me was so great as almost to compel my yielding -my heart and life. Would to God I had! But my -pride, my ambitions, strangled my good desires, and, as -I said just now, I broke my father’s heart. I killed -him, and ruined all my own life, though I have no pity -for myself. Then London life, my husband’s brutality, -my own misery, all helped to drive even the memory of -God from my mind.”</p> - -<p>“Yet,” broke in Hammond, “the Christian religion -teaches that sorrow and suffering ought to drive the -possessor of the faith nearer to God.”</p> - -<p>There was a hint of apology in his tones as he went -on:</p> - -<p>“Don’t misunderstand me, Mrs. Joyce; I only speak -from hearsay. I have heard parsons preach it, but I -know nothing experimentally about these things myself.”</p> - -<p>She smiled in a slow, sad way, and, catching her -breath in a kind of quick sob, said: “Neither have I -ever known anything experimentally of these truths. -I drifted into the outward form of a correct, religious,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36"></a>[36]</span> -life. I learned to like the brightness of our chapel -services, the fun of choir practice, the merry company, -the adulation heaped upon me for my solo-singing. Then -there were the tea-meetings, the service of song, and -a multitude of other mild excitements which went to -brighten the monotony of a rural existence. But of -God, of Christ, of the Divine life, I fear I knew -nothing.”</p> - -<p>Hammond smiled inwardly as he listened to this strange -confession. The phraseology was new to him.</p> - -<p>“It is the shibboleth of Nonconformity, I suppose,” he -told himself. “And I suppose each section of religious -society has its own outward form of things in which -it trusts, thinking, caring, nothing for the great Divine -verities that should be the true religious life.”</p> - -<p>He did not utter his thoughts aloud, but asked with -some apparent irrelevance, “Where is your husband, -Mrs. Joyce?”</p> - -<p>“Off on one of his drinking bouts, or maybe, locked -up for drunkenness; I cannot say.”</p> - -<p>Her lifted eyes were full of beseeching, as she went -on, “You will keep secret, Mr. Hammond, all this wild, -mad episode of my life. If only I could know that the -sad, mad, bad story was locked up between God and -you, your kind landlady and myself, I think I could go -back and face my misery better.”</p> - -<p>“Do not fear, Mrs. Joyce,” he replied quickly. “The -affair shall be as though it had never been. I can answer -for Mrs. Belcher, my landlady; and for myself I give -you my word, and——”</p> - -<p>“God reward you, sir!” she sobbed. “Already you -have given me clearer views of Him than any minister -or any sermon ever did.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37"></a>[37]</span></p> - -<p>A few moments later Mrs. Joyce rose to leave. He -pressed three sovereigns into her hand, and in spite of -her tearful protestations made her take the money.</p> - -<p>“If you are ever in desperate need, come to me, or -write me, Mrs. Joyce, and I will help you, if I can. -Meanwhile, be assured that the little I have done for -you I would have done for any stranger, for, after all, -the human race is linked by a strange, a mighty family -tie. Good-bye.”</p> - -<p>She wrung the hand he gave her, then with a sudden, -impulsive movement she lifted it sharply to her lips -and kissed it with a tearful passionateness.</p> - -<p>The next moment she was gone. His hand was wet -with her tears.</p> - -<p>“Poor soul!” he muttered.</p> - -<p>Passing across the room to the window, he glanced -out. She was moving down the street. Her handkerchief -was pressed to her eyes.</p> - -<p>“How strange,” he murmured, as he turned from -the window, “are these chance encounters in life! Like -ships at sea, we sight, hail, exchange some kind of -greeting, then pass on. Do we, after all, I wonder, -unconsciously influence each other in these apparently -trivial life-encounters? If so, how? Take this episode -now, for instance. Will my encounter with that poor -soul have any effect on my life, or on hers? If so, -what?”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38"></a>[38]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.<br /> -<span class="smaller">LILY WORK.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">The</span> room we now enter is a large one. It is close -under the roof of a house in Finsbury. The man -there at work pauses for a moment.</p> - -<p>The room is a workshop. The man is a Jew—but -what a Jew! He might have posed to an artist as a -model, a type of the proudest Jewish monarch over -Israel. Face, form, stature—not even Saul or David or -Solomon could have excelled him.</p> - -<p>The room held the finished workmanship of his hands -for the three past years. And now, as he paused in -his labour—a labour of love—for a moment, and drew -his tall form erect, and lifted his face to the window -above him, a light that was almost holy filled his eyes.</p> - -<p>“God of our fathers,” he murmured, “God of the -Holy Tent and of the Temple, instruct me; teach my -fingers to do this great work.”</p> - -<p>He let his hands fall with an almost sacred touch -upon the chapiter he had been chasing. He wist not -that his face shone with an unearthly light, as for a -moment his lips moved in prayer. Then quietly reaching -a thick old book from a shelf, he opened it at one -of its earlier pages, and read aloud.</p> - -<p>“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, See, I -have called by name Bezaleel, the son of Uri, the son -of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him -with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, -and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, -to devise cunning works, to work in gold, and in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39"></a>[39]</span> -silver, and in brass, and in cutting of stones, to set -them, and in carving of timber, to work in all kinds of -workmanship. And I, behold, I have given with him -Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan: -and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted I have put -wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded -thee: the tabernacle of the congregation, and the ark -of the testimony, and the mercy-seat that is thereupon, -and all the furniture of the tabernacle.”</p> - -<p>The light—it was now almost a fire—deepened in his -eyes. A rare, a rich, cadence filled his voice as he read -the holy words. His fingers moved to the middle of -the book. It easily opened at a certain place, as -though it had been often used at that page. Again he -read aloud:</p> - -<p>“And the chapiters that were upon, the top of the -pillars were of lily work, ... and the chapiters upon -the two pillars had pomegranates also above, ... and -the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows round -about upon the other chapiter, ... and he set up the -pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the -right pillar, and called the name thereof Jachin (”He -shall establish“); and he set up the left pillar, and -called the name thereof Boaz (”In it is strength“). -And on the top of the pillars was lily work: so was the -work of the pillars finished.”</p> - -<p>With a reverent touch the man closed the book, -replaced it on the shelf, then, lifting his eyes again to -where the cold, clear light streamed down through the -great skylight in the ceiling, he murmured:</p> - -<p>“How long, O Lord, shall Thy people be cast off and -trodden down, and their land, Thy land, be held by the -accursed races?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40"></a>[40]</span></p> - -<p>For a moment a look of pain swept into his face. -Then, as he became conscious of the touch of his lowered -hand upon the chapiter, his eyes travelled downwards -to the exquisite “lily work,” and the light of a new -hope swept the pain off his face.</p> - -<p>“The very fact that the time has come,” he murmured, -“for us to be preparing for the next temple, is -a token from Jehovah that the day of Messiah draweth -nigh.”</p> - -<p>His eyes lingered a moment on the rare and beautiful -workmanship, then he took up a chasing tool and continued -his toil; yet, while he worked he kept up a -running recitative of Ezekiel’s description of the great -temple—for he knew by heart all the chapters of that -prophet.</p> - -<p>As he presently repeated the words: “And the Prince -in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and -when they go forth, shall go forth,” he lifted his eyes -with a deep holy rapture shining in all his face.</p> - -<p>He closed his recitative with a ringing note of triumph -in his voice, as he cried, “It shall be round about -eighteen thousand cubits: and the name of the city from -that day shall be Jehovah-Chammah”—“The Lord is -there.”</p> - -<p>There was a moment of absolute silence. The graver -was still, the hand that held it might have been stone, -so rigid did it become. The lips of Abraham Cohen -moved, but no other sound came from him save the -words “Jehovah was there,” and he prayed aloud.</p> - -<p>In the midst of his rapt devotion the door of the -workroom opened. The slight sound aroused the dreamer. -He turned his face in the direction of the door, and -his eyes flashed with pleasure.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41"></a>[41]</span></p> - -<p>“Ah, Zillah!” he cried in greeting. The girl he -addressed closed the door, thus shutting out the odour -of frying fish. She crossed the floor quickly, with a -certain eagerness, and came towards him with a rare -grace. She was singularly beautiful, of an Eastern style -of beauty. Her complexion was of the Spanish olive -tone, and her melting eyes were of that same Spanish -type. Her hair—a wondrous crown of it—was blue-black. -She had a certain plumpness of form that seemed -to add rather than take from her general beauty. She -was sister to his wife.</p> - -<p>“Supper will be ready in five minutes, Abraham,” she -began. “Will you be ready for it?”</p> - -<p>He smiled down into her great black eyes. He was -never very keen on his meals. He ate to live only; he -did not live to eat. She knew that, and had long since -learned that his labour of love was as meat and drink -to him. Her eyes glided past him and rested on his -work.</p> - -<p>“It is very beautiful, Abraham!” she cried. There -was reverence as well as rapture and admiration in her -voice and glance.</p> - -<p>“It cannot be too beautiful, Zillah,” he returned.</p> - -<p>Her eyes were on his work. His were on her face. -He read in it the rapturous admiration of his workmanship.</p> - -<p>“When will the Messiah come?” she sighed.</p> - -<p>“Soon, I believe!” he returned. “Jehovah rested in -His creative work after six days’ labour. A thousand -years with Him are as one day. May it not well be, -then, that as there have passed nearly six thousand years -(each thousand years, representing one day) that He -will presently rest in His finished work for His people,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42"></a>[42]</span> -through the coming of the Messiah, as He did at -the creation?”</p> - -<p>He laid his tool aside, and turned to the beautiful -girl, as he continued:</p> - -<p>“Besides, do not our sacred books say that when three -springs have been discovered on Mount Zion, Messiah -will come? Two springs have lately been discovered by -the excavators in Jerusalem, and our people out there -excitedly watch the work of these men, expecting soon -the discovery of the third spring.”</p> - -<p>Her eager, parted lips told how she hung upon his -speech. He smiled down gratefully into her great -black lustrous eyes, though a sigh escaped him as he -said:</p> - -<p>“Ah! I wish Leah would only show a little of the -interest in all this, that you do, Zillah!”</p> - -<p>“You must not blame Leah too much, Abraham,” the -girl answered quickly. “She has her children, you know. -Mother always said that if ever Leah had babies, that -there would be nothing else in the world for her except -the babies. Besides, Abraham, no two of us are constituted -alike, and Leah is what the Gentiles about here -call happy-go-lucky. But, Abraham, tell me more of -what you think of Messiah’s coming. Leah’s five minutes -will be sure to run to a quarter of an hour.”</p> - -<p>“I do think Messiah is coming soon,” cried the young -fellow excitedly. “Who knows? Perhaps when the -Passover comes again, and we set His chair, and open -the door for Him to enter, that He will suddenly come. -Did I tell you, Zillah, about the date discovery at Safed, -in Palestine?”</p> - -<p>“No, what is it?” The girl’s face glowed with a -strange earnestness, her voice rang with it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43"></a>[43]</span></p> - -<p>“Safed,” he went on, quickly, “is a little town to the -north-west of Galilee. Our Rabbi there has discovered -from our sacred books, that Messiah’s coming, and the -overthrow of our enemies, will be in the year five thousand -six hundred and sixty-six—nineteen hundred and -six according to the Gentile reckoning. Our Father -Moses, and all the children of Israel sang, when Jehovah -delivered them from the Red Sea:—‘Yea, by the force -of Thy swelling waves hast Thou demolished those who -arose against Thee. Thou didst discharge Thy wrath, -it devoured them up like stubble.’ Our Rabbis—and -even the Christian Gentile teachers—agree that the deliverance -of our race from Pharaoh, and the destruction of -his hosts, picture our race’s future as well as its past. -And the numerical value of ‘Thou shalt overthrow’ (part -of those two song-stanzas I have just repeated) gives -the date I have mentioned as the time of our deliverance -from all our troubles, when Messiah shall come.”</p> - -<p>There was a sudden clatter of little feet outside at -that moment, and a boy and a girl burst into the room.</p> - -<p>“What do you think, father?” cried the boy, with the -excited impulsiveness of a child bursting with news. -“A boy—he’s a Gentile, of course—whom I know says -that Messiah has come, that the cursed Nazarene was -He, and that——”</p> - -<p>“We will go to supper, Reuben, and you and I will -talk about that another time.” Cohen spoke quietly to -his boy. He had his own reasons for checking the -subject at that time.</p> - -<p>His aunt caught the boy’s hand, and danced with -him out of the room. Rachel, the little girl, a wondrous -miniature of Zillah, clung to her father, and the whole -family trooped off to wash their hands before the meal.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44"></a>[44]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.<br /> -<span class="smaller">AN INTERESTING TALK.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">“The</span> Courier” was now an established fact. As -a newspaper it was as much a revelation to the -journalists as to the general public. London had taken -to it from the first moment of its issue. The provinces, -instead of following their usual course of waiting to see -what London did, took their own initiative, and adopted -the new paper at once. Every instinct about the ideal -paper, felt and nursed during the waiting years by Tom -Hammond, had been true instinct. He had always felt -them to be true; now he realized the fact. He was a -proud man, a happy man.</p> - -<p>One curious feature of the new journal had attracted -much attention, even before the publication of the first -issue. In his “Foreword,” as he had termed it, in a -full page announcement that appeared in three of the -leading London dailies, Tom Hammond had said:</p> - -<p>“An important feature of the ‘Courier’ will be the -item or items (as the case may be) which will be found -each day under the heading, ‘From the Prophet’s -Chamber.’ A greater man than the editor of ‘The -Courier’ once said, ‘Every editor of a newspaper ought -to have a strain of the seer in his composition. He -ought to have the gift of prophecy up to a certain -point. He ought to be so thoroughly conversant with -the history of his own and every other nation that -when history is on the point of repeating itself—as it<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45"></a>[45]</span> -has a habit of doing,—he may not be caught altogether -napping.’ It is the unexpected that happens, we say.</p> - -<p>“True, but there are many of the so-called happenings -of the unexpected that to the spirit of the seer -will have been expected and more than half-prophesied.</p> - -<p>“Now, while we propose that the whole tone of ‘The -Courier’ shall show the spirit of the seer in a measure, -we shall endeavour to make the particular column to -which we are now alluding essentially new. In it we -shall deal with every class of subject likely to prove -mentally arrestive to our readers, and shall make it -prophetic up to the limits of our capacities as man, -citizen and editor. How far the possession of the -quality of the seer will be found in us we must leave -the future—and our readers—to decide. But we certainly -anticipate that ‘The Prophet’s Chamber’ column -will be one of the most popular features of what we -shall aim to make the most popular paper of the -day.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond was no believer in luck. He had -left nothing to chance in the production of his paper. -There was not a department left to subordinates which -he did not personally assure himself was being carried -out on the best, the safest, lines. For weeks he literally -lived on the spot where his great paper was to be -produced, taking his meals and sleeping at an hotel close -by the huge building that housed “The Courier.”</p> - -<p>He saw very little of Sir Archibald Carlyon during -these weeks, and nothing at all of George, or the fair -American, Madge Finisterre. George was in Scotland; -Madge on the Continent.</p> - -<p>His thoughts often turned to the American girl, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46"></a>[46]</span> -his eye brightened and his pulse quickened whenever -he heard of her from Sir Archibald.</p> - -<p>Once he had been permitted by Sir Archibald to -read a gossipy letter sent by her to the old baronet. -He laughed over a quotation in that letter.</p> - -<p>“I am not like the Chicago girl,” she wrote, “of -whom our Will Carleton writes, who, telling all about -her tour in ‘Urop,’ says,</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Old Scotland? Yes, all in our power,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">We did there to be through;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">We stopped in Glasgow one whole hour,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Then straight to ‘Edinborough.’</div> - <div class="verse indent0">At Abbotsford we made a stay</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Of half-an-hour precisely.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">(The ruins all along the way</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Were ruined very nicely.)</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“We ‘did’ a mountain in the rain,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And left the others undone,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Then took the ‘Flying Scotchman’ train,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And came by night to London.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Long tunnels somewhere on the line</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Made sound and darkness deeper;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">No; English scenery is not fine</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Viewed from a Pullman sleeper.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Oh, Paris! Paris! Paris! ’Tis</div> - <div class="verse indent2">No wonder, dear, that you go</div> - <div class="verse indent0">So far into ecstasies</div> - <div class="verse indent2">About that Victor Hugo!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">He paints the city, high and low,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With faithful pen and ready.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">(I think, my dear, I ought to know,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">We drove there two hours steady.”)</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“I feel,” Madge had written, “that one wants a life-time -to ‘do’ the Continent.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond’s thoughts often flew to the gay girl. -This morning, having seen a review of Carleton’s latest -book of ballads, he had been reminded of her, and he -laid down his pen a moment, as he gave himself up to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47"></a>[47]</span> -a little reverie about her. An announcement aroused -him.</p> - -<p>“Miss Finisterre and Mr. Carlyon, sir.”</p> - -<p>He smiled to himself. “Talk of angels, etc.,” he mused.</p> - -<p>The next moment he was greeting his callers. Madge -Finisterre looked, in Tom Hammond’s eyes, more radiant -now than ever.</p> - -<p>“Fancy, Mr. Hammond,” she laughed, when the greetings -were over, “George and I met at Dover! He had -come south to see a friend off from Dover, and was -on the pier when I landed from the Calais boat. We’ve -been down to that dear old country house, but I wanted -to do some shopping, and to see how you looked as -editor-in-chief and general boss of the biggest daily paper -in the world.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond’s eyes flashed with a pleased light -at her confession, which implied that she had thought -of him, even as he had thought of her. He noted, too, -how an extra shade of colour warmed the clear skin of -her cheeks as she made her confession.</p> - -<p>“Because,” she went on, “all the world declares that -‘The Courier’ is the premier paper of the world, and -everyone who is anyone—in the know of things, I mean—knows -that Mr. Tom Hammond is ‘The Courier.’”</p> - -<p>The talk, for a few minutes, was “shop.”</p> - -<p>“You don’t go in for a column of comic,” Madge -presently said. “If you did, I could give you an item, -we, George and I, heard in the train as we ran up to -town. There were two of your English parsons in our -carriage, talking in that high-faluting note that always -reminds me of your high-pitched church service,—‘dearly-beloved-brethren’ -note.</p> - -<p>“Well, the two parsons were telling yarns one against<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48"></a>[48]</span> -the other—chestnuts were cheap, I assure you,—and one -of them told a story he tacked on to General Booth—the -last time I heard it, it was told of Spurgeon. He -said that the General was going down Whitechapel, and, -seeing the people pouring into a show, and wondering -what there was so powerfully attractive to the masses -in these shows, he determined to go into this particular -one. It was advertised as a ‘Museum of Biblical Curiosities.’ -Just as he got in, the showman was exhibiting -a very rusty old sword, and saying,</p> - -<p>“‘Now, yere’s a werry hinterestin’ hobject. This is -the sword wot Balaam ’it ’is hass wiv, ’cos ’ee wouldn’t -go.’ Booth speaks up, and says,</p> - -<p>“‘Hold hard there, my friend; you’re getting a little -mixed. Balaam hadn’t got a sword. He said, “Would -that I had a sword.”’</p> - -<p>“‘That’s all right, guv’nor,’ cried the showman; ‘this -is the sword ’ee wished ’ee ’ad.’”</p> - -<p>The girl’s mimicry of the coster-showman’s speech was -inimitable, and the two men laughed as much at her -telling as at the tale itself.</p> - -<p>George Carlyon got up from his seat, saying, “But -I say, you two, do you mind if I leave you to amuse -each other for an hour? I want, very much, to run -down to the club. I’ll come back for you, Madge, or meet -you somewhere.”</p> - -<p>“Bless the boy!” she laughed. “Do you think I was -reared in an incubator, or in your Mayfair? Haven’t -you learned that, given a Yankee girl’s got dollars under -her boots to wheel on, it ain’t much fuss for her to -skate through this old country of yours, nor yet through -Europe, come to that, even though she has no more<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49"></a>[49]</span> -languages under her tongue than good plain Duchess -county American. I told the ‘boys’ that before I left -home.”</p> - -<p>George Carlyon laughed, as, accepting his release, he -nodded to the pair and left the room.</p> - -<p>It was a strangely new experience to Tom Hammond, -to be left alone with a beautiful and charming -woman like Madge Finisterre.</p> - -<p>The picture she made, as she moved round the room -looking at the framed paintings, all gifts from his artist -friends, came to him as a kind of revelation. When he -had met her that day in the Embankment hotel, he had -been charmed with her beauty and her frank, open, -unconventionality of manner. He had thought of her -many times since—only that very day, a moment before -her arrival,—thought of her as men think of a picture -or a poem which has given them delight. But now he -found her appealing to him.</p> - -<p>She was a woman, a beautiful, attractive woman. -She suggested sudden thoughts of how a woman, loved, -and returning that love, might affect his life, his happiness.</p> - -<p>Her physical grace and beauty, the exquisite fit of her -costume, the perfect harmony of it—all this struck him -now. But the woman in her appealed strongest to -him.</p> - -<p>“Awfully good, this sketch of street arabs!” she turned -to say, as she stood before a clever bit of black-and-white -drawing.</p> - -<p>An end of a lace scarf she was wearing caught in a -nail in the wall. He sprang forward to release the scarf. -It was not readily done, for his fingers became infected -with a strange nervousness. Once their hands met, their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50"></a>[50]</span> -fingers almost interlocked. A curious little thrill went -through him. He lifted his eyes involuntarily, and met -her glance. A warm colour shot swiftly into her face. -And he was conscious at the same moment that his own -cheeks burned.</p> - -<p>“I guess I’ll sit down before I do any more mischief,” -she laughed.</p> - -<p>Woman-like, she was quicker to get at ease than he -was.</p> - -<p>“Do you know, Mr. Hammond,” she went on, as she -seated herself in a revolving armchair, “I just wanted -very much to see how you were fixed up here, and how -you looked now that you are a big man.”</p> - -<p>He made a deprecatory little gesture.</p> - -<p>“Oh, but you are a really great man,” she went on. -“I have heard some big people talk of you, and say——”</p> - -<p>She leaned back, and smiled merrily at him, as she -went on,</p> - -<p>“Well, I guess if there’s only a shadow of truth -in the old saying, then your ears must often have -burned.”</p> - -<p>Madge Finisterre gave the chair in which she was -sitting a half twist.</p> - -<p>“Why don’t you British people go in for rockers?” -she asked. “I simply can’t enjoy your English homes -to the full, for want of a good rocker, wherever I go.”</p> - -<p>An indiarubber bulb lay close to his hand. He pressed -it without her noting the movement. A clerk suddenly -appeared. Hammond looked across at Madge, with an -“Excuse me, Miss Finisterre, one moment.”</p> - -<p>He drew a sheet of notepaper towards him. The -paper was headed with “The Courier” title and address.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51"></a>[51]</span></p> - -<p>“Send me, at once, unpacked and ready for immediate -use, the best American drawing-room rocking-chair -you have in stock. Send invoice, cash will follow,” etc.</p> - -<p>That was what he wrote. He enclosed it in an envelope, -then on a separate slip of paper he wrote:—</p> - -<p>“Take a cab, there and back, to Wallis’s, Holborn -Circus. See how smart you can be; bring the -chair, ordered, back with you.”</p> - -<p>From his purse he took a four-shilling piece, and gave -the young fellow the note, the slip of instructions, and -the coin.</p> - -<p>As the attendant left the room, he turned again to -Madge, who, utterly unsuspicious of the errand on which -he had sent his employee, was amusing herself with a -copy of “Punch.” She looked up from the paper as -the door closed.</p> - -<p>“I like ‘The Courier’ immensely, Mr. Hammond,” -she cried. There was a rare warmth of admiration in -her tone.</p> - -<p>“Thank you, Miss Finisterre!” His eyes said more -than his words, “what do you specially like in it?” -he asked; “or is your liking of a more general character?”</p> - -<p>“I do like it from a general standpoint,” she replied; -“I think it the best paper in the world. But especially -do I like your own particular column, ‘From a Prophet’s -Chamber.’ But, Mr. Hammond, about the Jew—you are -going in strong for him, aren’t you?”</p> - -<p>“From the ordinary newspaper point, yes,” he said. -“I cannot quite recall how my mind was first switched -on to the subject, but I do know this—that the more -I study the past history of the race, and the future -predictions concerning it, the more amazed I am, how, -past, present, and future, the Jews, as a nation, are<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52"></a>[52]</span> -interwoven with everything political, musical, artistic—everything, -in fact. And I wonder, equally, that we -journalists, as a whole—I speak, of course, as far as I -know my kinsmen in letters—should have thought and -written so little about them.</p> - -<p>“Take their ubiquitousness, Miss Finisterre,” went on -Hammond. “There does not appear to have been an -empire in the past that has not had its colony of Jews. -By which I do not mean a Ghetto, simply, a herding -of sordid-living, illiterate Hebrews, but a study colony -of men and women, who, by sheer force of intellect, of -brain power, have obtained and maintained the highest -positions, the greatest influence.</p> - -<p>“Why, in China, even, isolated, conservative China, -before Christ was born in Bethlehem, the Jews were -a prosperous, ubiquitous people, worshipping the one -God, Jehovah, amidst all the foulness of Chinese -idolatries.”</p> - -<p>Madge Finisterre listened with rapt interest. The -man before her, fired with his subject, talked marvellously. -A good listener helps to make a good talker, -and Tom Hammond talked well.</p> - -<p>“It is not simply that they practically hold the wealth -of the world in their hands, that they are the world’s -bankers, but they are dominating our press, our -politics.”</p> - -<p>With glowing picture of words he poured out a flood -of wondrous fact and illustration, winding up presently -with:</p> - -<p>“Then you cannot kill the Jew, you cannot wipe -him out. Persecution has had the effect of stunting -his growth, so that the average Britisher is several inches -taller than the average Jew. But the life of the Hebrew<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53"></a>[53]</span> -is indestructible. Sometimes of late I have asked myself -this question, as I have reviewed the history of the -dealings of so-called Christianity with the Semitic race—Has -Christianity been afraid of the Jews, or why has she -sought to stamp them out?”</p> - -<p>The pair had been so engrossed with their talk that -they had lost all count of time. A half-hour had slipped -by since Tom Hammond had sent his messenger to -Wallis’s. The young fellow suddenly appeared at the -door.</p> - -<p>“Got it, Charlie?”</p> - -<p>Without waiting for a reply to his question, the editor -bounded from his seat and passed outside. Thirty -seconds later the door opened again, and he appeared, -bearing a splendid rocker in his arms.</p> - -<p>Before she fully realized the wonder of the whole -thing, Madge found herself seated in the rocking-chair. -Swaying backwards and forwards, and blushing and -smiling, she cried:</p> - -<p>“You are a wonderful man, Mr. Hammond!”</p> - -<p>“You said you could never fully enjoy our English -houses for want of a rocker. Now, however ‘angelic’ -your visits to this room may be, you shall have one -inducement to slip in—a rocker.”</p> - -<p>She was beginning her thanks again, when he interrupted -with:</p> - -<p>“But, excuse me, Miss Finisterre, what about some -tea? Shall we go out and get some, or would you prefer -that I should order it in here?”</p> - -<p>“Oh, here, by all means! I can have tea at a restaurant -every day of my life, but with a real London lion—a -real live editor—and in his own special den. Why, it<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54"></a>[54]</span> -may never fall to my lot again. Oh, here, by all means!” -she cried, excitedly.</p> - -<p>He squeezed that rubber bulb again. To the lad -Charlie, who appeared, he gave a written order to a -neighbouring restaurant. Twenty minutes later the tea -was in the room.</p> - -<p>Madge officiated with the teapot. Hammond watched -her every movement. A truly pretty, graceful girl never -looks handsomer to a man than when presiding at a tea-table. -Tom Hammond thought Madge had never looked -more charming. The meal was a very enjoyable one, -and as she poured out his second cup he paid her a pretty -compliment, adding:</p> - -<p>“To see you thus, Miss Finisterre, makes one think -what fools men are not to——”</p> - -<p>He paused abruptly. She flashed a quick glance of -enquiry at him.</p> - -<p>“Not to what, Mr. Hammond?”</p> - -<p>“I wonder,” he replied, “if I ought to say what I -left unsaid?”</p> - -<p>“Why not?” she asked.</p> - -<p>“I don’t know why I should not,” he laughed. “I -was going to say that, to have a bright, beautiful, graceful -woman like Madge Finisterre pouring out tea for -him, makes a man think what a fool he is not to marry.”</p> - -<p>His tone and glance were alike full of meaning. She -could not mistake him. Her colour heightened visibly. -Her eyes drooped before his ardent gaze. The situation -became tense and full of portent.</p> - -<p>The opening of the door at that instant changed everything. -George Carlyon had returned. At the same -moment a wire was brought to Hammond, together with -a sheaf of letters—the afternoon mail.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55"></a>[55]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“COMING.”</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">George</span> Carlyon’s entrance, the arrival of the afternoon -mail, and the telegram gave Madge Finisterre -an opportunity to escape. George Carlyon was -anxious to leave, and Madge rose at once to accompany -him.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond did not press them to stay, for he, -too, felt awkward. The friends shook hands. The eyes -of Madge and Hammond met for one instant. Each -face flushed under the power of the other’s glance.</p> - -<p>When the door had closed upon them, Tom went -back to his old place by the table, his eyes involuntarily -sweeping the whole apartment. He smiled as he -suddenly realized how empty the room now seemed. -His glance rested upon the tea-tray, and he rang for -the lad Charlie.</p> - -<p>“Clear all this away, Charlie, please,” he began. Then -with a smile he said, “You will find a capital cup of tea -in that pot.”</p> - -<p>The boy grinned. At his first glance at the tray he -had mentally decided that he would be able to have a -rare feast. A couple of minutes, and the boy had gone.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond gathered up his mail, and was about -to drop into his ordinary seat, when he remembered -the rocker. With a smile at Madge’s occupancy of the -chair, he dropped into it.</p> - -<p>For fully five minutes he sat still thinking, reviewing -all the circumstances of the peculiar situation upon which -the unexpected coming of George Carlyon had broken.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56"></a>[56]</span> -He asked himself whether he was really in love with the -fair Madge, and whether he would have proposed to -her if her cousin had not so unexpectedly turned up? He -made no definite reply to his own questioning, but turned -to his mail.</p> - -<p>The telegram he had opened at once on its receipt. -He turned now to the letters. He had opened all but -two. The last one was addressed in a woman’s hand-writing. -Breaking the envelope, he took out the letter, -and turned first to the signature on the fourth page.</p> - -<p>“Millicent Joyce,” he read. “Millicent Joyce?” he -repeated. Unconsciously he had laid his emphasis on -the “Millicent,” and he forgot the “Joyce.”</p> - -<p>But suddenly it came to him that the letter was from -Mrs. Joyce, the woman whom he had helped to save -from drowning on the night of that memorable day when -the great chance of his life had come to him.</p> - -<p>“Poor soul!” he muttered. “I wonder what she has -written about?” The next instant he was reading the -letter.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond cast his eyes over the letter which -Mrs. Joyce had sent him, and which ran thus:</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“Dear Sir,</p> - -<p class="indent">“I gave you my word that if ever I was in special -trouble or need I would write, or come to you for help.</p> - -<p>“I did not promise you, however, that if any great -joy or blessing should come to me, that I would let -you know. I don’t think I believed any joy could ever -possibly come into my life again. But joy and wondrous -gladness have come into my life, and in an altogether -unexpected way.</p> - -<p>“You will remember how I said to you in parting, -that morning, that your strong, cheery words had given<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57"></a>[57]</span> -me a clearer view of God than any sermon I had ever -listened to. That impression deepened rather than diminished -when I got home. My husband, I heard, had been -sent to Wandsworth Prison for a month, for assaulting -the police when drunk.</p> - -<p>“And in this month of quiet from his brutalities, the -great joy of my life came to me. I began to attend -religious services from the very first night after my -return home. I went to church, chapel, mission hall, -and Salvation Army.</p> - -<p>“One night I went to the hall of the Mission for Railway -Men. A lady was speaking that night, and God -found me, and saved me. All that I had ever heard from -my dear father’s lips, when he preached about conversion, -came back to me, and that night I passed from death -to life.</p> - -<p>“The subject of the address was ‘The Coming of the -Lord.’ I listened in amazement as the lady speaker -declared that, for this age, God evidently meant that -this truth of the near coming of Christ should have -almost, if not quite, the most prominent place in all public -preaching.</p> - -<p>“I was startled to hear her say that there were nearly -three hundred direct references to the second coming of -Christ in the Gospels and Epistles, and that there were -thus more than double the number of references to that -subject than even to that of salvation through the blood -of the Atonement.</p> - -<p>“With her Bible in her hand, she turned readily to a -score of passages as illustrations of her statement, and -all through her address she never made a statement without -backing it up by Scripture. One thing she said laid a -tremendous grip upon me, and led me to an immediate<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58"></a>[58]</span> -decision for Christ: she said, ‘How often is the possibility -of sudden death advanced by a preacher as an -incentive to unsaved souls to yield to God!</p> - -<p>“‘But how poor an argument is that compared with -the near approach of Christ! Sudden death might come -to one person in a congregation before twenty-four hours, -but in a sense, that would touch that one person only. -But if Christ came to take up His people from the earth—the -dead in Christ from their graves, the living from -their occupations, etc.,—this would affect every unsaved -soul in every part of the country, of the world, even.’”</p> -</div> - -<p>Tom Hammond paused in his reading.</p> - -<p>“What on earth can she mean?” he murmured, under -his breath. Then he went on from the letter:</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“I gave myself up to God there and then, Mr. Hammond, -and am seeking now to live so that, should Christ -come, even before I finish this letter, I may be ready -to be caught up to meet Him in the air.”</p> -</div> - -<p>Hammond paused again.</p> - -<p>“What can the woman mean?” he murmured again. -With the letter held in his hand, his eyes became fixed -upon space, his mind was searching for something that -he had recently heard or read bearing on this strange -topic. The clue seemed almost within grasp, yet for -awhile he could not recall it.</p> - -<p>Suddenly it came to him. A volume of poems had -been sent to him for review, amid the excitement of the -second day’s issue of “The Courier.” He had glanced -rapidly through the book, had written a brief line for -his paper, acknowledging the receipt of the book, and -promising to refer to it fully at some later date.</p> - -<p>“That book,” he mused, “had something in it about—about——”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59"></a>[59]</span></p> - -<p>He got up from the rocker, took his place at his table, -then wheeled about slowly in his revolving chair, and -began searching his book-case. In an instant his keen -eye picked out the volume he sought. He wheeled round -again to his table, the book in his hand.</p> - -<p>He turned a moment to the title-page. “Ezekiel and -Other Poems,” he read. “By B. M.”</p> - -<p>“B. M.,” he mused, “Whom have I heard writes under -those initials? Ah! I remember! Mrs. Miller.—Barbara -Miller.”</p> - -<p>He ran the gilt-edged leaves rapidly through his practised -fingers, his quick eye catching enough of the running -pages to satisfy him. Suddenly he paused in his -search. His eye had lit upon what he sought, and he -began to read:</p> - -<div class="blockquote"> -<p class="center"> -“COMING.”<br /> -</p> - -<p>“At even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the -morning.”</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“It may be in the evening,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">When the work of the day is done,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And you have time to sit in the twilight</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And watch the sinking sun,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">While the long, bright day dies slowly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Over the sea,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the hour grows quiet and holy</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With thoughts of Me;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">While you hear the village children</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Passing along the street,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Among those thronging footsteps</div> - <div class="verse indent2">May come the sound of My feet.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Therefore I tell you, ‘Watch,’</div> - <div class="verse indent2">By the light of the evening star,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the room is growing dusky</div> - <div class="verse indent2">As the clouds afar;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Let the door be on the latch</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In your home,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For it may be through the gloaming</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I will come.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div></div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60"></a>[60]</span></p> - -<p>He paused in his reading for a moment, for, like a -voice near by, the drone of that blind beggar’s reading -came to him, as he had heard it that day on the embankment.</p> - -<p>“This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye -have seen Him go.”</p> - -<p>“I remember,” he mused, “how that sentence arrested -me. My mind was utterly pre-occupied a moment before, -but that wondrous sentence pierced my pre-occupation.”</p> - -<p>His eyes dropped to the poem again, and he read -on:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“It may be when midnight</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Is heavy on the land,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the black waves lying dumbly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Along the sand;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the moonless night draws close,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the lights are out in the house;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the fires burn low and red,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the watch is ticking loudly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Beside the bed.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Though you sleep, tired out, on your couch,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Still your heart must wake and watch</div> - <div class="verse indent0">In the dark room;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For it may be that at midnight</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I will come.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>He read rapidly, but more eagerly interested each -moment. The next section he scarcely paused upon, but -the fourth he lingered over, and then read it the second -time:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“It may be in the morning,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">When the sun is bright and strong,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the dew is glittering sharply</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Over the little lawn;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the waves are laughing loudly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Along the shore,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the little birds sing sweetly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">About the door;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">With the long day’s work before you,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">You rise up with the sun,</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61"></a>[61]</span> - <div class="verse indent0">And the neighbours come in to talk a little</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Of all that must be done:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">But remember that I may be the next</div> - <div class="verse indent2">To come in at the door,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">To call you from your busy work</div> - <div class="verse indent2">For evermore.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">As you work, your heart must watch,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For the door is on the latch</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In your room,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And it may be in the morning</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I will come.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>He read on with a strange, breathless interest the -next two pages of poem, then, with a sudden sense of -hush upon him, he went carefully over the concluding -lines:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“So I am watching quietly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Every day.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Whenever the sun shines brightly,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I rise and say,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">‘Surely it is the shining of His face!’</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And look unto the gates of His high place</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Beyond the sea,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For I know He is coming shortly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">To summon me.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And when a shadow falls across the window</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Of my room,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Where I am working my appointed task,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I lift my head to watch the door, and ask</div> - <div class="verse indent2">If He is come;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the angel answers sweetly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In my home:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">‘Only a few more shadows,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And He will come.’”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>The face of Tom Hammond, as he laid down the book, -was full of a strange, new perplexity. “Strange, very!” -he muttered. “Do you know Joyce, Mr. Simpson?” Hammond -asked a reporter. “He used to be on the staff -of the——”</p> - -<p>“‘Daily Tatler,’” cried the man. “Knew him well -years ago, sir. Old school-fellows, in fact. Got wrong<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62"></a>[62]</span> -with the drink, sir. Gone to the dogs, and——”</p> - -<p>“Have you seen or heard anything of him this last -month, Mr. Simpson?”</p> - -<p>“Yes, sir. He’s grown worse than ever. Magistrate at -Bow Street, committing him for three days, said fellow -ought to be put in Broadmoor. Pity his poor wife, sir. -Perfect lady, sir.”</p> - -<p>“You know Mrs. Joyce, then?” Hammond queried.</p> - -<p>The reporter sighed, “Rather, sir! Wished a thousand -times I could have had her for a wife, and he’d -had mine. I should have had a happier life. And -he——”</p> - -<p>The man laughed grimly. “Well, he’d have had a -tartar!”</p> - -<p>Hammond had heard something about the shrewish -wife Simpson had unfortunately married. But he had -learned all he wanted to know, so dismissed the poor, -ill-married fellow.</p> - -<p>“I think I must call upon Mrs. Joyce, and learn more -about this strange matter of the coming Christ,” he told -himself.</p> - -<p>He copied the address from the head of the letter -into his pocket-book, then turned to the last letter of -his mail.</p> - -<p>This proved to be a comparatively short letter, but, -to Hammond, a deeply-interesting one. It was signed -“Abraham Cohen,” and the writer explained that he -was a Jew, who had taken the “Courier” from the very -first number, and had not only become profoundly interested -in the recent utterances of the editor in the -“Prophet’s Chamber” column, but he had, for some days, -been impressed with the desire to write to the “Prophet.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63"></a>[63]</span></p><div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“Will you pardon me, sir,” the letter went on, “if I -say that it would be to your immense advantage, now -that your mind has become aroused to the facts and -history of our race, if you would get in touch with -some really well-read, intelligent Jew who knows our -people well, knows their history, past, present, and future, -as far as the latter can be known from our Scriptures -and sacred books. Should you care to fall in with my -suggestion, I should be pleased to supply you with the -names and addresses of several good and clever men of -our people.</p> - -<p class="center"> -“Yours obediently,<br /> -</p> - -<p class="right"> -“<span class="smcap">Abraham Cohen</span>.”<br /> -</p> -</div> - -<p>As he folded the letter slowly, Hammond told himself -that there was something in the letter that drew -him towards the writer.</p> - -<p>“I will hunt him up, for it is evident that he is as -enthusiastic over his people’s history as he is intelligent. -I will see what to-morrow brings. Now to work.”</p> - -<p>He put Cohen’s letter in his pocket, and turned to -the hundred and one editorial claims upon his time.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64"></a>[64]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">REVERIE.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">In</span> spite of the time of the year, the evening was -almost as warm as one in June. Madge Finisterre -was on one of the wide hotel balconies overlooking the -Embankment. She had dined with her cousin, George -Carlyon, but instead of going out of town that evening -with him—he had pressed her strongly to go,—she had -elected to spend a quiet evening alone.</p> - -<p>London’s roar, subdued a little, it is true, at that -hour, rose all around her where she sat. The cup of -coffee she had brought to her, cooled where it stood -upon the little table at her elbow. She had forgotten it.</p> - -<p>Her mind was engrossed with the memory of the -latter part—the interrupted part—of that interview with -Tom Hammond that afternoon.</p> - -<p>“What would have happened if George Carlyon had -not turned up at that moment?” she mused,—“if we -had been left alone and undisturbed another five -minutes?”</p> - -<p>Her cheeks burned as she whispered softly to herself:</p> - -<p>“I believe Tom Hammond would have proposed to -me. If he had, what should I have replied?”</p> - -<p>A far-away look crept into her eyes. She was back -again in the little town where she had been “reared,” -as she herself would have said. We have many villages -in England larger, more populous, more busy, than her -“town,” but, then, the people of her land talk “big.”</p> - -<p>Before her mind’s eye there rose the picture of her<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65"></a>[65]</span> -father’s store, a huge, rambling concern built of wood, -with a frontage of a hundred feet, and a colonnade of -turned wooden pillars that supported a verandah that -ran the whole length.</p> - -<p>Every item of the interior of the store came vividly -before her mind, the very odour of the place—a curious -blend of groceries, drapery, rope, oils and colours, -tobacco,—seemed suddenly to fill her nostrils. And -in that instant, though she scarcely realized it, the first -real touch of nostalgia came to her.</p> - -<p>She saw the postal section of the store littered with -men, all smoking, most of them yarning. One after -another dropped in, and, with a “Howdy, all?” dropped -upon a coil of white cotton rope, or lounged against a -counter or cask. “Dollars” and “cents” floated in speech -all around, while the men waited for the mail. It was -late that night.</p> - -<p>A week before she had sailed for England, she had -gone down to the store, as she had gone every evening -about mail-time, and, entering at the end nearest her -home, she had come upon the scene that had now so -suddenly risen before her mind’s eye. She had traversed -all the narrow alley-way between the stored-up supplies, -from which the various departments were stocked, -singing as she went:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“The world is circumbendibus,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">We’re all going round;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">We have a try to fly the sky,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">But still we’re on the ground.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">We every one go round the sun,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">We’re moving night and day;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And milkmen all go round the run</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Upon their Milky Way.”</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66"></a>[66]</span> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“We’re all circumbendibus,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Wherever we may be.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">We’re all circumbendibus,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">On land or on sea.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Rich or poor or middling,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Wherever we are found,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">We’re all circumbendibus,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">We’re all going round.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>She had punctuated the chorus with a series of jerked -steps, her high heels striking the wooden floor in a kind -of castanet accompaniment. Every waiting man had -risen to his feet as she came upon them in that post-office -section, and she had answered their rising with a military -salute.</p> - -<p>In the great mirror that ran from floor to ceiling of -the store, she had caught a glimpse of herself. She -recalled, even now, exactly what she was wearing that -evening—a white muslin frock, a very wide sash of rich -silk—crushed strawberry colour—about her waist, the -long ends of the sash floating behind her almost to the -high heels of her dainty bronze shoes. A knot of the -same-hued ribbon, narrow, of course, with streamers -flying, was fastened at her left shoulder. Her wide-brimmed -hat was trimmed with the same colour. She had -known that she made a handsome picture before she read -the light of admiration in the eyes of the post-office -loungers.</p> - -<p>“Have you heard the news, boys?” she asked.</p> - -<p>“Aw, guess we hev, Miss Madge.”</p> - -<p>It was Ulysses Fletcher who had acted as spokesman.</p> - -<p>In some surprise, and not altogether pleased, she had -wheeled sharply round to the lantern-jawed Ulysses -and asked,</p> - -<p>“How did you hear the news, Ulysses? Dad didn’t<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67"></a>[67]</span> -tell you, I’m sure, for he promised me I should tell you -all myself.”</p> - -<p>“Met a coon down to the depot, an’ I guess he wur -chuck full o’ it, an’ ’e ups an’ tells me.”</p> - -<p>“A coon told you?” she had cried in ever-increasing -amazement.</p> - -<p>“Sartin, Miss Madge!”</p> - -<p>“A coon!” she had repeated. “A coon—told you—down -at the depot—that—I was—going—to Europe next -week!”</p> - -<p>Every eye had stared in wondering astonishment at -Madge Finisterre at her announcement that she was -going to Europe. Then there was a general laugh, and -one of the smartest of the “boys” had cried:—</p> - -<p>“I low there’s been a mistake some, Miss Madge, an’ -that, too, all roun’. Fact is, we’ve been runnin’ two -separate tickets over this news business, an’ thought it -wur one an’ the same. We wur talkin’ ’bout Seth -Hammond’s herd o’ hogs as wur cut up by the Poughkeepsie -express ’smarnin’.”</p> - -<p>She had joined in the laugh, and then in reply to -the question of another of the men, as to whether it -was really true that she was going to “Urop,” she had -replied in the affirmative, adding, by way of explanation:</p> - -<p>“I guess you all know that my momma is British, that -she belonged to what the Britishers call, ‘the Quality’. -She was the youngest sister of Sir Archibald Carlyon, -was travelling over here, out west, when she was about -my age, got fixed up in an awkward shop by half-breeds, -and was rescued by my dear old poppa. Fact, that’s -how he came to be my poppa, for she married him. -Spite of her high connections in England, she was very -poor, and she loved dad. If dear momma could only<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68"></a>[68]</span> -face the water journey, she’d go over with me.”</p> - -<p>“Air you goin’ alone, Miss?” one of the boys had -asked.</p> - -<p>Then—how well she remembered it to-night!—she -had given the answer, part of which she had given to -George Carlyon that very day:</p> - -<p>“Oh, I’ll git all right, boys, you can bet on that, -without anyone dandying around me. For I guess if -there’s one thing the Britishers are learning about our -women, it’s this—that if a United States gel’s got dollars -under her boots to wheel around on it ain’t much fuss -for her to skate through their old country, nor yet -through Europe, come to that, even if she has no more -language under her tongue than good, plain, Duchess -county American.”</p> - -<p>With a merry smile, for which there had been no -scrambling, since it was shed upon them all, she had -passed on to where she knew she would find her father, -ringing her boot-heels, castanet fashion, as she sang -lightly:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Mary’s gone wid a coon,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Mary’s gone wid a coon;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Dere’s heaps o’ trubble on de ole man’s min’</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Since Mary flit wid de coon.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>How vividly it all came up before her in this hour -of quiet reverie! But her mind flitted swiftly to another -scene, one that had been hanging in the background of -all her thought ever since (thinking of Tom Hammond -and the interrupted conversation,) she had been reminded -of home and its happenings.</p> - -<p>There had been a Donation Party for their pastor -(Episcopalian Methodist) at the house of one of the -members on the very night of the store scene. Madge<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69"></a>[69]</span> -had gone, of course. Balhang was wont to say that -a Donation Party simply could not be run without her.</p> - -<p>Sitting on that Embankment hotel balcony, with eyes -fixed on the lamps, the river, the bridge, the traffic yet -seeing nothing of it all, that Donation Party all came -back to her. Things had been a bit stiff and formal at -first, as they often are at such gatherings.</p> - -<p>The adults sat around and talked on current topics—how -much turkeys would fetch for Thanksgiving, -whether it would pay best to sell them plucked or -unplucked, what would folks do for cranberries for -Thanksgiving, since the cranberry crop had failed that -year—“An’ turkey wi’out cranberry ain’t wuth a twist -o’ the tongue.”</p> - -<p>“An’ squash,” suggested one old man. “What’s turkey -wi’out squash? I’d most so soon hev only Boston” -(i. e., pork and beans) “fur dinner as ter go wi’out -squash wi’ turkey.”</p> - -<p>The young folk had been “moping around” like draggled -chickens on a wet day when the barn-door is shut. -Then, at this juncture, Madge had burst upon the scene. -She swam into the largest room, swirling round and -round with a kind of waltz movement, to the accompaniment -of her own gay voice as she sang:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“I said, ‘My dear, I’m glad!’</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Said she, ‘I’m glad you’re glad!’</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Said I, ‘I’m glad you’re glad I’m glad,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">It is so very, very nice;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">It makes it seem worth twice the price,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">So glad you’re glad I’m glad!’”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>With a gay laugh she had turned to the hostess, -saying;</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70"></a>[70]</span></p> - -<p>“Things want hustling a bit here, Miss Julie. Everyone -is as glum as a whip-poor-will that is fixed up with -the grippe.”</p> - -<p>In the quiet of that corner of the hotel balcony she -smiled at these remembrances of her nonsense that night. -She had started the young people playing their favourite -games of “Whisper,” “Amsterdam,” etc., in two or three -of the smaller rooms; then had raced away again to the -room where the adults were sitting squarely against the -wall, as grim as “brazen images.” Dropping on to the -piano stool, she struck a few soft, tender notes, suggestive -of some very gracious hymn, then suddenly broke -into song:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“Oh, dat’s so! Oh, dat’s so!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Dar is nuffing ’neath de moon dat’ll satisfy dis coon.</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Like a K—I—double S, kiss,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Since dat Cupid, wid his dart, made a keyhole in my heart</div> - <div class="verse indent4">For dat M—I—double S, miss.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Behind a corner of the curtain the young pastor had -watched and listened. He had thought his presence -unknown to her. He was mistaken.</p> - -<p>For three-quarters of an hour she had been the life -of that room. Then, suddenly, as she was singing at -the piano, the room grew very quiet. She was aroused -by a voice just behind her ear, saying:</p> - -<p>“Miss Finisterre, are you going to supper with this -first batch, or will you wait the next turn?”</p> - -<p>Turning, she found herself face to face with the -young pastor, the room being otherwise empty. His -gaze was very warm, very ardent. She had flushed -under the power of that gaze.</p> - -<p>She had railed him on his extra seriousness, and he -had answered,</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71"></a>[71]</span></p> - -<p>“Don’t, Madge! you must know why I am grave and -sad, to-night.” (He had never called her Madge before.)</p> - -<p>“No, I don’t,” she had replied.</p> - -<p>“In less than a week,” he went on, “so I have heard -to-night, you leave Balhang. You are going to Europe, -and will be away long months, perhaps a year.”</p> - -<p>She had gazed at him in honest wonder, not fully -grasping his meaning.</p> - -<p>“Why,” she asked, “should that make you sad?”</p> - -<p>He had leaned closer towards her. There was no one -to see them. The heavy door-curtain had slipped from -its hook, and shut them in. Where her hand rested on -the rounded, polished arm of the piano, his larger hand -had moved, and her white fingers were clasped in his -larger ones. His eyes had sought hers, and, under the -hypnotic power of the strong love in his eyes, she had -been compelled to meet his gaze.</p> - -<p>“I thought, dear, you must have seen how, for a long -time, I had learned to love you, Madge.”</p> - -<p>His clasp on her fingers had tightened. He had leaned -nearer to her still. No man’s face, save her father’s, -had ever been so close to hers before, and the contact -strangely affected her. She felt the warmth of his -breath, the heat of his clean, wholesome flesh; even the -scent of the soap he had used—or was it some perfume -in his clothing?—filled all her sense of smell.</p> - -<p>The perfume was violet, and she remembered to-night -how, for many a day, she could not smell violets without -recalling that moment, and seeing again the strong, earnest, -eager face, with the fire of a mighty love burning in -the eyes.</p> - -<p>To-night she heard again the yearning, pleading voice<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72"></a>[72]</span> -as he had cried: “Madge, Madge, my darling! Can -you ever guess how great is my love for you? Tell -me, dear, do you, can you, love me in return? Will -you be my wife? Will you come into all my life to -bless it? And let me be wholly yours to help, to bless, -to strengthen, to love, to cherish you? Tell me, darling!”</p> - -<p>And she had cried, almost piteously:</p> - -<p>“I don’t know how to answer you, pastor. It is all -so sudden. I knew, of course, that we were great friends, -and I am sure I like you very much, but—this proposal! -Why, I never dreamed that you cared for me like that, -for how could I be a minister’s wife? I am such a gay, -thoughtless, foolish little thing—I——”</p> - -<p>There had followed more tender pleading, and she -had finally said, “If you love me, Homer, as you say -you do, please do not bother me any more now. Wait -until I come back from Europe—then—then——”</p> - -<p>“What, Madge?” he had cried softly, eagerly.</p> - -<p>“If I can honestly say ‘Yes,’” she had replied, “I will -and I will not even wait for you to ask me again.”</p> - -<p>He had bent over her. His gaze held her fascinated. -She thought he was going to take toll of her lips before -his right was confirmed. But at that instant there had -come a rush of feet, a sound of many voices. The curtain -was flung aside, just as her fingers strayed over the -keys of the instrument, and the pastor succeeded in -regaining his old unseen nook.</p> - -<p>“I guess Miss Julie’s waitin’ fur yer, Miss Madge, -ter go ter yer supper,” bawled an old deacon of the -church.</p> - -<p>She had swept the ivory keys with rollicking touch, -and sang in gayest style:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73"></a>[73]</span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Allow me to say Ta-ta!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">I bid you good-day. Ta-ta!</div> - <div class="verse indent4">I wish I could stay,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">But I’m going away.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Allow me to say Ta-ta!”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Amid the uproarious laughter of everyone in the room, -she had bounded away to supper.</p> - -<p>Except for one moment, when she was leaving the -house for home, and he had helped her on with her -cloak, the pastor had not spoken again directly to her -that evening. He had managed then to whisper,</p> - -<p>“God bless you, my darling! I shall pray for you, -and live on the hope I read in your eyes to-night.”</p> - -<p>It was all this which had risen so strangely before her -mind, as to-night, on that hotel balcony, she had begun -to ask herself how much she really cared for Tom Hammond, -and what answer she would have given him had -he proposed to her that afternoon.</p> - -<p>“I told pastor,” she murmured, “that night, that I -was not sure of myself. I am no nearer being sure of -myself now than I was then.”</p> - -<p>The scene with Hammond rose up before her, and -she added: “I am less sure, I think, than ever!”</p> - -<p>She gazed fixedly where the double line of lamps -gleamed on the near-distant bridge. For a moment she -tried to compare the two lives—that of an American -Methodist pastor’s wife, with endless possibilities of -doing good, and that of the wife of a comparatively -wealthy newspaper editor-manager.</p> - -<p>“Should I like to marry a popular man?” she asked -herself. “I read somewhere once that popular men, -like popular actors, make bad husbands, that they cannot -endure the tameness of an audience of one.”</p> - -<p>She laughed low, and a little amusedly, as she added,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74"></a>[74]</span> -“Oh, well, Tom Hammond has not asked me to marry -him. Perhaps he never will—and—well, ‘sufficient for -the day is the evil thereof.’ Pastor once preached from -that, I remember.”</p> - -<p>The night had grown cooler. She shivered a little -as she rose and passed into the lighted room beyond.</p> - -<p>Two hours later, as she laid her head upon the pillow, -she murmured, “I don’t see how I could marry the -pastor! Why, I haven’t ‘got religion’ yet. I am not -‘converted,’ as these Britishers would say!”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75"></a>[75]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.<br /> -<span class="smaller">A THREAT.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Tom Hammond</span> paused before the house that -bore the number at the head of Mrs. Joyce’s letter. -It was in a mean street, and his soul went out in pity -towards the unfortunate woman, who, with all her refinement, -was compelled to live amid such squalid surroundings.</p> - -<p>“And heart-starved, too,” he mused, pityingly. “Heart-starved -for the want of love, of sympathy, of the sense -of soul-union that makes life with a married partner at -all bearable.”</p> - -<p>“Yus, sir; Mrs. Joss lives yere. Top floor, lef’ ’and -side. Yer kin go hup!”</p> - -<p>A child had opened the door in response to his knock. -Following the directions given, Tom Hammond climbed -the dirty stairs. On the top landing were two doors. -The one on the right was fast shut; that on the left was -ajar a few inches. His approach did not seem to have -been heard. Mrs. Joyce, the only occupant of the room, -was seated at a bare deal table, sewing briskly.</p> - -<p>He stretched out his hand to tap at the door, but -some impulse checked him for a moment. He had -the opportunity to observe her closely, and he did so.</p> - -<p>She sat facing the window; the light shone full upon -her. She was dressed in a well-worn but well-fitting -black gown. Round her throat—how pure and white the -skin was!—she wore a white turnover collar, like a -nurse, white cuffs at her wrists completing the nurse idea.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76"></a>[76]</span> -Her hair—she had loosened it earlier because of a -slight headache—hung in clustering waves on her neck, -and was held back behind her ears with a comb on -either side. There was a rare softness and refinement -in the pale face that drooped over her sewing. Seen as -Tom Hammond saw her then, Mrs. Joyce was a really -beautiful woman.</p> - -<p>He gazed for a few moments at the picture, amazed -at the rapidity of her sewing movements.</p> - -<p>“The tragedy of Tom Hood’s ‘Song of the Shirt,’” -he muttered, as he watched the gleam of the flying -needle.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Oh, men with sisters dear!</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Oh, men with mothers and wives!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">It is not linen you’re wearing out,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">But human creatures’ lives!</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Stitch, stitch, stitch,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In poverty, hunger, and dirt,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Sewing at once, with a double thread,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">A shroud as well as a shirt.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Under the magnetic constraint of his fixed gaze the -woman looked towards the door. She recognized her -visitor, and with a little glad cry started to her feet. -Tom Hammond pushed the door open and entered the -room. She sprang to meet him.</p> - -<p>Now that he saw her, he realized the expression -of her face had changed. Heaven—all the heaven -of God’s indwelling pardon, love, peace, had come to -dwell with her. All that she had said in her letter of -her new-found joy, was fully confirmed by her looks.</p> - -<p>“How good of you to come to see me, Mr. Hammond!” -she cried, as she felt the clasp of his hand.</p> - -<p>“How good of you to write me of your new-found -happiness!” He smiled back into her glad, eager eyes.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77"></a>[77]</span></p> - -<p>He took the chair she offered, and with a question -or two sought to lead her on to talk of the subject about -which he had come to see her.</p> - -<p>“The very title of the subject,” Hammond explained, -“is perfectly foreign to me.”</p> - -<p>“It was all so, <i>so</i> foreign to me,” she returned. Then, -as swift tears flooded her eyes, she turned to him with -a little rapturous cry, saying,—</p> - -<p>“And it would all have been foreign to me for ever, -but for <i>you</i>, Mr. Hammond. I never, <i>never</i> can forget -that but for you my soul would have been in a suicide’s -hell, where hope and mercy could never have reached -me. As long as I shall live I shall never forget the -awful rush of soul-accusation that swept over me, when -my body touched the foul waters of that muddy river -that night. The chill and shock of the waters I did <i>not</i> -feel, but the chill of eternal condemnation for my madness -and sin I did feel.</p> - -<p>“I saw all my life as in a flash. All the gracious -warnings and pleadings that ever, in my hearing, fell -from my sainted father’s lips, as he besought men and -women to be reconciled to God, seemed to swoop down -upon me, condemning me for my unbelief and sin. Then—then -you came to my rescue—and——”</p> - -<p>Her tears were dropping thick and fast now.</p> - -<p>“And—my soul—had respite given in which to—to—seek -God—because—you saved my body.”</p> - -<p>Overcome with her emotion, she turned her head to -wipe away the grateful tears. When next she faced -him, her voice was low and tender, her eyes glowed with -a light that Tom Hammond had never seen in a human -face before.</p> - -<p>“Now, if my Lord come,” she said softly, rapturously,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78"></a>[78]</span> -“whether at morning, at noontide, at midnight, -or cock-crowing, I shall be ready to meet Him in the air.</p> - -<p>“I used to think that if ever I was converted, I should -meet my dear father and mother at the last day, at the -great final end of all things.</p> - -<p>“But now I know that if Jesus came for His people -to-day, that I should meet my dear ones to-day. For -when ‘the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven ... -the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are -alive and remain shall be caught up together with them -in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall -we ever be with the Lord.’”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond gazed at the speaker in wonder. The -glory that filled her face, the triumph and rapture that -rang in her voice, were a strange revelation to him.</p> - -<p>“A starvation wage for making slop-shirts,” he mused, -“yet more than triumphing over every discomfort of -poverty by the force of the divine hope that dominates -her! What is this hope?”</p> - -<p>“Tell me of this wondrous thing, Mrs. Joyce,” he -said, aloud, “that can transmute your poverty and suffering -to triumph and rapture, and your comfortless -garret to a heaven on earth.”</p> - -<p>“Before I begin,” she replied, “tell me, Mr. Hammond, -have ever you seen this?”</p> - -<p>From the window-shelf she reached a tiny envelope -booklet.</p> - -<p>“‘Long Odds’!” he said, reading the boldly-printed -title of the book. “No; I have never seen this. It -sounds sporting, rather.”</p> - -<p>“Take it, Mr. Hammond,” she went on; “if it does -nothing else, it will awaken your interest in this wonderful -subject.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79"></a>[79]</span></p> - -<p>He slipped the book into his breast-pocket. She -opened her mouth to speak again, when a sound from -outside caught her ear. She started to her feet; her -face turned deadly pale. The next instant the door -was flung noisily open, and her husband entered the -room.</p> - -<p>The blear-eyed, drunken scoundrel glared at the two -seated figures, then laughed evilly as he cried,—</p> - -<p>“Turned religious? Oho! oho! Like all the rest of -your religious people, make a mantle—a regular down-to-your-feet -ulster—of your religion to cover every -blackness and filthiness of life.”</p> - -<p>“Silence, you foul-mouthed blackguard!”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond’s lips were white with the indignation -that filled him, as he flung his command to the -man.</p> - -<p>“Silence yourself, Tom Hammond!” bellowed the -drunken scoundrel. “I know you,” he went on. “You’re -a big bug now! Think no end of yourself, and of -your messing paper. Perhaps you’ll say you came to -invite me to join your staff, now that I’ve caught you -here?”</p> - -<p>His sneering tone changed to one of bitterest hate, as -he turned to the white, trembling woman.</p> - -<p>“You’re a beauty, ain’t you? Profess to turn saint; -then, when you think I’m clear away, you receive visits -from fine gentlemen! Gentlemen? bah! they’re——”</p> - -<p>“Silence, you drunken, foul-mouthed beast!” again -interrupted Tom Hammond.</p> - -<p>There was something amazing in the command that -rang in the indignant tones of his voice.</p> - -<p>“Unless,” he went on, “you want to find yourself in -the grip of the law.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80"></a>[80]</span></p> - -<p>For a moment or two Joyce was utterly cowed! then -the devil in him reared its head again, and he hissed,</p> - -<p>“You clear out of here, and remember this; if I -have to keep sober for a year to do it, I’ll ruin you, -Tom Hammond, I will!”</p> - -<p>He laughed with an almost demoniacal glee, as he -went on:</p> - -<p>“I can write a par yet, you know. I’ll dip my pen in -the acid of hate—hate, the hate of devils, my beauty—and -then get Fletcher to put them into his paper. He’s -not in love with the ‘Courier,’ or with Tom Hammond, -the Editor.”</p> - -<p>“You scurrilous wretch!” It was all that Hammond -deigned to reply.</p> - -<p>“Good day, Mrs. Joyce!” he bowed to the white-faced -woman.</p> - -<p>For her sake he did not offer to shake hands, but -moved away down the stairs.</p> - -<p>He caught a hansom a few moments after leaving the -mean street. He had purposed, when he started out -that morning, to hunt up his other correspondent, the -Jew, Abraham Cohen. But after the scene he had just -witnessed, he felt quite unwilling to interview a stranger.</p> - -<p>“I wish,” he mused, as he sat back in the hansom, “I -had not gone near that poor soul. I am afraid my visit -may make it awkward for her.”</p> - -<p>His eyes darkened as he added: “And even for -myself. It will be very awkward if that drunken brute -puts his threat into execution—and he <i>will</i>, I believe. -Innuendo is a glass stiletto, which, driven into the victim’s -character, into his heart and then snapped off from the -hilt, leaves no clue to the striker of the blow. And a -demon like that Joyce, playing into the hands of a cur<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81"></a>[81]</span> -like Fletcher, may slay a fellow by a printed innuendo, -and yet the pair may easily keep outside the reach of -the law of libel.”</p> - -<p>For the first time since the floating of the “Courier,” -his spirits became clouded.</p> - -<p>“Then, too,” he muttered, “there is this sudden -breakdown of Marsden, and, for the life of me, I don’t -know where to look for a fellow, whom I could secure -at short notice, who is at all fit for the ‘Courier’s’ -<i>second</i>.”</p> - -<p>His face had grown moody. His eyes were full of an -unwonted depression.</p> - -<p>“If only,” he went on, “Bastin had been in England, -and were to be got——” He sighed. There was perplexity -in the sigh.</p> - -<p>“Where on earth can Ralph be all these years?” he -muttered.</p> - -<p>He glanced out of the cab to ascertain his own whereabouts. -In two minutes more he would be at the office.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82"></a>[82]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.<br /> -<span class="smaller">IN THE NICK OF TIME.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">As</span> Tom Hammond’s cab drew up at the office, -another hansom drew up a yard ahead of his. -The occupant alighted at the same instant as did Hammond, -and glanced in his direction. Both men leaped forward, -their hands were clasped in a grip that told of a -very warm friendship. Like simultaneous pistol shots -there leaped from their separate lips,—</p> - -<p>“Tom Hammond!”</p> - -<p>“Ralph Bastin?”</p> - -<p>The friends presently passed into the great building, -arm linked in arm, laughing and talking like holiday -school-boys.</p> - -<p>“Not three minutes ago, as I drove along in my cab, -I was saying, ‘Oh! if only I could lay my hand on -Ralph!”</p> - -<p>They were seated by this time in Tom Hammond’s -room.</p> - -<p>“Why? What did you want, Tom—anything special?” -the bronzed, travelled Bastin asked.</p> - -<p>“Rather, Ralph! My second, poor Frank Marsden, -has broken down suddenly; it’s serious, may even prove -fatal, the doctors say. Anyway, he won’t be fit (if he -recovers at all) for a year or more.”</p> - -<p>He leaned eagerly towards his friend as he spoke, -and asked,</p> - -<p>“Are you open to lay hold of the post?”</p> - -<p>“Yes.”</p> - -<p>“When?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83"></a>[83]</span></p> - -<p>“To-morrow, if you like!”</p> - -<p>“Good!”</p> - -<p>Hammond stretched his hand out. Bastin grasped it. -Then they talked over terms, duties, etc.</p> - -<p>“But you, man?” said Hammond, when the last bit -of shop had been talked. “Where have you been? What -have you been doing?”</p> - -<p>“Busy for an hour, Tom?” Bastin asked, by way of -reply.</p> - -<p>“No!”</p> - -<p>“Come round to my diggings, then; not far—Bloomsbury. -We can talk as we go. I shall have time to give -you a skeleton of my adventures, to be filled in later. -Then, when we get to my hang-out, I can tell you, -when you have seen <i>her</i>, the story of my chief adventure, -for it concerns her.”</p> - -<p>Hammond flashed a quick, wondering glance at his -friend.</p> - -<p>“<i>Her!</i>” he said; “are you married, then?”</p> - -<p>“No,” laughed Bastin, “but I’ve adopted a child. But -come on, man!”</p> - -<p>The pair left the office. In the cab, talking very -rapidly, Bastin gave the skeleton sketch of his wanderings, -but saying no word of the promised great adventure.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond never forgot the first sight of his -friend’s adopted child. There was a low grate in the -room, a blazing fire of leaping, flaming coals in the -grate. Curled up in a deep saddle-bag armchair was the -loveliest girl-child Hammond had ever seen.</p> - -<p>She must have been half asleep, or in a deep reverie, -but as the two men advanced into the room she sprang -from the chair, and, with eyes gleaming with delight, -bounded to meet Bastin. Wreathing her arms about<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84"></a>[84]</span> -his neck, she crooned softly over him some tongue of -her own.</p> - -<p>She was loveliness incarnated. Her eyes, black as -sloes, were big, round, and wide in their staring wonder -at Hammond’s appearance. Her hair was a mass of -short curls. She was dark of skin as some Spanish -beauty.</p> - -<p>Her costume lent extra charm to her appearance; for -she wore a long, Grecian-like robe of some light, diaphanous -ivory-cream fabric, engirdled at the waist with -a belt composed of some sort of glistening peacock-green -shells, buckled with frosted silver. The simple but -exquisite garment had only short shoulder-sleeves, and -was cut low round the throat and neck, and finished there—as -were the edges of the shoulder-sleeves—with a two-inch -wide band of sheeny silk of the same colour as the -shells of her belt. The opening at the neck of the robe -was fastened with a brooch of frosted silver of the same -pattern, only smaller, as the buckle of the belt.</p> - -<p>From beneath the silk-bound hem of her robe there -peeped bronze slippers, encasing the daintiest little crimsoned-stockinged -feet ever used for pedalling this rough -old earth’s crust.</p> - -<p>Bastin introduced the child. She gave Tom her hand, -and lifted her wondrous eyes to his, answering his question -as to her health in the prettiest of broken English -he had ever heard.</p> - -<p>A moment or two later the three friends were seated—Tom -and Bastin in armchairs opposite each other, the -child (Viola, Bastin had christened her) on a low stool -between Bastin’s knees.</p> - -<p>“Shall we use the old lingo—French?” Bastin asked<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85"></a>[85]</span> -the question in the Bohemian Parisian they had been -wont to use together years before.</p> - -<p>“As you please, Ralph,” Hammond replied.</p> - -<p>“I have told you hurriedly something of where I have -been,” Bastin began. “But I have reserved my <i>great</i> -story until I could tell it to you here——” He glanced -down at the child at his feet. “I heard,” he went on, -“when at La Caribe—as everyone hears who stays long -in the place—that each year, in spite of the laws of -the whites, who are in power, a child is sacrificed to -the Carib deities, and I longed to know if it were true.</p> - -<p>“During my first few week’s sojourn on the little -island of Utilla, I was able to render one of the old -priests a service, which somehow became so exaggerated -in his eyes that there was almost literally nothing -that he would not do for me, and eventually he yielded -to my entreaties to give me a chance to see for myself -the yearly sacrifice, which was due in a month’s time.</p> - -<p>“During that month of waiting I made many sketches -of this wonderful neighbourhood, and became acquainted -with this little Carib maiden, painting her in three or -four different ways. The child became intensely attached -to me, and I to her, and we were always together in the -daytime.</p> - -<p>“As the time drew near for the sacrifice I noticed -that the little one grew very elated, and there was a -new flash in her eyes, a kind of rapturous pride. I -asked her no question as to this change, putting it down -as girlish pride in being painted by the ‘white prince,’ -as she insisted on calling me.</p> - -<p>“I need not trouble you, my dear fellow, with unnecessary -details of how and where the old priest led me -on the eventful night, which was a black as Erebus,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86"></a>[86]</span> -but come to the point where the real interest begins.</p> - -<p>“It was midnight when at last I had been smuggled -into that mysterious cave, which, if only a tithe of what -is reported be half true, has been damned by some -of the awfullest deeds ever perpetrated. My priest-guide -had made me swear, before starting, that whatever -I saw I would make no sign, utter no sound, telling me -that if I did, and we were discovered, we should both -be murdered there and then.</p> - -<p>“We had hardly hidden ourselves before the whole -centre of the cave became illuminated with a mauve-coloured -flame that burned up from a flat brass brazier, -and seemed like the coloured fires used in pantomime -effects on the English stage. By this wonderful light -I saw a hundred and fifty or more Carib men and -women file silently into the cave, and take up their positions -in orderly rows all round the place. When they -had all mustered, a sharp note was struck upon the -carimba, a curious one-stringed instrument, and the -circles of silent savages dropped into squatting position -on their heels. Then the weirdest of all weird music -began, the instruments being a drum, a flute, and the -carimba.</p> - -<p>“But my whole attention became absorbed by the -grouping in the centre of the room—the fire-dish had -been shifted to one side, and I saw a hideous statue, -squatted on a rudely-constructed, massive table, the -carved hands gripping a bowl that rested on the stone -knees of the image. The head of the hideous god was -encircled with a very curious band, that looked, from -where I stood, like bead and grass and feather work. -The face—cheeks and forehead—was scored with black, -green and red paint, the symbolic colours of that wondrous<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87"></a>[87]</span> -race that once filled all Central America.</p> - -<p>“In the back part of the wide, saucer-like edge of -the bowl which rested on the knees of the statue, there -burned a light-blue flame, and whether it was from -this fire, or from the larger one that burned in the wide, -shallow brazier on the floor, I cannot positively say, -but a lovely fragrance was diffused from one or the -other.</p> - -<p>“Before this strange altar stood three very old priests, -while seven women (sukias,) as grizzled as the men, -stood at stated intervals about the altar. One of these -hideous hags had a dove in her hand; another held a -young kid clasped between her strong brown feet; a -third held the sacrificial knife, a murderous-looking thing, -made of volcano glass, short in blade, and with a peculiar -jagged kind of edge; another of these hags grasped a -snake by the neck—a blood-curdling-looking tamagas, a -snake as deadly as a rattle-snake.</p> - -<p>“Opposite the centre-man of the three old priests stood -a girl-child, about ten years of age, and perfectly nude. -During the first few moments the vapourous kind of -smoke that was wafted by a draught somewhere, from -the fire-pan on the floor of the cave, hid the child’s features, -though I could see how beautiful of form she -was; then, as the smoke-wreath presently climbed straight -up, I was startled to see that the child was my little -friend.</p> - -<p>“In my amaze I had almost given vent to some exclamation, -but my old priest-guide was watching me, and -checked me.</p> - -<p>“My little one’s beautiful head was wreathed with -jasmine, and a garland of purple madre-de-cacoa blossoms -hung about her lovely shoulders.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88"></a>[88]</span></p> - -<p>“Suddenly, like the barely-audible notes of the opening -music of some orchestral number, the voice of one -of the priests began to chant; in turn the two other priests -took up the strain; then each of the seven hags in their -turn, and anon each in the first circle of squatting worshippers, -followed by each woman in the second row: -and in this order the chant proceeded, until, weird and -low, every voice was engaged.</p> - -<p>“Suddenly the combined voices ceased, and one -woman’s voice alone rose upon the stillness; and following -the sound of the voice, I saw that it was the -mother of my little native child-friend. I had not noticed -her before—she had been squatting out of sight. Hers -was not the chant of the others, but a strange, mournful -wail. It lasted about a minute and a-half; then, rising -to her feet, she gently thrust the child forward towards -the altar, then laid herself face down on the floor of -the cave.</p> - -<p>“The little one leaned against the edge of the altar, -and taking up, with a tiny pair of bright metal tongs, -a little fire out of the back edge of the bowl on the -knees of the god, she lighted another fire on the front -edge of the bowl, her suddenly-illuminated face filled -with a glowing pride.</p> - -<p>“Then, at a signal from the head priest, the child lifted -her two hands, extended them across the altar, when -they were each seized by the two other priests, and the -beautiful little body was drawn slowly, gently over, -until the smooth breast almost touched the sacrificial fire -she had herself lighted.</p> - -<p>“Then I saw the woman who had held the knife suddenly -yield it up to the head priest, and I made an -unconscious movement to spring forward.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89"></a>[89]</span></p> - -<p>“My guide held me, and whispered his warning in my -ear: yet, even though I must be murdered myself, I -felt I dared not see that sweet young life taken.</p> - -<p>“Like a man suffering with nightmare, who wants -to move, but cannot, I stood transfixed, fascinated, one -instant longer. But in that flashing instant the head -priest had swept, with lightning speed, the edge of that -hideous knife twice across the little one’s breast, and she -stood smiling upwards like one hypnotized.</p> - -<p>“The priest caught a few drops of the child’s blood, -and shook them into the bowl of the god; then I saw -the little one fall into her mother’s arms; there was a -second sudden flashing of that hideous knife, a piteous, -screaming cry, and I gave vent to a yell—but not <i>voice</i> -to it,—for the watching guide at my side clapped one -hand tightly over my mouth, while with the other he -held me from flying out into the ring of devils, whispering -in my ear as he held me back,</p> - -<p>“‘It is the goat that is slain, not the child.’</p> - -<p>“Another glance, and I saw that this was so; one -flash of that obsidian sacrificial blade across the throat -of the kid had been enough, and now the blood was -being drained into the bowl of the god.</p> - -<p>“I need not detail all the other hideous ceremonies; -they lasted for nearly two hours longer, ending with a -mad frenzied dance, in which all joined save the priests -and the mother and child.</p> - -<p>“Every dancer, man and woman, flung off every rag -of clothing, and whirled and leaped and gyrated in their -perfect nudity, until, utterly exhausted, one after another -they sank upon the floor.</p> - -<p>“Then slowly they gathered themselves up, reclothed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90"></a>[90]</span> -themselves, and left the cave. And now some large -pine torches were lighted, and my guide drew me further -back, that the increased glare might not reveal our presence, -and I saw the curious ending to this weird night’s -work. The priests and their seven women sukias opened -a pit in the floor of the cave by shifting a great slab of -stone, and lowered the idol into the pit. The remains -of the kid, the sacrificial knife, and the dove were dropped -into the bowl of blood that rested on the knees of the -idol; then the sukia that had held the tamagas snake during -the whole of those hideous night hours, dropped the -writhing thing into the bowl, and the slab was lowered -quickly over the pit, every seam around the slab being -carefully filled, and the whole thing hidden by sprinkling -loose dust and the ashes from the fire over the spot.</p> - -<p>“Then, as soon as the last of the performers had -cleared the cave, I followed my guide, and with a throbbing -head, and full of a sense of strange sickness, I went -to the house where I was staying.</p> - -<p>“I lay down upon my bed, but could not sleep; and as -early as I dared I went round to my little Martarae’s -home—Martarae was her native name. Her mother met -me, said that the child would not come out in the sun -to-day, that I might see her for a moment if I pleased, -but that she was not very well.</p> - -<p>“Sweet little soul! I found her lying on her little -bed, with a proud light in her eyes, and a very flushed -face.</p> - -<p>“A fortnight later the light flesh wounds were healed. -She showed me her breast, confided to me the story, and -asked me if I did not think she had much to be proud -of.</p> - -<p>“‘Will you keep a secret?’ I asked her. She gave me<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91"></a>[91]</span> -her promise, and I told her how I had seen the whole -thing, and all my fears for her.</p> - -<p>“A week later she was orphaned. Her mother was -stung by a deadly scorpion, and died in an hour, and I -made the child my care.</p> - -<p>“She has travelled everywhere with me ever since, -and you see how fair and sweet she is, and how beautifully -she speaks our English. She is barely twelve, -is naturally gifted, and is the very light of my life.”</p> - -<p>“Would she let me see her breast, Ralph, do you -think?” Hammond asked.</p> - -<p>Bastin smiled, and spoke a word to the child, and she, -rising to her feet and smiling back at him, unfastened -the broach at her throat, and, laying back her breast-covering, -showed the gleaming, shiny scars. Then as -she re-covered her chest, she said softly:</p> - -<p>“Ralph has taught me that those gods were evil; -but though I shall ever wear this cross in the flesh of my -breast, I shall ever love the Christ who died on the -world’s great cross at Calvary.”</p> - -<p>“It is a most marvellous story, Ralph,” he said tearing -his eyes away from the child’s clear, searching gaze.</p> - -<p>“The more marvellous because absolutely true,” -returned Bastin.</p> - -<p>Then, addressing Viola, and relapsing, of course, into -English for her sake, he explained who Tom Hammond -was, and that he (Ralph) was going to be associated -with him on the same great newspaper.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Hammond and you, Viola, must be real good -friends,” he added.</p> - -<p>“Sure, daddy!” the girl said smilingly; “I like him much -already——”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92"></a>[92]</span></p> - -<p>She lifted herself slightly until she rested on her knees, -and stretching one hand across the hearthrug to Tom -Hammond, she laid the other in her guardian’s, as she -went on:</p> - -<p>“Mr. Hammond is good! I know, I know, for his -eyes shine true.”</p> - -<p>A ripple of merry laughter escaped her, as she gazed -back into her guardian’s face, and added:</p> - -<p>“But you, daddy, are always first.”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93"></a>[93]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“LONG ODDS.”</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">For</span> a wonder, Tom Hammond could not sleep. -Usually, when the last thing had been done, and he -was assured that everything was in perfect train for -the morning’s issue, he ate a small basin of boiled milk -and bread, which he invariably took by way of a “night-cap,” -then went to bed, and slept like a tired ploughman. -But to-night slumber would have none of him.</p> - -<p>“It must be the various excitements of the day,” he -muttered. “That story of Ralph’s Caribbean child was -enough to keep a fellow’s brain working for a week. -Then there was meeting Ralph so unexpectedly, just, too, -when I so lusted for his presence and help. Then there -was that Joyce item——”</p> - -<p>His mind trailed off to the scene of the morning, -every item of it starting up in a new and vivid light. -Suddenly he recalled the booklet Mrs. Joyce had given -him.</p> - -<p>“I can’t sleep,” he murmured; “I’ll find that thing -and read it.”</p> - -<p>His fingers sought the electric switch. The next -moment the room was full of light. He got out of bed, -passed quickly through to his dressing-room, found the -coat that he had worn that morning, and secured the -booklet.</p> - -<p>He went back again to bed, and, lying on his elbow, -opened the dainty little printed thing and began to read -thus:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94"></a>[94]</span></p> - -<p class="center"> -“LONG ODDS”<br /> -</p> - -<p>“You don’t say so! Where on earth has she gone?”</p> - -<p>“I can’t say, sir, but it’s plain enough she <i>is</i> missing. -Hasn’t been seen since last night when she went up to -her room.”</p> - -<p>I <i>was</i> put out, I own; my man on waking me had -informed me that the cook was missing; she had gone -to bed without anything being noticed amiss, and was -now nowhere to be found. She was always an odd -woman, but a capital cook. What had become of her? -The very last sort of person to disappear in this way—a -respectable elderly Scotchwoman—really quite a treasure -in the country; and the more I thought of it while I -dressed, the more puzzled I became. I hardly liked to -send for the police; and then again it was awkward, -very—people coming to dinner that day. It was really -too bad.</p> - -<p>But I had scarcely finished dressing when in rushed -my man again. I do so dislike people being excited, and -he was more than excited.</p> - -<p>“Please, sir, Mr. Vend has come round to see you; -his coachman has gone—went off in the night, and -hasn’t left a trace behind, and they say the gardener’s -boy is with him.”</p> - -<p>“Well,” said I, “it is extraordinary; tell Mr. Vend -I’m coming; stay, I’ll go at once.”</p> - -<p>It was really past belief—the three of them! After -an hour’s talk with Vend, no explanation offered itself, -so we decided to go to town as usual.</p> - -<p>We walked down to the station, and saw at once something -was wrong. Old Weeks, the stationmaster, was -quite upset: his pointsman was missing, and the one -porter had to take up his duty. However, the train<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95"></a>[95]</span> -coming up, we had no time to question him, but jumped -in. There were three other people in the compartment, -and really I thought I was going off my head when I -heard what they were discussing. Vend, too, didn’t -seem to know if he was on his head or his heels. It was -this that startled us so: “What can have become of -them all?”</p> - -<p>I heard no more. I really believe I swooned, but at -the next station—a large one—we saw consternation on -every face. I pinched myself to see if I was dreaming. -I tried to persuade myself I was. Vend looked ghastly. -A passenger got in; he did not look quite so dazed as -some did, but savage and cross. For a time none spoke; -at last someone said aloud—I don’t think he expected -an answer—</p> - -<p>“What on earth’s become of them?” and the cross looking -man, who got in last, growled out,</p> - -<p>“That’s the worst of it; they are not <i>on earth</i>, they -are gone. My boy always said it would be so; from -the very first moment I heard it, I knew what had happened; -often he has warned me. I still have his voice -ringing in my ears.</p> - -<p>“‘I tell you, in <i>that night</i> there shall be two men in -one bed: the one shall be taken, and the other shall be -left.’ (Luke xvii. 34.)</p> - -<p>“I know only too well ‘<i>that night</i>’ was <i>last</i> night. -I’ve often prayed for it without thinking, and so I daresay -have you: ‘Thy kingdom come.’ It makes me so -savage I don’t know what to do.”</p> - -<p>Now, I was an atheist, and did not believe the Bible. -For the last thirty years (I am past fifty) I had stuck -to my opinions, and when I heard men talk religious -trash I invariably objected.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96"></a>[96]</span></p> - -<p>But this seemed altogether different. I tell you, for -a thousand pounds I couldn’t have said a word. I just -hoped it would all turn out a dream, but the further we -went, the more certain it became that we were all awake, -and that by some unaccountable visitation of Providence -a number of people had suddenly disappeared in the night.</p> - -<p>The whole of society was unhinged; everybody had -to do somebody’s else’s work. For instance, at the -terminus, a porter had been put into Smith’s stall, as the -usual man was missing. Cabs were not scarce, but some -of those who drove them seemed unlicensed and new -to their work. The shutters in some of the shops were -up, and on getting to my bank I heard the keys had -only just been found.</p> - -<p>Everyone was silent, and afraid lest some great misfortune -was coming. I noticed we all seemed to mistrust -one another, and yet as each fresh clerk, turned up late, -entered the counting-room, a low whisper went round. -The chief cashier, as I expected, did not come. The -newspapers no one cared to look at; there seemed a -tacit opinion that <i>they</i> could tell us nothing.</p> - -<p>Business was at a standstill. I saw that very soon. -I hoped as the day wore on that it would revive, but -it did not. The clerks went off without asking my -permission, and I was left alone. I felt I hated them. -I did not know what to do. I could not well leave, -else they might say the bank had stopped payment, and -yet I felt I could not stay there. Business seemed to -have lost its interest, and money its value. I put up the -shutters myself, and at once noticed what a change had -come over the City while I had been at the bank. <i>Then</i> -all were trying to fill the void places; <i>now</i> it seemed -as if the attempt had failed.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97"></a>[97]</span></p> - -<p>In the City some of the streets had that dismal Sunday -appearance, while a few houses had been broken into; -but in the main thoroughfares there was a dense mass -of people, hurrying, it struck me, they knew not where. -Some seemed dazed, others almost mad with terror. At -the stations confusion reigned, and I heard there had -been some terrible accidents. I went into my club, but -the waiters had gone off without leave, and one had to -help oneself.</p> - -<p>As evening came on, I saw the lurid reflection of -several fires, but, horrible to say, no one seemed to -mind, and I felt myself that if the whole of London -were burnt, and I with it, I should not care. For the -first time in my life I no longer feared Death: I rather -looked on him as a friend.</p> - -<p>As the gas was not lit, and darkness came down -upon us, one heard cries and groans. I tried to light -the gas, but it was not turned on. I remembered there -was a taper in the writing-room. I went and lit it, but -of course it did not last long. I groped my way into -the dining-room, and helped myself to some wine, but I -could not find much, and what I took seemed to have -no effect; and when I heard voices, they fell on me -as if I were in a dream. They were talking of the -Bible, though, and it now seemed the one book worth -thinking of, yet in our vast club library I doubt if I should -have found a single copy.</p> - -<p>One said: “What haunts me are the words ‘Watch -therefore.’ You can’t <i>watch</i> now.”</p> - -<p>I thought of my dinner party. Little had I imagined -a week ago, when I issued the invitations, how I should -be passing the hour.</p> - -<p>Suddenly I remembered the secretary had been a religious<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98"></a>[98]</span> -fanatic, and I made my way slowly to his room, -knocking over a table, in my passage, with glasses on -it. It fell with a crash which sounded through the -house, but no one noticed it. By the aid of a match I -saw candles on his writing table and lit them. Yes! as -I thought, there was his Bible. It was open as if he -had been reading it when called away, and another book -I had never seen before lay alongside of it—a sort of -index.</p> - -<p>The Bible was open at Proverbs, and these verses, -being marked, caught my eye:</p> - -<p>“Because I have called and ye refused, I have stretched -out My hand and no man regarded; I also will laugh at -your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh.”</p> - -<p>I had never thought before of God laughing—of God -mocking. I had fancied man alone did that. Man’s -laughing had ended now—I saw that pretty plain.</p> - -<p>I had a hazy recollection of a verse that spoke of men -wanting the rocks to fall on them; so looked it up in the -index. Yes, there was the word “Rock,” and some of -the passages were marked with a pencil. One was Deut. -xxxii. 15: “He forsook God which made him, and lightly -esteemed the Rock of our Salvation.”</p> - -<p>Perhaps he marked that passage after he had had a -talk with me. How well I remember the earnestness -with which he pressed salvation upon me that day—explaining -the simplicity of trusting Christ and His -blood for pardon—and assuring me that if I only -yielded myself to the Lord I should understand the -peace and joy he talked about. But it was no use. I -remember I only chaffed him, and said mockingly that -his God was a myth, and time would prove it, and he -answered,</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99"></a>[99]</span></p> - -<p>“Never. ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but -My Word shall not pass away.’ He may come to-night.”</p> - -<p>I laughed and said, “What odds will you take? I lay -you long ones.”</p> - -<p>Another passage marked was 1 Samuel ii. 2, “Neither -is there any rock like our God,” and lower still “Man -who built his house upon a rock.”</p> - -<p>I had no need to look that out. I knew what it referred -to, and then my eye caught Matt. xxvii. 51, “The earth -did quake, and the rocks rent.” That was when Christ -died to save sinners, died to save me—and yet I had -striven against Him all my life. I could not bear to -read more. I shut the book and got up. There were -some texts hanging over the fireplace:</p> - -<p>“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins -may be blotted out.”—Acts iii. 19.</p> - -<p>“The blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanseth us from -all sin.”—1 John i. 7.</p> - -<p>“Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of -salvation.”—2 Cor. vi. 2.</p> - -<p>As I turned to leave the room these caught my eye, -and I said, “Well, I have been a fool.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond looked up from the little booklet,—a -look of bewilderment was in his eyes, a sense of blankness, -almost of stupefaction, in his mind. Like one who, -half stunned, passes through some strange and wondrous -experience, and slowly recalls every item of that experience -as fuller consciousness returns, he went, mentally, -slowly over the story of the little book.</p> - -<p>“The verisimilitude of the whole story is little less -than startling,” he murmured. His eyes dropped upon -the book again, and he read the last line aloud: “Well, -I have been a fool.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100"></a>[100]</span></p> - -<p>Slowly, meditatively, he added: “And I, with every -other otherwise sane man who has been careless as to -whether such things are to be, am as big a fool as the -man in that book!”</p> - -<p>He laid the dainty little messenger down on the table -by his bedside. His handling of the book was almost -reverential. Reaching to the electric lever, he switched -off the light. He wanted to think, and he could think -best in the dark.</p> - -<p>“Of course, I know <i>historically</i>,” he mused, “all the -events of the Christ’s life, His death, His resurrection, -and—and——Well, <i>there</i>, I think, my knowledge ends. -In a vague way I have always known that the Bible said -something of a great final denouement to all the World -Drama—an award time of some kind, a millennium of -perfect—perfect—well perfect everything that is peaceful -and——Oh, I don’t know much about it, after all. I -am very much in a fog, I see, for Mrs. Joyce and that -booklet both speak of a return of Christ into the air, -whither certain dead and certain living are to be caught -up to be with Him and to begin an eternity of bliss.”</p> - -<p>For a moment or two he tried to disentangle his many -thoughts; then, with a weary little sigh, he gave up the -task, murmuring: “<i>I</i> certainly am not ready for any -such event. If there is to be a hideous leaving behind -of the <i>un</i>ready, then I should be left to all that unknown -hideousness.”</p> - -<p>A myriad thoughts crowded upon his brain. He gave -up, at length, the perplexing attempt to think out the -problem, telling himself that with the coming of the new -day he would begin a definite search for the real facts -of this great mystery—the second coming of Christ.</p> - -<p>By an exercise of his will he finally settled himself -to sleep.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101"></a>[101]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">“Will</span> you come into my workroom, Mr. Hammond? -It is a kind of sanctum to me as well -as a workroom, and I always feel that I can talk freer -there than anywhere else.”</p> - -<p>It was the Jew, Abraham Cohen, who said these -words. His visitor was Tom Hammond. It was the -morning after that Tom Hammond had been troubled -about “Long Odds” and its mysterious subject.</p> - -<p>Jew and Gentile had had a few moments’ general -talk in the sitting-room downstairs, but Cohen wanted -to see his visitor alone—to be where nothing should -interrupt their conversation.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond’s first vision of Cohen’s workroom -amazed him. As we have seen before, the apartment -was a large one, and, besides being a workroom, partook -of the character of a study, den, sanctum—anything of -that order that best pleases the reader.</p> - -<p>But it was the finished work which chiefly arrested -the attention of Tom Hammond, and in wondering tones -he cried: “It is all so exquisitely wrought and fashioned! -But <i>what</i> can it be for?”</p> - -<p>Cohen searched his visitor’s face with his deep grave -eyes.</p> - -<p>“Will you give me your word, Mr. Hammond,” he -asked, “that you will hold in strictest confidence the -fact that this work is here in this place, if I tell you -what it is for?”</p> - -<p>“I do give you my word of honour, Mr. Cohen.” As<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102"></a>[102]</span> -he spoke, Tom Hammond held forth his hand. The Jew -grasped the hand, there was an exchange of grips; then, -as their clasp parted, the Jew said:</p> - -<p>“I do not wish to bind you to any secrecy as to the -fact that such work as this is being performed in England, -but only that you should preserve the secret of -the whereabouts of the work and workers.” With a -sudden glow of pride—it flashed in his eyes, it rang in -his tones—he cried, “This work is for the New Temple!”</p> - -<p>“The New Temple? I don’t think I quite understand -you, Mr. Cohen. Where is this temple being built?” -There was amaze in Tom Hammond’s voice.</p> - -<p>“It is not yet begun,” replied the Jew. “That is, the -actual rearing has not yet begun, though the preparations -are well forward. The New Temple is to be at -Jerusalem, Mr. Hammond.”</p> - -<p>The ring of pride deepened in his voice as he went -on: “There can be no other site for the Temple of -Jehovah save Zion, the city of our God, beautiful for -situation, the joy of the whole earth—the centre of the -world, Mr. Hammond.”</p> - -<p>As he talked, Tom Hammond, watching him intently, -saw how the soul of the man and the hope of the true -Israelite shone out of his eyes.</p> - -<p>Crossing the room to where a chart of the world -(on Mercator’s Projection) hung on the wall, the Jew -took an inch-marked straight-edge, and laying one end -of it on Barrow Point, Alaska, he marked the spot on the -straight-edge where it touched Jerusalem. From Jerusalem -to Wrangel Land, Siberia, farthest east, he showed -by his straight-edge that practically he got the same -measurement as when from the west. From Jerusalem -to North Cape, Scandinavia, and from Jerusalem to the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103"></a>[103]</span> -Cape of Good Hope, he showed again was each practically -the same distance.</p> - -<p>“Always, always, is Zion the centre of the inhabited -earth!” he cried in quiet, excited tones. Moving quickly -back to Hammond’s side, he said: “Did you ever think -of this, sir, that, practically speaking, all the nations -west of Jerusalem (those of Europe) write from west -to east—that is, towards the city of our God; whilst all -the Asiatic races (those east of Zion) write from east -to west—just the opposite,—but always <i>towards</i> Zion? -No, no, sir; there can be no other place on earth for the -New Temple of Jehovah save Jerusalem. Read Ezekiel, -from the fortieth chapter, sir, and you will see how -glorious a Temple Jehovah is to have soon. ‘Show the -house to the people of Israel,’ God said in vision to His -prophet, ‘and let them build it after the sum, the pattern -which I show you.’ And that, sir, is what we are -doing.”</p> - -<p>“Who are the <i>we</i> who are doing this?” Tom Hammond’s -face was as full of wonder as his voice. “Who,” -he continued, “makes the plans, gives the orders, finds -the funds?”</p> - -<p>“Wealthy, patriotic men of our people, sir. We as a -race are learning that soon the Messiah will come, and -we are proving our belief by preparing for the House -of our God. Italian Jews all over Italy are carving the -richest marbles; wrought iron, wondrous works in metal, -gold and silver ornaments, cornices, chapiters, bells for -the high priest’s robes, and a myriad other things are -being prepared; so that the moment the last restriction -on our land—the land of our fathers, the land which -Jehovah gave unto our forefather Abraham, saying, -‘Your seed shall possess it’—is removed, we shall begin<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104"></a>[104]</span> -to ship the several prepared parts of the Temple to -Palestine, as the Gentiles term our land.”</p> - -<p>A curious little smile flittered over his face as he -added,</p> - -<p>“The very march of modern times in the East, Mr. -Hammond, is all helping to make the consummation of -our work more easy. The new railways laid from the -coast to Jerusalem are surely part of the providence of -our God. When Messiah comes, sir, we shall be waiting -ready for Him, I trust.”</p> - -<p>“But do you not know,” Tom Hammond interrupted, -“that according to every record of history as well as -the New Testament, all Christendom has believed, for -all the ages since, that the Messiah came nearly two -thousand years ago?”</p> - -<p>“The <i>Nazarene</i>?”</p> - -<p>There was as much or more of pity than scorn in -the voice of the Jew as he uttered the word.</p> - -<p>“How could <i>He</i> be the Messiah, sir?” he went on. -“Could any good thing come out of Nazareth? Besides, -<i>our Messiah</i> is to redeem Israel, to deliver them from -the hand of the oppressor, and to gather again into one -nation all our scattered race. No, no! a thousand times -No! The Nazarene could not be <i>our</i> Messiah!”</p> - -<p>Turning quickly to Hammond, he asked, “Are <i>you</i> a -Christian, sir?”</p> - -<p>For a moment Tom Hammond was startled by the -suddenness, the definiteness, of the question. He found -no immediate word of reply.</p> - -<p>“You are a <i>Gentile</i>, of course, Mr. Hammond,” the -Jew went on; “but are you a Christian? For it is a -curious fact that I find very few Gentiles whom I have<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105"></a>[105]</span> -met, even <i>professed</i> Christians, and fewer still who ever -pretend to live up to their profession.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond recovered himself sufficiently to say:</p> - -<p>“Yes, I am a Gentile, of course, and I <i>suppose</i> I am—er——”</p> - -<p>It struck him, as he floundered in the second half -of his reply, as being very extraordinary that he should -find it difficult to state why he supposed he was a -Christian. While he hesitated the Jew went on:</p> - -<p>“Why should you say you <i>suppose</i>, sir? Is there nothing -distinctive enough about the possession of Christianity -to give assurance of it to its possessor? I do not <i>suppose</i> -I am a <i>Jew</i>, sir (by religion I mean, and not merely -by race.) No, sir, I do not suppose, for I <i>know</i> it. There -is all the difference in the world, it seems to me, sir, -between the mere theology and the religion of the faith -we profess. The religion is life, it seems to me, sir; -theology is only the science of that life.”</p> - -<p>Both men were so utterly absorbed in their talk that -they did not hear a touch on the handle of the door. -It was only as it opened that they turned round. Zillah -stood framed in the doorway. Cohen, who saw her -every day, realized that she had never looked so radiantly -beautiful before. She had almost burst into the room, -but paused as she saw that a stranger was present.</p> - -<p>“Excuse me,” she began; “I had no idea you had a -friend with you, Abraham.”</p> - -<p>She would have retreated, but he stopped her with an -eager—</p> - -<p>“Come in, Zillah.”</p> - -<p>She advanced, gazing in curious inquiry at Hammond.</p> - -<p>“This is Mr. Tom Hammond, editor of the ‘Courier,’<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106"></a>[106]</span> -Zillah,” Cohen explained to the young girl. To Hammond -he added, “My wife’s sister, Zillah Robart.”</p> - -<p>The introduced pair shook hands. The young Jew -went on to explain to Zillah how the great editor came -to be visiting him.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond’s eyes were fixed upon the vision of -loveliness that the Jewess made. She was going to -assist at the wedding of a girl-friend, and had come to -show herself to her brother-in-law before starting. -Lovely at the most ordinary times, she looked perfectly -radiant in her well-chosen wedding finery.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond had seen female loveliness in many -lands—East, North, West, South. He had gazed upon -women who seemed too lovely for earth—women whose -flesh was alabaster, whose glance would woo emperors; -women whose skins glowed with the olive of southern -lands, the glance of whose black, lustrous eyes intoxicated -the beholder in the first instant: Inez of Spain, Mousmee -of Japan, Katrina of Russia, Carlotta of Naples, Rosie -of Paris, Maggie of the Scottish Highlands, Patty of -Wales, Kate of Ireland, and a score of other typical -beauties. But this Jewish maiden, this Zillah of Finsbury—she -was beyond all his thought or knowledge of -feminine loveliness.</p> - -<p>While Cohen talked on for a moment or two, and -Zillah’s eyes were fixed upon her brother-in-law, Tom -Hammond’s gaze was riveted upon the lovely girl.</p> - -<p>Every feature of her beautiful face became photographed -on his brain. Had he been a clever artist, he -could have gone to his studio and have flung with burning, -brilliant haste her face upon his canvas.</p> - -<p>He thought of Zenobia as he looked upon her brow. -He wondered if ever two such wide, black, lustrous<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107"></a>[107]</span> -eyes had ever shone in the face of a woman before, or -whether a female soul had ever before been mirrored in -such eyes.</p> - -<p>Her mouth was not the large, wide feature so often -seen in women of her race, but of exquisite lines, with -ripe, full lips, as brilliant in colour as the most glowing -coral. Her eyes were fringed with the blackest, finest, -silkiest lashes. Her hair was raven in hue and wondrous -in its wealth.</p> - -<p>He realized, in that first moment of full gazing upon -her, how faded every other female face must ever -seem beside her glorious beauty. With a strange freak -of mental conjuring, Madge Finisterre and that interrupted -tete-a-tete rose up before him, and a sudden sense -of relief swept over him that George Carlyon had -returned at the moment that he did.</p> - -<p>“It is all so strange, so wonderful to me, what I -have seen and heard here,” he jerked out as Cohen -finished his explanation.</p> - -<p>Hammond spoke to the beautiful girl, whose great -lustrous eyes had suddenly come back to his face.</p> - -<p>For a moment or two longer he voiced his admiration -of the separate pieces of finished work, and spoke -of his own growing interest in the Jewish race.</p> - -<p>The great black eyes that gazed upwards into his, -grew liquid with the evident emotion that filled the soul -of the beautiful girl. With the frank, hearty, simple -gesture of the perfectly unconventional woman, she -held forth her hand to Hammond as she said:</p> - -<p>“It is so good of you, sir, to speak thus of my brother-in-law’s -work and of our race. There are few who -speak kindly of us. Even though, as a nation, you English -give our poor persecuted people sanctuary, yet there<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108"></a>[108]</span> -are few who care for us or speak kindly of us, and fewer -still who speak kindly to us.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond held the pretty, plump little hand that -she offered him clasped warmly in his, almost forgetting -himself as he gazed down into her expressive face and -listened to her rich musical voice. There was an ardency -in his gaze that was unknown, unrealized, by himself.</p> - -<p>The olive of the girl’s cheeks warmed under the power -of his gaze. He saw the warm colour rise, and remembered -himself, shifted his eyes, and released her hand.</p> - -<p>“I must not stay another moment, Abraham,” she -cried, turning to the Jew. “Adah would be vexed if I -were late.”</p> - -<p>She turned back to Hammond, but before she could -speak he was saying,</p> - -<p>“Good-bye, Miss Robart; I hope we may meet again. -What your brother has already told me only incites me -to come again and see him, for there are many things -I want to know.”</p> - -<p>He shook hands with the girl again. His eyes met -hers, and again he saw the olive cheeks suddenly warm.</p> - -<p>Ten minutes later he was driving back to his office, -his mind in a strange whirl, the beautiful face of Zillah -Robart filling all his vision.</p> - -<p>He pulled himself up at last, and laughed low and -amusedly as he murmured,</p> - -<p>“And I am the man whose pulses had never been -quickened by the sight or the touch of a woman until -I met her——”</p> - -<p>The memory of Madge Finisterre flashed into his -mind. He smiled to himself as he mused:</p> - -<p>“Even when I seemed most smitten by Madge, by her -piquant Americanism, I told myself I was not sure that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109"></a>[109]</span> -love had anything to do with my feelings. Now I -know it had not.”</p> - -<p>His eyes filled suddenly with a kind of staring wonder -as he cried out, in a low, startled undertone:</p> - -<p>“Am I inferring to myself that this sudden admiration -for Zillah Robart has any element of love in it?”</p> - -<p>He smiled at his own unuttered answer. The cab -pulled up at the door of the office at that moment. He -came back sharply to everyday things.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110"></a>[110]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">A DEMON.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Madge Finisterre</span> awoke early on the morning -after that discussion with herself anent Hammond’s -possible proposal.</p> - -<p>With startling suddenness, as she lay still a moment, -a vision of the pastor of Balhang came up before her -mind. Then a strange thing happened to her, for a -yearning sense of home-sickness suddenly filled her.</p> - -<p>She tried to laugh at herself for her “childishness,” as -she called it, and sprang from her bed to prepare for -her bath. Standing for one instant by the bedside, she -murmured:</p> - -<p>“But, after all, it is time I was paddling across again. -Who ever heard of anyone from our side staying here -through the winter? I must think this all out seriously. -Anyway, I’ll get my bath, and dress, and go for a stroll -before breakfast. They say that one ought to see suburban -London pouring over the bridges into London city -in the early morning. I’ll go this morning.”</p> - -<p>Half-an-hour later she was dressed ready for her -expedition. As she passed the office on her way out, -they were sorting the morning mail. She waited for -her letters. There was only one, but it was from home.</p> - -<p>Racing back to her room, she tore it open with an -eagerness born, unconsciously to herself, of the nostalgia -that had seized upon her three-quarters of an hour before.</p> - -<p>There were two large, closely-written sheets in the -letter—one from her father and one from her mother. -Each told their own news.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111"></a>[111]</span></p> - -<p>She read her father’s first; every item interested her, -though as she read she seemed to feel that there was -all through it an underlying strain of longing for her -return.</p> - -<p>“Dear old poppa!” she murmured as she neared the -finish of the epistle.</p> - -<p>Suddenly her eyes took in the two lines of postscript -jammed close into the bottom edge of the first sheet. -Her heart seemed to stand still as she read:—</p> - -<p>“Pastor is considered sick. Doctor can’t make his -case out.”</p> - -<p>“Pastor sick!” She gasped the words aloud; then, -turning swiftly to her mother’s letter, she cried: -“Momma will tell more than this!”</p> - -<p>Her eyes raced over the written lines. Her mother -said a little more than her father had done about the -sickness of their friend and pastor; not much, though, -in actual words, but to the disturbed heart of the young -girl there seemed to her much deeper meaning.</p> - -<p>An excited trembling came upon her for a few -moments. The next instant she had put a strong curb -upon herself, and, folding the letters, and replacing them -in the envelope, she cried out quietly, but sharply:</p> - -<p>“The boat from Southampton sails at two to-day. I’ll -catch that!”</p> - -<p>The next instant she was divesting herself of her -hat and jacket, and began to set about her packing.</p> - -<p>Now and again she talked to herself thus: “Sick, -is he? Poor old pastor! I guess I know what’s the -matter with him, and I’ll put him right in five minutes.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112"></a>[112]</span></p> - -<p>She smiled as she went on: “I guess, too, I’ve found -out what’s the matter with me—I want to be a pastor’s -wife!”</p> - -<p>The next instant her voice was carolling out:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“For I tell them they need not come wooing of me,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For my heart, my heart, is over the sea.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Her fingers were busy, her mind all the time kept -mentally arranging a host of things.</p> - -<p>“I wonder,” she murmured presently, “how Uncle -Archibald and George will take my sudden departure? -Well, I’m glad George is out of town. He’s been showing -signs of spoons lately with me, so it’s best, perhaps, -that I should get off without seeing him.”</p> - -<p class="tb">By eleven that forenoon she had left Waterloo. Her -uncle had seen her off from the station. He wanted to -accompany her to Southampton, but she would not hear -of it.</p> - -<p>“I want to be very quiet all the way down,” she said, -“and write some important letters. Make my excuses -to everybody, and explain that I only had an hour or -two to do everything.”</p> - -<p>At the last moment her uncle slipped an envelope into -her hand, saying, “You are not to open it until you have -been travelling a quarter of an hour.”</p> - -<p>Then came the good-byes, and—off.</p> - -<p>She had been travelling <i>nearly</i> a quarter of an hour -when she opened the envelope. There was a brief, -hearty, loving note inside, in her uncle’s hand-writing, -expressing the joy her visit had given him, and his sense -of loneliness at her going, and saying:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113"></a>[113]</span></p> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>“Please, dear Madge, accept the enclosure in second -envelope, as a souvenir of your visit, from your affectionate</p> - -<p class="right"> -“<span class="smcap">Nunkums</span>.”<br /> -</p> -</div> - -<p>She opened the smaller envelope. To her breathless -amazement, she found a Bank of England note for -£1,000. When she recovered herself a little, a smile -filled her eyes as she murmured:</p> - -<p>“Fancy an American Methodist pastor’s wife with a -thousand pounds of her own! My!”</p> - -<p>The train was rushing on; she remembered that she -had a special letter to write. She opened her bag and -took out writing materials. The carriage rocked tremendously, -but she managed to pen her letter. Before -she finally enclosed the letter in an envelope, she took -from her purse a two-inch cutting from the columns of -some newspaper or magazine. This she placed in the -letter.</p> - -<p class="tb">Tom Hammond had just settled himself down to -work when a letter, bearing the Southampton post-mark, -was delivered to him. Opening it, and reading “My -dear Mr. Hammond,” he turned next to the signature. -“Madge Finisterre?” he cried softly, surprisedly, under -his breath. Wonderingly he turned back to the first -page, and read:</p> - -<p>“You will be surprised to know that when you receive -this I shall be steaming down Channel <i>en route</i> for -New York. I got letters from home this morning that -made it imperative that I should start at once.</p> - -<p>“I cannot leave without thanking you for all your -kindness to me. It has been a pleasure to have known<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114"></a>[114]</span> -you, and I sincerely hope that we may meet again -some day.</p> - -<p>“Now I am going to take you right into my confidence, -Mr. Hammond, for who so discreet as a ‘prophet?’—vide -‘The Courier.’</p> - -<p>“Yesterday evening, after dinner, I had a long talk -alone with myself. I had had a very pleasant tete-a-tete -tea with a friend—perhaps you may remember this,—and -while I went over in mind many things in connection -with that tete-a-tete, especially the events immediately -preceding the interruption, I suddenly realized a -sense of longing for home.</p> - -<p>“A night or two before I sailed from America, our -pastor asked me to be his wife. He was awfully in -earnest, poor fellow; and I could see how love for me—gay, -frivolous little me—was consuming him. I was -startled at the proposition, and told him frankly that -I did not know my own mind, but that if ever I found -out that I loved him, I would come right away and tell -him so. I found out this morning, when I heard that -he was dangerously sick, that I wanted him as much -as ever he wanted me. At this stage of the letter, please -read the cutting enclosed.”</p> - -<p>Wondering what the clipping could have to do with -the subject, Tom Hammond laid down the letter and -read the cutting:</p> - -<p>“A king had a son born to him in his old age, and -was warned by his astrologers and physicians, that his -son would be blind if he ever saw the light before he -was twelve years old. Accordingly the king built for -him a subterranean chamber, where he was kept till he -was past the fatal age. Thereupon he was taken out -from his retreat, and shown all the beauties of the world,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115"></a>[115]</span> -gold and jewels and arms, and carriages and horses, and -beautiful dresses. But seeing some women pass, he -asked what they might be, and was told, ‘Demons, who -lead men astray.’ Afterwards the king asked him which -of all the beautiful things he had seen he desired most, -and the prince answered, ‘The demons which lead men -astray.’</p> - -<p>“I am going back to be demon to my pastor,” the -letter went on, “to lead him—not astray, I trust, but -back to health. Please keep all this in absolute confidence, -for I have not given even a hint of it to my uncle. -Whenever you visit the States, be sure to come and visit -me, for no one will be more welcome from the Old Country -than yourself.</p> - -<p>“By-the-bye, dear friend, apropos of your remark -anent the presence of a woman to make tea for you, -keep the subject well before yourself, and when you -see the lady who can really satisfy all your ideals, propose -quickly, secure her, and—happy thought—do America -by way of a honey-moon, and come and see me.</p> - -<p class="center"> -“Yours most sincerely,<br /> -</p> - -<p class="right"> -“<span class="smcap">Madge Finisterre</span>.”<br /> -</p> - -<p>He smiled as he laid down the letter. For a moment -all the bright, piquant personality of the writer filled -his vision. Then, with a swiftness and completeness that -was almost startling, her face vanished from his mental -picturing, and Zillah Robart, in all her radiant loveliness, -took the place in his thought and vision.</p> - -<p>For a brief while he was absorbed in his new vision. -The sudden entrance of Ralph Bastin dispelled his -dreaming.</p> - -<p>After a few moments’ talk, Bastin cried, quite excitedly,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116"></a>[116]</span> -“I say, Tom, those pars of yours about the Jews -are the talk of all London—our London, I mean, of -course.”</p> - -<p>Without breaking the confidence reposed in him by -Cohen, Tom Hammond told his friend what he had -recently discovered as to the Jewish work on the materials -for the New Temple.</p> - -<p>“That’s strange, Tom,” returned Bastin. “I dropped -in now as much as anything to tell you that last night -I met Dolly Anstruther—you remember her, don’t you?—the -little Yorkshire girl that was learning sculpture -when we were staying at Paris with Montmarte.</p> - -<p>“She has just come back from Italy, where she has -been three years. She told me how startled she was -to hear from several sources about this New Temple -business. She said she visited a very large studio in -Milan, and saw the most magnificent pillar she had -ever seen. She asked the great artist what it was for, -and he said, ‘It is a pillar for the New Temple at -Jerusalem.’</p> - -<p>“In Rome she visited another great studio, and there -she saw a duplicate of the Milan pillar, and was told -again, ‘Oh, that is a pillar for the future Temple at -Jerusalem.’</p> - -<p>“In another place, where the most wonderful brass-work -in the world is turned out, she saw two magnificent -gates; and, on inquiring where they were destined -to be hung, received the same reply, ‘In the future -Temple at Jerusalem.’ What does it all mean, Tom?” -he added.</p> - -<p>“That is what I want to find out, to be perfectly -sure of, Ralph. My intelligent Jew, of whom I told -you, declares that the Messiah is coming. We, as<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117"></a>[117]</span> -Christians—nominal Christians, I mean, of course,—same as -you and I, Ralph, don’t profess anything more——”</p> - -<p>Bastin searched his friend’s face with a sudden keenness, -but did not interrupt him by asking him what he -meant.</p> - -<p>“As nominal Christians,” Tom Hammond went on, -“we believe the Christ has already come. But the question -has been aroused in my mind of late (suggested by -certain things that I have not time to go into now), -does the Bible teach that Christ is coming again, and are -all these strange movings among the Jews and in the -politics of the world so many signs and——”</p> - -<p>There came an interruption at that moment. The tape -was telling of the assassination of a Continental crowned -head. Both men became journalists, pure and simple, in -an instant.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118"></a>[118]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">MAJOR H—— ON “THE COMING!”</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Tom Hammond</span> was riding westwards in the -Tube. It was the morning after the events narrated -in the last chapter. He had just bought from a -book-stall a volume of extracts from essays on art in -all its branches. He sat back in the comfortable seat of -the car dipping into the book. Suddenly an extract -arrested his attention.</p> - -<p>It was evidently a description of the Crucifixion, but—most -tantalizing—the head of this page was torn, he -could find out nothing about the authorship. But the -extract interested him:—</p> - -<p>“Darkness—sooty, portentous darkness—shrouds the -whole scene; only above the accursed wood, as if through -a horrid rift in the murky ceiling, a rainy deluge—‘sleety-flaw, -discoloured water’—streams down amain, spreading -a grisly, spectral light, even more horrible than -that palpable night. Already the Earth pants thick -and fast! The darkened Cross trembles! The winds -are dropt—the air is stagnant—a muttering rumble -growls underneath their feet, and some of the miserable -crowd begin to fly down the hill. The horses sniff the -coming terror, and become unmanageable through fear. -The moment rapidly approaches, when, nearly torn -asunder by His own weight, fainting with loss of blood, -which now runs in narrower rivulets from His slit veins, -His temples and breast drowned in sweat, and His black<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119"></a>[119]</span> -tongue parched with the fiery death-fever, Jesus cried, -‘I thirst.’ The deadly vinegar is elevated to Him.</p> - -<p>“His head sinks, and the sacred corpse ‘swings senseless -on the cross.’ A sheet of vermilion flame shoots -sheer through the air and vanishes; the rocks of Carmel -and Lebanon cleave asunder; the sea rolls on high from -the sands its black, weltering waves. Earth yawns, and -the graves give up their dwellers. The dead and the -living are mingled together in unnatural conjunction, and -hurry through the Holy City.</p> - -<p>“New prodigies await them there. The veil of the -Temple—the unpierceable veil—is rent asunder from top -to bottom, and that dreaded recess, containing the -Hebrew mysteries—the fatal ark, with the tables and -seven-branched candelabrum—is disclosed by the light of -unearthly flames to the God-deserted multitude.”</p> - -<p>“Strange!” he mused, as his eyes stared into space, his -mind occupied with the thought of the extract. “Strange -how everything of late seems to be compelling my attention -to the Christ—Christ past, Christ future.”</p> - -<p>At that instant he heard someone mention the name -of his paper. He glanced in the direction of the voices. -Two gentlemen were talking together. It was evident -that his own identity was utterly unknown to them.</p> - -<p>“You’re right, you’re right,” the second man was saying. -“A very clever fellow, evidently, that editor of the -<i>Courier</i>.”</p> - -<p>“You have noticed, of course,” the first man went on, -“those striking paragraphs, of late, about the Jews. -Though, to a keen student of the subject, they show -a very superficial knowledge; still, it is refreshing to -find a modern newspaper editor writing like that at all.”</p> - -<p>“Yes,” the other said, “but it is strange how few<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120"></a>[120]</span> -people, even Christian people, ever realize how intimately -the future of the Jewish race is bound up with -that other shamefully neglected truth—the coming of -the Lord for His Church. I wish the editor of the -<i>Courier</i>, and every other newspaper editor, could be -induced to go this afternoon and hear Major H—— -speak on these things at the —— Room.”</p> - -<p>“British Museum!” called the conductor of the car. -The two talkers got out. Tom Hammond also alighted. -As he mounted in the lift to the street, he decided that -he would hear this major on the subject that was occupying -his own perplexed thought so much.</p> - -<p>Three o’clock that afternoon found him one of a congregation -of three to four hundred persons in the —— -Room. He was amazed at the quality of the audience. -He recognized quite a dozen well-known London clergymen -and ministers, with a score of other equally well-known -laymen—literary men, merchants, etc. All were -of a superior class. There was a large sprinkling of -ladies, who, in many cases, were evidently sisters. Unaccustomed -to such meetings, Tom Hammond did not -know how enormous is the number of Christian women -who are to be found at special religious gatherings, -conventions, etc.</p> - -<p>There was a subdued hum of whispering voices in -the place. The hum suddenly ceased. Tom Hammond -glanced quickly towards the platform. Half-a-dozen -gentlemen and one or two ladies were taking their seats -there. They bowed their heads in silent prayer.</p> - -<p>A minute later a tall, fine looking man, the centre -one of the platform group, rose to his feet and advanced -to the rail. He held a hymn-book in his hand. His -keen eyes swept the faces of the gathered people. Then<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121"></a>[121]</span> -in a clear, ringing voice like the voice of a military officer -on the battle-field, he cried:</p> - -<p>“Number three-twenty-four. Let every voice ring out -in song.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond opened the linen-covered book that -had been handed to him as he entered, and was almost -startled to note the likeness of the sentiment of the -hymn to the poem of B. M., which had struck him -so forcibly that night in his office.</p> - -<p>The major gave out the first verse:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“It may be at morn, when the day is awaking,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When sunlight thro’ darkness and shadow is breaking,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">That Jesus will come in the fulness of glory,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">To take out of the world ‘His own.’”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>The major paused a moment to interpolate, “Let the -gladness of the thought ring out in your voices as you -sing, but especially in the chorus.”</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“O Lord Jesus, how long?</div> - <div class="verse indent0">How long ere we shout the glad song</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Christ returneth! Hallelujah!</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Hallelujah! Amen!”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>The singing of that hymn was a revelation to Tom -Hammond. He had heard hearty, ringing, triumphant -song at Handel festivals, etc., but among the rank and -file, so to speak, of Christians he had never heard anything -like the singing of that verse and chorus.</p> - -<p>A hundred thoughts and conflicting emotions filled -him as he realized, as the hymn went on, that these -people were really inspired by the glorious hope of the -return of the Christ. Once he shuddered as the thought -presented itself to his mind,</p> - -<p>“How should <i>I</i> fare if this Christ came suddenly—came -now?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122"></a>[122]</span></p> - -<p>Twice over the last verse was sung, the quiet rapture -of the singers being doubly accentuated as the glorious -words rang out:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Oh, joy! oh, delight! should we go without dying!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">No sickness, no sadness, no dread, and no crying;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">When Jesus receives ‘His own.’”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>With the last-sung note the voice of the Major rang -out again:</p> - -<p>“General Sir R. P.—— will lead us in prayer.”</p> - -<p>The hush that followed was of the tensest. It lasted -a full half-minute, then the old general’s voice led in -a prayer such as Tom Hammond had never even conceived -possible to human lips, and such as, certainly, he -had never heard before. It awed him, and at the same -time revealed to him that real Christianity was something -which he, with all his knowledge of men and -things, had never before come in contact with.</p> - -<p>The prayer concluded, not a moment was wasted. -In his clear, ringing tones, the major began:</p> - -<p>“Turn with me, if you will, dear friends, to the first -chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, and the eleventh -verse.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond wished that he had a Bible with him. -It seemed to him that he was the only person there -without one. In an instant every Bible was opened at -the passage named. There was no searching, no fumbling. -This was another revelation to him.</p> - -<p>“They know their Bibles,” he mused, “better than I -do my dictionary or encyclopædia.”</p> - -<p>But his attention was suddenly riveted on the major, -who, pocket Bible in hand, was saying;</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123"></a>[123]</span></p> - -<p>“Suffer me, friends, to change one word in my reading, -that the truth may come home clearer to our hearts. -‘Ye men of London, ... This same Jesus which is taken -up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner -as ye have seen Him go into heaven.’”</p> - -<p>He paused for one instant, then went on: “The second -coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is, I -believe, the central truth of real, true Christianity at -this moment, and it should be carefully, diligently studied -by every converted soul. It should be comprehended -as far as Scripture reveals it, and so apprehended that -we should live in daily, hourly expectancy of that return. -Moody, the great evangelist, to whom the whole subject -(as he tells us) was once most objectionable, upon -studying the Word of God for himself, in this connection, -was so profoundly impressed with the insistence with -which the return of the Lord was emphasized, that he -was compelled to believe in it, and to preach it, saying, -‘It is almost the most precious truth of all the Bible. -Why, one verse in thirteen throughout the New Testament -is said to allude to this wondrous subject in some -form or another.’</p> - -<p>“Many of you who are present this afternoon are not -only conversant with this glorious matter, but are living -in the glad expectancy of the return of your Lord. But -there are sure to be some here to-day to whom the -whole subject is foreign, and to you—even if there be -only one such—I shall speak as plainly, frankly, simply, -yearningly, as though we were tete-a-tete.”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124"></a>[124]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE ADDRESS.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">“Now</span> to begin. Even in the Church of God there -are whole multitudes to whom the very title of -this afternoon’s address is but jargon. They will not -search the Word for it, they will barely tolerate its -mention. Why? ‘Oh,’ say some, ‘hidden things are not -to be searched into.’ Others there are who spiritualize -every reference to the Lord’s second coming, and say, -‘Yes, of course, He has come again, He has come into -my heart, or how else could I have become a child -of God.’</p> - -<p>“To these last, these dreamers, we would respectfully -say, ‘A coming into the air for His people, to take them -up, is a totally different thing to coming into the heart -to indwell as Saviour and Keeper while we are travelling -life’s pathway.’</p> - -<p>“There is another section of the Christian Church -who say, ‘We do not want to hear anything about it. -Our minister don’t hold with it; it is not a doctrine of -our church.’ Now, such an argument as this is blasphemous, -since, if God has put it into His Word, it is blasphemy -to ignore it, to refuse to believe it.</p> - -<p>“Two distinct advents are plainly taught in Scripture. -The first, of Jesus’ birth as a Babe in Bethlehem, -the second as ‘Son of Man’—glorified, who shall come -in the clouds. Now, every Christian will admit, nay, -more, the very worldling admits the fact that every -Scripture relating to the first advent, as to time, place, -circumstances, was literally fulfilled, even to the minutest<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125"></a>[125]</span> -detail. Then, in the name of common-sense, with the -same covenant Scriptures in our hands, why should we -not expect to see the predictions relating to the second -advent also fulfilled to the very letter?</p> - -<p>“We have our Lord’s own definite promise in John -fourteen: ‘If I go, I will come again and receive you -unto Myself.’ We are all agreed that He went. Well, -in the same breath He said, ‘I will come again.’ Can -any English be plainer—‘And receive you unto Myself?’ -That promise cannot allude to conversion, and it certainly -cannot allude to death, for death is a going to Him—if -we are saved.</p> - -<p>“This expectancy of Christ’s return for His people -was the only hope of the early Church; and over and -over again, in a variety of ways in the epistles it is -shown to be the only hope of the Church, until that -Church is taken out of the world, as a bride is taken by -the bridegroom from her old home, to dwell henceforth -in his. There never has been any comfort to bereaved -ones in the thought of death, nor to any one of us who -are living is there any comfort in the contemplation of -death, save and except, of course, the thought of relief -from weariness and suffering, and in being translated to -a painless sphere, to be with Christ. But in the contemplation -of the coming of Christ, when the dead in -Christ shall rise, and those who are in Christ, who are -still living when He comes, there is the certainty of the -gladdest meeting when all are ‘caught up together in -the air, to be for ever with the Lord.’ No waiting until -the end of the world but, if He came this afternoon—and -this may happen—you who have loved ones with -Christ would that very instant meet them in the air, -with your Lord.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126"></a>[126]</span></p> - -<p>Tom Hammond listened intently to every word of the -major’s, and, as Scripture after Scripture was referred -to, he saw how the speaker’s statements were all verified -by the Word of God.</p> - -<p>“There are two points I would emphasize here,” the -major went on. “First, that we must not confuse the -second coming of the Lord—the coming in the air—for -His saints, with that later coming, probably seven -years after, when He shall come with His saints to reign.</p> - -<p>“And, secondly, to those to whom this whole subject -may be new, I would say, you must not confuse the -second coming of our Lord with the end of the world. -The uninstructed, inexperienced child of God feels a -quaking of heart at all talk of such a coming.</p> - -<p>“Such people shrink from the suddenness of it. They -say that there is no preparatory sign to warn us of that -coming. But that is not true.</p> - -<p>“The Word of God gives many instructions as to -the signs of Christ’s near return, and the hour we live -in shows us these signs on every hand, so that it is only -those who are ignorant of the Word of God, or those -who are carelessly or wilfully blind to the signs around -(and this applies, we grieve to say, as much to ministers -as to people,) who fail to see how near must be the -moment of our Lord’s return.</p> - -<p>“The first sign of this return is an awakening of -national life among the Jews, that shall immediately -precede their return—in unbelief—to their own land. -Please turn with me to Matthew twenty-four.”</p> - -<p>There was again that soft rustle of turning leaves -that had struck Tom Hammond as so remarkable. -Someone behind him, at the same instant, passed a Bible, -open at the reference, to him over his shoulder. With a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127"></a>[127]</span> -grateful glance and a murmured word of thanks, he -accepted the loan of the book.</p> - -<p>“I will read a verse or two here and there,” the major -announced. “You who know your Bibles, friends, will -readily recall the subject-matter of the previous chapter, -and how our Lord after His terrible prediction upon -Jerusalem, added, ‘Behold, your house is left unto you -desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see Me -henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is He that cometh -in the name of the Lord.’</p> - -<p>“This is Jewish, of course, but the whole matter of -the future of the Jews and of the return of the Lord -for His Church, and, later on, with His Church, are -bound up together. Presently, after uttering His last -prediction, the disciples came to Him privately, saying,</p> - -<p>“‘Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall -be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the -world?”</p> - -<p>“Keep your Bibles open where you now have them, -friends, and note this—that the two-fold answer of -our Lord’s is in the reverse order to the disciples’ question. -In verses four and five He points out what should -not be the sign of His coming. While, in verse six, He -shows what should not be the sign of the end of the -world. With these distinctions I shall have more to say -another day.</p> - -<p>“This afternoon I want to keep close to the signs -of the coming of the Lord. Read then the thirty-second -and third verses: ‘Now learn a parable of the fig-tree: -when its branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, -ye know that summer is nigh: so likewise ye, when ye -shall see all these things, know that’—look in the margins -of your Bible, please, and note that the ‘it’ of the text<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128"></a>[128]</span> -becomes ‘He,’ which is certainly the only wise translation—‘when -ye shall see all these things, know that He -is near, even at your doors.’</p> - -<p>“Now, I hardly need remind the bulk of you, friends, -gathered here this afternoon, that the fig-tree, in the -Gospels, represents Israel. The Bible uses three trees -to represent Israel at different periods of her history, -and in different aspects of her responsibility.</p> - -<p>“The Old Testament uses the vine as the symbol of -Israel, the Gospels the fig, and the Epistles the olive. -At your leisure, friends, if you have never studied this, -do so. You will not be puzzled much over the blasting -of the barren fig-tree when you have made a study of -the whole of this subject, because you will see that it -was parabolic of God’s judgment on the unfruitful Jewish -race.</p> - -<p>“Now, with this key of interpretation before us, how -pointed becomes this first sign of the return of our Lord. -‘When,’ He says, ‘the fig-tree putteth forth her leaves’—when -the Jewish nation shows signs of a revival of -national life and vitality,—‘then know that the coming of -the Lord draweth nigh.’</p> - -<p>“The careful reader of the daily press, even though -not a Christian, ought to have long ago been awakened -to the startling fact that, after thousands of years, the -national life of Israel is awakening. The Jew is returning -to his own land—Palestine.</p> - -<p>“Only a year or two ago the world was electrified by -hearing of the formation of that wonderful Zionist -movement. How it has spread and grown! And how, -ever since, the increasing thousands have been flocking -back to Palestine! There are now nearly three times the -number of Jews in and around Jerusalem, that there<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129"></a>[129]</span> -were after the return from the Babylonish captivity. -Agricultural settlements are extending all over the land. -Vineyards and olive-grounds are springing up everywhere.</p> - -<p>“Now note a remarkable fulfillment of prophecy. Turn -to Isaiah xvii. 10, 11: ‘Therefore shalt thou plant pleasant -plants, and shalt set it with strange slips. In the -day thou shalt make thy plant to grow, and in the morning -shalt thou make thy seed to flourish; but the harvest -shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate -sorrow.’</p> - -<p>“In the early months of eighteen-ninety-four the Jews -ordered two million vine-slips from America, which they -planted in Palestine. There is the fulfillment of the first -part of that prophecy, and if we are justified in believing, -as we think we are, that the return of the Lord is -imminent, then, as the tribulation will doubtless immediately -follow that return, and of the taking out of the -Church from the world, then the great gathering in of -the harvest of those vines will be in ‘the day of grief and -of desperate sorrow.’</p> - -<p>“Now, let me read to you, friends, an extract from -the testimony of an expert, long resident in Palestine:</p> - -<p>“‘There is not the shadow of a doubt,’ he writes, -‘as to the entire changing of the climate of the land -here (Palestine). The former and latter rains are becoming -the regular order of the seasons, and this is doubtless -due (physically, I mean) to the fact that the new -colonists are planting trees everywhere where they settle. -The land, for thousands of years, has been denuded of -trees, so that there was nothing to attract the clouds, etc.</p> - -<p>“‘Comparing the rainfall for the last five years, I -find that there has been about as much rain in April as<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130"></a>[130]</span> -in March; whereas, comparing five earlier years, from -1880-85, I find that the rainfall in April was considerably -less than in March, and if we go back farther still, -we find that rain in April was almost unknown.</p> - -<p>“‘Thus God is preparing the land for the people. The -people, too, are being prepared for the land. The day -is fast approaching when ‘the Lord will arise and have -mercy upon Zion.’</p> - -<p>“I need hardly, I think, tell you what even the secular -press has been giving some most striking articles about -quite recently,—namely, the quiet preparation on the -part of the Jews of everything for the rebuilding of the -temple at Jerusalem.</p> - -<p>“I see, by the lighting up of your faces, that you -are familiar with the fact that gates, pillars, marbles, -ornaments, and all else requisite for the immediate building -of the new temple are practically complete, and only -await the evacuation of the hideous Mohamedan, with all -his abominations, from Jerusalem, to be hurried to the -site of the old temple, and to be reared, a new temple -to Jehovah, by the Jew. Any day, Turkey—‘the sick -man of the East’—in desperate straits for money, may -sell Palestine to the Jews.</p> - -<p>“The Jews are to return to their land in unbelief of -Christ being the Messiah. They will build their temple, -reorganize the old elaborate services, the lamb will be -slain again ‘between the two evenings,’ and—but all else -of this time belongs to another address. What we have -to see this afternoon is that the fig-tree—the Jewish -nation—is budding, and to hear Jesus Christ saying to -us, ‘When ye see all these things, know that He is near, -even at the doors.’</p> - -<p>“Another sign of the return of our Lord is to be the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131"></a>[131]</span> -world-wide preaching of the Gospel. Now, in this connection, -let me give a word of correction of a common -error on this point.</p> - -<p>“The Bible nowhere gives a hint that the world is to -be converted before the return of the Lord for His -Church. As a matter of fact, the world—the times—are -to grow worse and worse; more polished, more cultured, -cleverer, better educated, yet grosser in soul, falser in -worship. The bulk of the Church shall have the form -of godliness, but deny the power.</p> - -<p>“Men shall be ‘lovers of their own selves’—who can -deny that selfishness is not a crowning sin of this age?—‘covetous’—look -at the heaping up of riches, at the -cost of the peace, the honour, the very blood of others,—‘incontinent’—the -increase in our divorce court cases -is alarming, disgusting,—‘lovers of pleasure’—the whole -nation has run mad on pleasures.</p> - -<p>“I need not enlarge further on this side of the subject, -save to repeat that the Word of God is most plain -and emphatic on this point, that the return of our Lord -is to be marked by a fearful declension from vital godliness. -But, with all this, there is to be a world-wide -proclamation of the truth of salvation in Jesus. Not -necessarily that every individual soul shall hear it, but -that all nations, etc., shall have it preached to them.</p> - -<p>“Now, in this connection, let me mention a fact that -has deeply impressed me. It is this, that the greatest -reawakening in the hearts of individual Christians in all -the churches—England, America, the Colonies—as testified -to by all concerned, agrees, in time, with the awakening -of the Church of Christ to the special need of intercession -for foreign missions—namely, from 1873-75.</p> - -<p>“I must close for this afternoon, lest I weary you.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132"></a>[132]</span> -We will, God willing, come together again here on -Tuesday at the same hour, and I pray you all to be -much in prayer for blessing on the attempt to open up -these wondrous truths, and pray also that the right -kind of people may be gathered in. Will you all work -for this, as well as pray for it? Invite people to the -meetings.</p> - -<p>“Do either of you know any editors of a daily paper? -If so, write to such, draw attention to these expositions, -urge your editors to come. Oh, if only we could -capture the daily press! What an extended pulpit, what -a far-reaching voice would our subject immediately -possess!</p> - -<p>“I don’t quite know how far I ought to go on this line, -but even as I speak, it comes to me to ask you if any -one here present is acquainted with the evidently-gifted, -open-minded editor of ‘The Courier.’ We have all, of -course, been struck by his own utterances from the -‘Prophet’s Chamber’ column. Oh that he could be captured -for Christ; then his paper would doubtless be a -clarion for his Lord!”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond turned hot and cold. He trusted -that no one had recognized him. He would be glad to -get away unrecognized. Yet he was not offended by -the speaker’s personal allusion to him. He felt that the -major’s soul rang true.</p> - -<p>“Before I close,” the major went on, “suffer me to -read an extract from the ‘Gentleman’s Magazine,’ of -the year seventeen hundred and fifty-nine:</p> - -<p>“‘Mr. Urban,—Reading over chapter eleven, verse -two, of Revelation, a thought came to me that I had hit -upon the meaning of it which I desire you’ll publish in -one of your future magazines. The verse runs thus:<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133"></a>[133]</span> -“But the court which is without the temple leave out, and -measure it not, for it is given to the Gentiles, and the -holy city shall they tread under foot forty and two -months.”</p> - -<p>“‘Now, according to the Scriptural way of putting a -day for a year, if we multiply forty-two months by -thirty (the number of days contained in a Jewish month,) -we have the time the Turks will reign over the Jews’ -country, and the city of Jerusalem—viz., 1,260; which, -if we add to the year of our Lord 636, when Jerusalem -was taken by the Turks, we have the year of our Lord -1896, near or about which time the Jews will be reinstated -in their own country and city, Jerusalem, again, -which will be about 137 years hence; and that the Turks -are the Gentiles mentioned in the above-quoted chapter -and verse appears from their having that country and -city in possession about 1,123 years, and will continue -to possess it till the Omnipotent God, in His own time, -bringeth this prophecy to its full period.’</p> - -<p>“This letter is signed ‘M. Forster,’ and is dated from -‘Bessborough, October 24th, 1759.’ I have very little -sympathy with those of our brethren who are ever venting -in speech and in print the exact dates (as they -declare) of the coming events surrounding the return of -our Lord, but I do believe (in spite of the somewhat -hazy chronology at our command) that the regarding -of approximate times is perfectly permissible, and the -letter I have read you has some value when, taking dates, -etc., approximately, we remember that this letter was -written nearly a hundred and fifty years ago, and that -1896 was memorable for a distinct movement towards -the Holy Land.</p> - -<p>“So, I say, ‘the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134"></a>[134]</span> -To myself and to every Christian here, I would say, -‘May God help us to quicken all our hearts, and purify -all our lives, that we may not be ashamed at His coming.’</p> - -<p>“And to any who are here (if such there be) who -are not converted, may God help you to seek His face, -that you may not be ‘left,’ when He shall suddenly, -silently snatch away His Church out of this godless -generation. ‘Left!’</p> - -<p>“Think of what that will mean, unsaved friend, if -you are here to-day. Left! Left behind! When the -Spirit of God will have been taken out of the earth. -When Satan will dwell on the earth—for, with the -coming of Christ into the air, Satan, ‘the prince of the -power of the air,’ will have to descend.</p> - -<p>“Christ and Satan can never live in the same realm. -Oh, God, save anyone here from being left—left behind, -to come upon the unspeakable judgments which will -follow the taking out of the world of the Church!</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Some husband, whose head was laid on his bed,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Throbbing with mad excess,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Awakes from that dream by the lightning gleam,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Alone in his last distress.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“For the patient wife, who through each day’s life,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Watched and wept for his soul,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Is taken away, and no more shall pray,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">For the judgment thunders roll.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“And that thoughtless fair who breathed no prayer,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Oft as her husband knelt,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Shall find he is fled, and start from her bed</div> - <div class="verse indent2">To feel as never she felt.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“The children of day are summoned away;</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Left are the children of night.</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“It is high time for us all to awake. God keep us<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135"></a>[135]</span> -awake and watching for our Lord, for His precious -name’s sake. Amen.”</p> - -<p>The murmured Amens rolled through the congregation -like the deep surge of a sea billow on a -shingle shore.</p> - -<p>“Our time has gone, friends,” cried the major. “We -will sing two verses only of the closing hymn 410, the -first and last verse. Sing straight away.”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond, wondered at it all much as ever, listened -while the song rang out:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“When Jesus comes to reward His servants,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Whether it be noon or night,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Faithful to Him will He find us watching?</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With our lamps all trimmed and bright?</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="center"><span class="smcap">Chorus.</span></div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent2">“Oh, can we say we are ready, brother?</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Ready for the soul’s bright home?</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Say, will He find you and me still watching,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Waiting, waiting, when the Lord shall come?</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In His glory they shall share:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">If He shall come at the dawn or midnight,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Will He find us watching there?”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Again the chorus rang out, and as Tom Hammond -left the hall, the question of it clung to him. It forced -itself upon his brain; it groped about for his heart; -it clamoured to be hearkened to.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136"></a>[136]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.<br /> -<span class="smaller">HER CABIN COMPANION.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">“There’ll</span> be one other lady with you in your cabin, -miss.”</p> - -<p>The berth-steward’s announcement in no way disconcerted -Madge Finisterre. She had had two cabin companions -on the outward voyage.</p> - -<p>She was arranging her cabin necessaries when her -fellow-traveller entered. She was a wee, winsome girl, -very fragile in appearance, with a yearning sweetness -in her great grey eyes, such as Madge had never seen -in any eyes before. With half-a-dozen words of -exchanged greeting and a very warm handshake, the -pair became instant friends.</p> - -<p>By a strange but happy coincidence neither of them -ever suffered from sea-sickness, and from the first -moment of the great liner’s departure they became -inseparable.</p> - -<p>As the vessel forged her way down Channel that evening, -a glorious moon shining down upon them, the two -girls, arm-in-arm, paced the promenade deck talking. -The subject of the acute distress among the poor and -out-of-works in all the world’s great cities came up -between them.</p> - -<p>“Oh, if only our Lord would come quickly!” cried -the girl—Kate Harland was her name.</p> - -<p>“What do you mean, Kate?” Madge’s voice was full -of amazed wonder.</p> - -<p>“I mean that——”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137"></a>[137]</span></p> - -<p>The fragile girl paused; then, glancing quickly up -into Madge’s face, she cried:</p> - -<p>“You love Jesus, of course, Madge? You are saved, -dear, and looking for His coming?”</p> - -<p>For an instant Madge was silent. Then, with a deep -sigh, she replied:</p> - -<p>“Oh, me! I am afraid I am not saved, as you call it. -Katie, dear, the fact is——”</p> - -<p>She halted in her speech. She did not know how to -put into words all that her friend’s question had aroused -within her.</p> - -<p>While she halted thus, the girl at her side put her -arms about her, clasping her with a kind of yearning—an -“I will not let you go” kind of clasp—as she cried, -softly:</p> - -<p>“Oh, my darling, you must not lie down to-night until -you know you are Christ’s. Then—then—after that, -nothing can ever matter. Come weal, come woe, come -life, come death, all is well!”</p> - -<p class="tb">It was past midnight before the two girls climbed -into their berths, but by that time Madge Finisterre -knew that she had passed from death into life.</p> - -<p>Before the vessel reached New York she had learned -something of the truth of the near return of the Lord.</p> - -<p>On the quay, when they landed, the two girls bade -each other a sorrowful farewell.</p> - -<p>“We shall meet in heaven, Katie, if nevermore on -earth,” sobbed Madge.</p> - -<p>“In the air, my darling,” replied the other. “Do not -let us lose sight of that. When our Lord shall come,</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138"></a>[138]</span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">‘Loved ones shall meet in a joyful surprise,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Caught up together to Him in the skies,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">When Jesus shall come once again.’”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Kate Harland’s friends, who had travelled to meet -her from Denver, carried her off, and Madge took the -car to the Central.</p> - -<p>One hour later she boarded the train and began the -last lap of her long journey.</p> - -<p>Her spirits rose higher every moment. She had conceived -a very bold idea, and she was going to carry it -through after her own fashion. She sent no message -of warning of her coming, as this would spoil her little -plot.</p> - -<p>Her eyes rested delightedly upon every place she -passed. At Garrisons, where the train waited a few -minutes, she caught a glimpse of the father of the man -whom she was hurrying to meet.</p> - -<p>The white-haired old father lived at Garrisons, and -was a preacher of the Gospel, like his son. He was -leaving the depot as her train pulled up. She easily -recognized him, because several times during his son’s -pastorate at Balhang he had been to see him, staying -a week at a time, and preaching once on the Sunday on -each occasion.</p> - -<p>At Duchess Junction she had to change trains. To -her joy, she met no one from Balhang; there was not -a soul at the depot whom she even knew by sight.</p> - -<p>Just before her train reached Balhang she donned a -thick brown gauze veil. No one could see her face -through this to recognize it. There would be nothing -to detain her at the depot, for her baggage was all -“expressed.”</p> - -<p>The train stopped; she alighted. Several people<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139"></a>[139]</span> -peered hard at her, the depot manager especially, as -he took her check, but no one recognized her. She -passed on. Twenty yards from the depot she met Judge -Anstey.</p> - -<p>She stopped him with a “Good day, Judge; can I -speak with you?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly, madam,” the official replied genially.</p> - -<p>“Come aside, Judge,” she whispered. “I don’t want -anyone to recognize me, or to hear what I am saying to -you, should people pass.”</p> - -<p>As he moved on by her side in the direction she -wished, she whispered:</p> - -<p>“I have put on this thick veil, Judge, so as not to be -recognized. I am Madge Finisterre.”</p> - -<p>“Du say!” he gasped. “I knew the voice, but could -not recall whose it was. I hadn’t heard a breath of -your coming home, Miss Madge.”</p> - -<p>“I let no one, not even mumma and poppa, know that -I was coming,” she replied. “The fact is, Judge——”</p> - -<p>She was glad, as she prepared to take him into her -confidence, that the thick veil would hide the hot colour -that she felt leaped into her face.</p> - -<p>“Momma wrote me,” she went on, “that the pastor -was very sick, and that the doctor didn’t understand -his case. I only got the letter last Saturday morning. -The boat was to start that day at two; but I caught -it, for I knew that would cure the pastor.”</p> - -<p>She felt how fiercely the blushes burned in her cheeks, -but, assured that he could not see them, she went on:</p> - -<p>“Just before I started for Europe, Judge, pastor told -me he loved me, and asked me to be his wife——”</p> - -<p>She watched the amused amaze leap into the Judge’s -face, and smiled herself at his low whistle.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140"></a>[140]</span></p> - -<p>“I told him,” she continued, “I could make him no -definite promise, as I was not quite sure of myself; but -that, when I was, I would not wait for him to ask me -again—I would come and tell him. I am going straight -to him now, Judge, and I want you to give me a clear -quarter of an hour’s start. While I am gone to fix him -up and to make him happy, I want you to go ’long to -mumma and poppa, and bring them right along with -you, and marry me and pastor as soon as you git up to -us. So-long for a quarter of an hour.”</p> - -<p>Without another word she moved swiftly away.</p> - -<p>“She’s tropical!” he laughed, as he saw her making -for Mrs. Keller’s, where the pastor boarded.</p> - -<p class="tb">The French windows of the pastor’s sitting-room were -open, for the day was like a spring one. Madge moved -quickly across the patch of grass, mounted the stoop, -and peered in.</p> - -<p>In a large rocker, looking very frail and ill, the -young pastor was lying back with his eyes closed.</p> - -<p>Madge felt her eyes fill with tears. She lifted the -disguising veil, and wiped the salt drops away. She -did not lower her veil again, but with a little glad cry -of—</p> - -<p>“Homer, dear love!” she crossed the threshold, and -dropped on her knees by his side, flung her arms around -his neck, and laid her hot lips to his.</p> - -<p>It was like a dream to him—a wondrous, delicious -dream. His thin arms clasped her. His kisses were -rained upon her, but at first he found no words to say. -Between their passionately-exchanged kisses she poured -out, in rapid, caress-punctured speech, how she came to -be there.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141"></a>[141]</span></p> - -<p>“I have not seen mumma or poppa yet,” she explained; -“but I met Judge Anstey down by the depot. I have -sent him home for mumma and poppa; they will be here -in no time now. The Judge will come with them, and will -marry us right off, dear. For, say, you do want some -nursing.”</p> - -<p>He found his voice at last, declared that her coming, -her first kiss, had made him strong; that he would need -no nursing now that she had come. Getting on to his -feet, he gathered her into his arms, and rained fresh -kisses upon her lips, her cheeks, her brow, her eyes.</p> - -<p>She managed to whisper the good news, “I have found -Jesus, dear, or He found me, and now——”</p> - -<p>A sound of voices and of hurrying steps outside -checked her. She had only time to tear herself from -his arms when her mother and father reached her side.</p> - -<p>An hour later, when the Judge had been and gone -again, Madge Finisterre was the wife of the pastor.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142"></a>[142]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">CASTING A SHOE.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">It</span> was two hours after midnight when Tom Hammond -was free at last. But he did not go to bed. His soul -was disturbed. What he had heard at the major’s -meeting had stirred a myriad disquieting thoughts within -him, and now that he was clear to do it, he shut himself -up alone with a Bible, and began to go over every point -of the major’s address. He had taken copious notes in -shorthand, paying especial attention to the texts quoted -and referred to.</p> - -<p>At the end of an hour he looked up from his Bible. -There was a wondering amaze in his eyes, a strange, -perplexed knitting of his brows.</p> - -<p>“It is all most marvellous!” he murmured. “There -is not a flaw or hitch anywhere in the major’s statements -or reasoning. The Scriptures prove, to the hilt, -every word that he uttered.”</p> - -<p>He smiled to himself as, rising to his feet, he said -aloud,</p> - -<p>“I should not sleep if I went to bed; I will go out.”</p> - -<p>There are ways of getting into some of the London -parks before the regulation hour for opening the gates. -Tom Hammond had often found a way to forestall the -park-opener.</p> - -<p>Ten minutes after leaving his chambers he was inside -the park he loved best. Everything was eerily still and -silent. The calm suited his mood. He wanted to feel, -as well as to be, absolutely alone. He had his desire.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143"></a>[143]</span> -There had been a thick mist over London overnight, but -the atmosphere was as clear as a bell now. The air -was as balmy as a morning in May or September.</p> - -<p>There was a faint light from the stars that stabbed -the deep violet sky. He moved slowly, thoughtfully, -through paths as familiar to him as the rooms he occupied -at home.</p> - -<p>“And the Christ might come to-day!” he mused. “As -Major H—— showed plainly from the Bible, there is -no other prophetic event to transpire before His coming.”</p> - -<p>Almost unconsciously he paused in his walking.</p> - -<p>“If,” he cried softly, a certain fearsomeness in his -voice, “if He came to-day, came now, what about me? -Where should I come in?”</p> - -<p>He recalled the fact that, according to the major’s -showing, he, Tom Hammond, was quite unprepared for -Christ’s coming, because he was still unsaved. He -shivered slightly as the thought of his unpreparedness -came to him.</p> - -<p>With the flashing swiftness of one of memory’s freaks, -there leaped into his mind some lines of Charles Wesley’s. -He had written them, a day or two before, in illustration -of a certain statement in an article on hymnology. They -had not borne any message to his soul then, but now they -seemed like the voicing of his own inmost thoughts.</p> - -<p>He walked slowly on, the words falling from his lips -in half-uttered notes.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“And am I only born to die?</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And must I suddenly comply</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With nature’s stern decree?</div> - <div class="verse indent0">What after death for me remains—</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Celestial joys, or bitter pains,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">To all eternity?</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144"></a>[144]</span> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“No room for mirth or trifling here,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For worldly hope, or worldly fear,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">If life so soon is gone—</div> - <div class="verse indent0">If now the Judge is at the door,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And all mankind must stand before</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The inexorable throne!</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Nothing is worth a thought beneath,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">But how I may escape the death</div> - <div class="verse indent2">That never, never dies—</div> - <div class="verse indent0">How make my own election sure,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And, when I fail on earth, secure</div> - <div class="verse indent2">A mansion in the skies.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“There was something inspiring, something helpful, -in the last verse,” he mused, “but, for the life of me, -I cannot recall it.”</p> - -<p>The piping note of a robin from a clump of bush -trees close by broke into his reverie. He lifted his -head sharply and looked around, then upwards. The -stars had paled in the violet dome above him. Somewhere -near, ahead of him, was a piece of ornamental -water. He caught a glimpse of it between the trees.</p> - -<p>“Pip-pip!” came again from the robin’s throat. He -remembered Charles Fox, and said softly aloud:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Came forward to be seen,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">My little bright-eyed fellow,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And an honest one as well O</div> - <div class="verse indent0">In thy suit of olive green,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">With red-orange vest between,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And small touching voice so mellow.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>The bird suddenly flew across his path, dropped upon -a low piece of iron fencing, glanced askance at him, -then darted to where a morning meal peeped out of the -damp sod.</p> - -<p>Two or three other low, sleepy bird-notes followed, -then the water-fowl began their discordant quacking. -The tremulous flutenotes of a thrush made rich music on -the morning air.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145"></a>[145]</span></p> - -<p>The stars faded out of sight. The cold grey light of -dawning day moved into the eastern horizon. The smell -of the earth grew rank. The air grew keener. The -east slowly reddened. Roofs and towers of houses and -churches grew up slowly, and grey amid the cold light -of the dawn. He turned to face the spot where he -knew the great clock-tower of Westminster could be -seen. A light burned high aloft in the tower, telling that -England’s legislators were still in session.</p> - -<p>Slowly, thoughtfully, he turned back to walk home.</p> - -<p>“If Christ came at this instant,” he mused, “how many -of those Commoners and Peers would be ready to meet -Him? And what of the teeming millions of this mighty -city? God help us all! What blind fools we are!”</p> - -<p class="tb">In spite of his night vigil Tom Hammond was in his -office at his usual hour. He had been there about an -hour when there came a short, sharp rap on the panel -of his room-door. In response to his “Come in!” Joyce, -the drunken reporter lurched in. In some way he had -contrived to elude those on duty in the enquiry-office.</p> - -<p>He was the worse for drink, and in response to Hammond’s -sharp queries:</p> - -<p>“What do you want? How came you here unannounced?” -he began to “beg the loan of five shillings.”</p> - -<p>“Not a copper!” cried Hammond.</p> - -<p>Joyce whined for it.</p> - -<p>Hammond refused more sharply.</p> - -<p>The drunken wretch cringed, whimpered for “just -’arf-a-crown.”</p> - -<p>The fellow began to bluster, then to threaten.</p> - -<p>“If you don’t leave this room, I’ll hurl you out,” cried -Hammond, “and give you in custody of the police.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146"></a>[146]</span></p> - -<p>The drunken beast straightened his limp form as well -as he was able, as he hiccoughed:</p> - -<p>“All rightsh, Tom Ham’n’d. Every dawg hash hish -day. You’re havin’ yoursh now, all rightsh—all rightsh,—but -I’ll—hic—do fur yer; I’ll—hic—ruin yer; I’ll——”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond darted from his place by the table. -The next instant he would have put his threat of “hurling -out” into execution, but the drunken braggart did not -wait for him, for he shuffled out of the room, cursing -hideously.</p> - -<p>As the door closed upon him, Tom Hammond went -across to the window, and flung up the lower sashes, and -drew down the upper ones. From a drawer in a cabinet -he took a strip of scented joss-paper, and lit it. The -sandal-like perfume spread instantly through all the room.</p> - -<p>“Faugh!” he muttered. “The whole place seems foul -after his presence.”</p> - -<p>He turned to his wash-stand, rolled back the polished -top, and washed his hands.</p> - -<p>“I’ll see Ralph,” he muttered, as he dried his hands -“and go out for a couple of hours. I’ll go and see -Cohen.”</p> - -<p>It was curious how often he found excuse to visit the -Jew.</p> - -<p>A quarter of an hour later he drove up to the house -of Cohen. He found him, with his wife and Zillah, on -the point of starting for their synagogue.</p> - -<p>“One may live a life-time, as a Jew, in this country,” -Cohen explained, “and never see the ceremony that is -about to take place in our synagogue. It is what is -known in our religion as ‘Chalitza.’ Will you go with -us, Mr. Hammond?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147"></a>[147]</span></p> - -<p>Tom Hammond’s eyes met Zillah’s. Then he promptly -said—</p> - -<p>“Yes” to the Jew’s question.</p> - -<p>“Right, then! We can explain about the ceremony as -we go!” Cohen said, and the quartette left the house.</p> - -<p>There was not much time for explanation, but what -Tom Hammond heard convinced him that he was a fortunate -journalist that day. He had no opportunity of -talking with Zillah, but he found his heart beating with -a strange wildness whenever his eyes met hers—and they -frequently met.</p> - -<p>At the door of the synagogue the party had to separate, -the two women going one way, Cohen and Hammond -another. The building was filling very fast. Presently -it was packed to suffocation.</p> - -<p>It was Tom Hammond’s first sight of a Jewish congregation -in a synagogue. It amazed him. The hatted -men and bewigged women—these latter sat behind a -grille. The gorgeousness of much of the female finery. -The curious “praying shawls”—the “Talith” of the men.</p> - -<p>Suddenly a Rabbi began to intone the opening words -of the service, reading from the roll of the law, “The -Holy Scroll:” “If brethren dwell together, and one of -them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall -not marry without unto a stranger; her husband’s -brother shall take her to wife, and perform the duty of a -husband’s brother to her.... And if the man like not to -take his brother’s wife, then let his brother’s wife go up to -the gate unto the elders, and say, My husband’s brother -refuseth to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel, -he will not perform the duty of my husband’s brother.</p> - -<p>“Then the elder of the city shall call the man, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148"></a>[148]</span> -speak unto him: and if he stand to it, and say, I like not -to take her;</p> - -<p>“Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the -presence of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his -foot, and shall spit in his face, and shall answer and say, -‘So shall it be done unto that man that will not build -up his brother’s house.’</p> - -<p>“And his name shall be called in Israel, ‘the house of -him that hath his shoe loosed’.”</p> - -<p>The service was all very curious in the eyes of Tom -Hammond. He followed every item of it with the -closest, most interested attention. Presently the parties -specially concerned mounted the platform. This platform -was backed with a huge square frame covered with -black cloth. This was meant to symbolize mourning for -the dead husband. Three tall candle-sticks held lighted -candles, their flames looking weird and sickly in the -daylight.</p> - -<p>The Rabbi stooped before the brother-in-law, and -took off his right shoe and sock. Another official washed -the foot, wiped it with a towel, and pared the toe-nails.</p> - -<p>A soft white shoe, made specially for the occasion, -was then taken by the rabbi, put on to the bare foot of -the man, and laced up very tightly, the long ends of the -lace being twisted round the ankle and knotted securely.</p> - -<p>Then there followed a seemingly interminable string -of questions, put by the rabbi, and answered by the -brother-in-law. The catechism culminated in a few chief -questions such as:</p> - -<p>“Do you wish to marry this woman?”</p> - -<p>“I do not,” replied the brother-in-law.</p> - -<p>“For what reason?”</p> - -<p>“I am already married; my wife is living, and the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149"></a>[149]</span> -law of the land we live in does not permit my having -more than one wife.”</p> - -<p>The reply rang clear and strong through the silent -building, and the hush seemed to deepen as the rabbi -asked,</p> - -<p>“Will you give this woman Chalitza?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly I will, if she wishes it,” replied the brother-in-law.</p> - -<p>Turning to the woman, the rabbi asked, “Do you wish -to receive Chalitza?”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond saw how the light of a great eagerness -leaped into the eyes of the beautiful Jewess, and -how her face glowed with the warmth of a sudden -colour, as she replied,</p> - -<p>“I do wish for Chalitza, for I desire to marry again.”</p> - -<p>The rabbi’s assistant gave her certain instructions, and -she knelt before her brother-in-law, and with the thumb -and finger of her right hand—she dare not use the left, -however difficult her task might prove,—she began untying -the knots in the lace fastenings around the ankle.</p> - -<p>It was no child’s play to unfasten the shoe. The knots -had been drawn very tight; but she was very determined, -and presently a deep sigh of relief broke from the breathless, -watching congregation, as, taking the shoe from -the man’s foot, she flung it sharply down, twice, upon the -floor.</p> - -<p>She rose now to her feet to complete the ceremony. -The law of spitting in the face of the man had been -modified to meet the views of a day less gross than when -it was carried out in full coarseness.</p> - -<p>The brother-in-law took a couple of paces backwards, -and the beautiful widow spat on the place he had stood a -moment before.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150"></a>[150]</span></p> - -<p>Then she faced the great congregation. Her eyes travelled -straight to the face of the man she loved, whom -she was shortly to marry. Her eyes danced with excitement, -her cheeks were rosy with colour, her whole face -was full of an indescribable rapture, as she cried:</p> - -<p>“I am free!”</p> - -<p>“True, sister, you are free!” the brother-in-law -responded.</p> - -<p>The rabbi moved swiftly to her side, and, looking into -her face, said:</p> - -<p>“O woman of Israel, you are free!”</p> - -<p>With a shout that reminded Tom Hammond of the -shout, “He is risen!” at the Easter service in the Greek -churches of Russia, the excited, perspiring congregation -cried: “Woman, you are free!”</p> - -<p>A moment or two later the service concluded, and the -building emptied. Walking homeward by Hammond’s -side, Cohen said, “Only the most orthodox of Jews would -dream of using Chalitza to free themselves for re-marrying. -This is the only case I have personally known. -By-the-bye, Mr. Hammond, it is said that about the -middle of the eighteenth century that one of the Rothschild -widows sought Chalitza, but failed to untie the lace -of the shoe, and was disqualified from re-marrying.”</p> - -<p>Cohen’s wife had stopped to speak to some friends. -The young Jew joined her. Tom Hammond found himself -moving forward by Zillah’s side.</p> - -<p>“What an extraordinary service that was, Miss -Robart!” he said.</p> - -<p>“It was!” she glanced almost shyly away from him, -for, unknown to himself his eyes were full of the warmest -admiration.</p> - -<p>“Do you think, Miss Robart,” he went on, “if you<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151"></a>[151]</span> -were situated as was that beautiful woman whom we -have just seen freed from the Mosaic bond, that you -would have braved the Chalitza ceremony, or would you -have taken advantage of the English law and——”</p> - -<p>She lifted her great, black, lustrous eyes to his in a -sudden gaze of utter frankness, as, interrupting him, -she cried:</p> - -<p>“I would certainly not marry any man, save one whom -I could wholly revere and love!”</p> - -<p>“Happy the man whom you shall thus honour, Miss -Robart!”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond barely whispered the words, and she -was not wholly sure that he meant them for her ears. -She did not respond in any way. But she was conscious -that his gaze was fixed upon her. She was equally -conscious that she was blushing furiously.</p> - -<p>Perhaps it was to give her a chance of recovering -herself, that his next question was on quite a different -topic.</p> - -<p>“Are you, Miss Robart,” he said, “wholly wedded to -the Jewish faith? Do you believe, for instance, that -Jesus, the Nazarene, was an impostor?”</p> - -<p>He heard the catch that came into her throat. Then, -with a half-frightened look around, she lifted her melting -eyes to his, as she said, “I can trust you, Mr. Hammond, -I know. You will keep my confidence, if I give -it to you?”</p> - -<p>His eyes answered her, and she went on.</p> - -<p>“I have not dared to breathe a word of it to anyone, -not even to my good brother-in-law Abraham, but I am -learning to love the Christ.”</p> - -<p>Her face was filled with a holy light, her cheeks glowed -with excitement, as she went on:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152"></a>[152]</span></p> - -<p>“I see how the prophecies of our forefathers—Isaiah -especially—were all literally fulfilled in the life and work -of Jesus of Nazareth. I see, too, that when next He -comes, it will not be as our race supposes, as the Messiah -to the Jews, but He will come in the air, and——”</p> - -<p>She glanced sharply round. Some instinct told her -her friends were coming.</p> - -<p>“No more now,” she whispered. “I will tell you more -another time. I shall myself know more, to-night. I -go twice a week to a mission-room at Spitalfields——”</p> - -<p>“What time?” he asked eagerly.</p> - -<p>“Seven,” she replied, not realizing the eagerness of his -tone.</p> - -<p>“Where is this place?” he went on.</p> - -<p>She had just time to tell him. When Cohen and his -wife came up, husband and wife began talking together. -Zillah appeared to listen, but in reality she heard nothing -of what they were saying. For a strange thing had -happened.</p> - -<p>She had dropped her hand by her side as the Cohens -had rejoined them, and had suddenly found her fingers -clasped in Hammond’s hand.</p> - -<p>What did it mean? she wondered. They had met -often of late. She had read an unmistakable ardency -in his eyes very often, when her glance met his. And, -deep in her own heart, she knew that all the woman-love -she would ever have to give a man she had unconsciously -given to him. Was this sudden secret handclasp of his -a silent expression of love on his part, or was it meant -merely as an assurance of sympathy in the matter of her -new faith?</p> - -<p>She could not be sure which it was, but she let her -plump fingers give a little pressure of response. How<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153"></a>[153]</span> -did he translate this response? she wondered. She had -no means of deciding, save that her heart leaped wildly -in a tumultuous delight as she felt how he literally gripped -her fingers in a closer, warmer clasp.</p> - -<p>They had reached the house by this time. Hammond -would not go in. He shook hands, in parting, with each, -but his hold upon Zillah’s hand was longer than on the -others. He pressed the fingers meaningly, and his eyes -held an ardency that gave a new tumult to her heart.</p> - -<p>As she passed into the house she whispered to herself, -“Will he be at Spitalfields to-night?”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154"></a>[154]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">TOLD IN A CAB.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">A quarter</span> of an hour before the time Zillah had -given him, Tom Hammond was waiting near the -“Mission Hall for Jews,” where the meeting was to be -held. He was anxious that she should not know of his -proximity, so kept out of sight,—there were many possibilities -of this among the various stalls in the gutter-way.</p> - -<p>Presently he saw her coming, and the light of a glad -admiration leaped into his eyes. “What a superb face -and figure she has!” he mused. “What a perfect queen -of a woman she is!”</p> - -<p>From behind a whelk-stall he watched her cross over -to the door of the Hall. Here she paused a moment, -and glanced around.</p> - -<p>“I believe she half expected to see me somewhere -near!” he murmured to himself.</p> - -<p>She entered the Hall. By the time her head was -bowed in prayer, he had entered, and had taken a seat -on the last form, the fourth behind hers. When she -first raised her head from her silent prayer, she looked -around and backward. In her heart she was hoping he -would be there. If he had not been bending in prayer, -she must have seen him. After that she turned no more, -the service soon occupied all her thoughts.</p> - -<p>He too became utterly absorbed by the service, of -which the address was the chief feature. It was largely -expository, and from the first utterance of the speaker, -it riveted Tom Hammond’s attention.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155"></a>[155]</span></p> - -<p>The speaker, himself a converted Jew, took as his -text Deut. xxi. 22, 23.</p> - -<p>“If a man have committed a sin worthy of death, -and is sentenced to death, and thou hang him on a tree, -his corpse shall not remain all night upon the tree, but, -burying, thou shalt bury him on that day (because he -who is hanged is accursed of God).”</p> - -<p>“Now, brethren,” the speaker went on, “as far as I -have been able to discover, in all the Hebrew records I -have been able to consult, and in all the histories of our -race, I have not found a single reference to a Hebrew -official hanging of a criminal on a tree. To what, then, -does this verse refer, and why is it placed on Jehovah’s -statute-book?”</p> - -<p>For a few moments he appealed to his Jewish hearers -on points peculiarly Hebraic. Then presently he said,</p> - -<p>“Now let us see if the New Testament will shed any -light upon this.”</p> - -<p>Turning rapidly the leaves of his Bible, he went on: -“There is a book in the Christian Scriptures known as -the Epistle to the Galatians which, in the tenth verse -of the third chapter, repeats our own word from Deuteronomy:</p> - -<p>“‘Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things -which are written in the Book of the Law to do them,’ -and in the thirteenth verse says, ‘Christ hath redeemed us -from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: -for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a -tree.’</p> - -<p>“We all, brethren, as the sons of Abraham, believe -that our father David’s Psalm beginning, ‘My God, my -God, why hast Thou forsaken me?’ was never written -out of his own experience, but was prophetic of some<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156"></a>[156]</span> -other Person. Now, let me quote you some of the words -of that Psalm.”</p> - -<p>In clear, succinct language, the speaker, quoting verse -after verse of the Psalm, showed how literally the descriptions -fitted into a death by crucifixion. Referring -to the Gospel narratives of the death on the cross, he -showed how they also fitted in with the description of -Christ’s death, and how Christ actually took upon His -dying lips the cry of the Psalm, “My God, My God, why -hast Thou forsaken Me?”</p> - -<p>Then with wondrous clearness he referred to parts -of Isaiah liii., and, continuing his theme, showed that it -was evident that only one particular type of death could -have atoned for the sin of the human race, a death that -would render the dying one accursed of the Almighty. -The only death that would fully carry out that condition -was crucifixion.</p> - -<p>“Our race waited for the Messiah,” he cried, “and -He came. Our prophet Micah said, ‘Yet thou, O Bethlehem-Ephratah, -little as thou art amidst the thousands -of Judah, yet out of thee shall proceed from Me, One -who is to be ruler in Israel!”</p> - -<p>“The Christ was born at the only time in the world’s -history when He could have been executed on a tree—crucified. -At a time when the Roman—crucifixion was -a Roman punishment—swayed our beloved land of Jewry. -So that Paul, the great Jew, chosen of God to be apostle -to the Gentiles, wrote after the crucifixion of Jesus, -the Nazarene, ‘According to the time, Christ died.’”</p> - -<p>For some minutes the speaker appealed to his Jewish -hearers with a wonderful power. Then finally addressing -not only the Jews, but any Gentiles who might -be present, he cried:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157"></a>[157]</span></p> - -<p>“We must know the meaning of sin, brethren, before -we can understand the mystery of a crucified Christ. -A beheaded, a stoned Christ, could not have atoned for -a guilty world, but only a God-cursed death, a tree-cursed -death could have done this.</p> - -<p>“And Christ was cursed for us—He who knew no -curse of His own. Ah! beloved, the guilt of the human -race is the key to the cross.</p> - -<p>“Times change, customs change, but sin remains, sin -is ever the same, and only a living, personal trust in -the crucified Christ can ever deliver the unsaved sinner -from the wrath of God which abideth on him.”</p> - -<p>The address closed. Tom Hammond awoke from -his intense absorption of soul. He had long since utterly -forgotten Zillah. He had seen only himself, at first, -his own sin, and that his sin had nailed Christ to the -cross. Then, better still, he saw the Christ.</p> - -<p>Only a few nights before he had paused to watch a -Salvation Army open-air meeting. The girl-officer in -charge of the corps had announced thirty-eight as the -number of the hymn they would sing, and prefaced the -reading of the first verse by saying:</p> - -<p>“This hymn was written by an ex-drunkard—an ex-blasphemer. -His name was Newton—drunken Jack -Newton, he was often called by his mates, and by others -who knew him. He was a sailor, on a ship trading to -the African coast, at the time when his soul was aroused -to its danger. He was in agony, not knowing what to -do to get rest and peace.</p> - -<p>“One night he was keeping anchor-watch. He was -alone on the deck, the night was dark and eerie. His sins -troubled him. All that he had heard of the crucified -Christ—whom he had so often blasphemed—swept into<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158"></a>[158]</span> -his soul, and he groaned in the misery of his sin-convicted -state.</p> - -<p>“Suddenly he paused in his deck-pacing, and looked -up. To his fevered imagination, the yard which crossed -the mast high up above his head appeared like a mighty -cross, and it was remembering this, with all the soul-experience -of that night, that in after years, when he -became a preacher of the gospel, and a noted divine, Dr. -John Newton wrote:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“I saw One hanging on a tree</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In agonies and blood,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Who fixed His dying eyes on me,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">As near the cross I stood.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">‘A second look He gave, which said,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">“I freely all forgive</div> - <div class="verse indent0">My blood was for thy ransom paid,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I die that thou may’st live.’””</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Recalling these words now, Tom Hammond’s soul -received the great Revelation. He heard no word of the -closing hymn and prayer, but passed out into the open -air a new man in Christ.</p> - -<p>The mission-leader had given an invitation to any -who would like to be helped in soul matters to remain -behind. Tom Hammond noticed that Zillah lingered.</p> - -<p>It was half-an-hour before she came out. Tom Hammond -had lived a life-time of wonder in the thirty minutes.</p> - -<p>Like one in a delicious dream Zillah walked on a few -yards. Suddenly she became aware of Tom Hammond’s -presence at her side.</p> - -<p>“Zillah!”</p> - -<p>He gave her no other word of greeting. It was the -first time he had ever called the young girl by her -first name. He took her hand, and drew it through his -arm. She barely noticed the tender action, for her soul<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159"></a>[159]</span> -was rioting in a new-found joy, and she poured out, in -a few sentences, all the story of her supreme trust in -Christ the Nazarene.</p> - -<p>His voice was hoarse with many emotions, as he said,</p> - -<p>“I, too, Zillah, have to-night seen Jesus Christ dying -for my sin, and have taken Him for my own personal -Saviour!”</p> - -<p>Suddenly she realized how closely he was holding -her to his side, how tight was the clasp of his hand upon -hers. She looked up into his face to express her joy -at his new-found faith. Their eyes met. A new meaning -flashed in their exchanged glances.</p> - -<p>A four-wheeled cab moved slowly along in the gutter-way, -the driver uttered a low “Keb, keb!”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond seized the opportune offer, and whispered,</p> - -<p>“Let us take a cab, Zillah. I have something to say -to you which I must say to-night.”</p> - -<p>Before scarcely she realized it, she was seated by his -side in the cab.</p> - -<p>There is a moment in every woman’s life when her -heart warns her of the coming of the great event in that -life, when love is to be offered to her by the only man -who has ever loomed large enough in her consciousness -to be able to affect her existence.</p> - -<p>This moment had suddenly unexpectedly come to -Zillah Robart.</p> - -<p>Her heart warned her that the crisis was upon her. -She had done nothing to precipitate it. It had met -her, drawn her aside, and had shut her up in the semi-darkness -of this vehicle with the only man she could -ever love.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160"></a>[160]</span></p> - -<p>The cab rattled over the cobbles of that wide East-end -thoroughfare, past the throngs of moving pedestrians, -though, to her consciousness, the whole wide world consisted -of but one man—the man at her side.</p> - -<p>He had secured her hand, he held it in his strong, -hot clasp. She held her breath in a strange, expectant -ecstasy. Then the inevitable came. She felt its coming.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond was drawing her closer to himself. -She was yielding to that drawing. She caught her -breath again, and as she did so a rush of strange tears -filled her eyes.</p> - -<p>“Zillah!” his voice was hoarse and deep.</p> - -<p>She realized the meaning of the hoarseness. She -knew by her own feeling that the depth and intensity -of his voice was due to the emotion that filled him. She -knew she would have found herself voiceless at that -moment had she tried to speak.</p> - -<p>“I love you, my darling!” he went on. “I have loved -you from the first instant I met you. You have felt it, -known it, dear. Have you not?”</p> - -<p>She tried to speak, her lips moved, but no sound came -from them. But she looked into his eyes, and he read -his answer.</p> - -<p>With a sweeping gesture of passionate love he gathered -her into his arms and showered kisses upon her lips, her -cheeks, her forehead, her hair.</p> - -<p>She lay like a stunned thing in his arms. Her joy -was almost greater than she could bear. Then as his -hot lips sought hers again, she awoke from her semi-trance -of ecstasy, and with a little sob she flung her -arms upwards and clasped them about his neck, crying,</p> - -<p>“Love you, my darling? Love seems too poor a word -to express my feeling, for God knows that, save my<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161"></a>[161]</span> -Lord Jesus, to whom to-night I have fully yielded, you -are all my life.”</p> - -<p>Her voice was stifled with a little rush of tears. Where -she lay on his breast, he felt how all her frame quivered.</p> - -<p>“And you will be mine, dear Zillah—and soon?” His -eyes burned into hers, asking for an answer as loudly -as his lips.</p> - -<p>She did not answer him for a moment. Her heart -beat with a tumultuous gladness, and her brain throbbed -with the wonder of what she conceived to be the honour -that had come to her. Wondering incredulity mingled -with the rapturous ecstasy that filled her.</p> - -<p>“But you are so great—so——” She paused, she -could find no words to express all that prospective -wifedom to him appeared to her.</p> - -<p>He smiled down into her eyes. Her loveliness seemed -to him greater than ever before.</p> - -<p>“You seem like a king to me!” she gasped at last.</p> - -<p>“You, Zillah,” he smiled, “do not seem, you are, a -queen to me. Say, darling, the one word that shall -fill all my soul with delight—say that you will be mine—and -soon, very soon!”</p> - -<p>“I will.”</p> - -<p>There was the intensity of a mighty love in her utterance -of the two words.</p> - -<p>He gathered her to himself in an even closer embrace, -and spent his kisses on her lips.</p> - -<p>The flush of pride, of love, burned deeper in her face.</p> - -<p>“Oh, why is it given to me to have such bliss?” she -murmured.</p> - -<p>The words were low-breathed; they sounded like a -gasping sigh of delight more than a voiced utterance.</p> - -<p>For a moment, clasped tightly in his arms, she was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162"></a>[162]</span> -silent, and he uttered no word. Presently he whispered,</p> - -<p>“Will it give you joy, I wonder, my darling, to know -that I have been a man free of all woman’s love before? -I have seen many women, in many lands, the loveliest of -the earth—though none so lovely as you, my sweetheart. -It is no egotism on my part, either, to say that many -women have sought my love by their smiles and favour. -But none ever won a word of love or response from me.”</p> - -<p>The cab was passing a great central light in the heart -of a junction of four roads. Her eyes, full of a great -rapture, sought his. His were fixed upon her face, and -filled with a love so great that again she caught her -breath in wonder.</p> - -<p>“But you, my Zillah!” He caught her close to himself -again, and bending his head, let his lips cling to hers, -“But you, darling!” he continued, “have been to me all -that the heart of man could ever wish for, from the -first moment I met you. May God give us a long life -together, dearest, and make us (with our new-born faith -in Him) to be the best, the holiest help-meets, the one -to the other, that this world has ever known.”</p> - -<p>Where she lay in his arms, he felt her tremble with -the intensity of her joy. As he looked down into the -deep, dreamy lustrousness of her eyes, he saw how they -were full of a far-off look, as though she was picturing -that united future of which he had spoken.</p> - -<p>Perhaps he read that look in her eyes aright. Then, -as he watched her, he saw how the colour deepened in -her face. She slowly, proudly, yet with a glad frankness, -lifted herself in his arms until, in a tender, passionate -caress, her lips rested upon his in the first spontaneous -kiss she had given him.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163"></a>[163]</span></p> - -<p>“If the Christ, to whom we have given ourselves -to-night, should tarry,” she whispered, “and we are spared -to dwell together on earth as husband and wife, dear -Tom, may God answer all that prayer of yours abundantly.”</p> - -<p>The cab turned a corner sharply at that moment. He -looked through the window. They were within a few -hundred yards of where he had given the driver orders -to stop. Zillah would have, on alighting, only the length -of a short street to traverse before reaching home, and -he would take a hansom and drive back to the office. -But the intervening moments before they would part were -very precious, and love took unlimited toll in those swift, -fleeting moments.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164"></a>[164]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.<br /> -<span class="smaller">TOM HAMMOND REVIEWING.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">It</span> was the morning after Tom Hammond had found -Christ, and had closed with the great offer of redemption. -He had scarcely slept for the joy of the two loves -that had so suddenly come into his life.</p> - -<p>During the sleepless hours, he had learned, for the -first time in his life, the true secret of prayer, and -that even greater secret, that of communion.</p> - -<p>With real prayer there is always a certain degree of -communion, but real, deep, soul-filling communion is -more often found in seasons when the communing one -asks for nothing, but, silent before his or her God, the -sense of the Divine fills all the being, and if the lips utter -any sound it is the cry, “My Lord and my God!”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond, reviewing all that God had revealed -to him, learned in those first hours of his new birth -the secret of adoring communion with God.</p> - -<p>In the book of extracts he had been reading in the -tube train at the moment when he had first heard of -Major H——’s coming address on the Second Advent, -he had come across one headed, “Frederick William -Faber: The Precious Blood—chap. iv.” He had at the -time been considerably impressed with the extract, though -there was a certain note about it which he had failed -to understand. In the flush of the great revelation that -had come to his soul (in that little meeting at Spitalfields), -he now found the book, and re-read the extract:</p> - -<p>“I was upon the sea-shore; and my heart filled with -love it knew not why. Its happiness went out over the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165"></a>[165]</span> -wide waters, and upon the unfettered wind, and swelled -up into the free dome of blue sky until it filled it. The -dawn lighted up the faces of the ivory cliffs, which the -sun and sea had been blanching for centuries of God’s -unchanging love. The miles of noiseless sands seemed -vast, as if they were the floors of eternity. Somehow, -the daybreak was like eternity. The idea came over -me of that feeling of acceptance which so entrances the -soul just judged and just admitted into heaven.</p> - -<p>“‘To be saved!’ I said to myself, ‘to be saved!’</p> - -<p>“Then the thoughts of all the things implied in salvation -came in one thought upon me; and I said:</p> - -<p>“‘This is the one grand joy of life;’ and I clapped my -hands like a child, and spoke to God aloud. But then -there came many thoughts, all in one thought, about the -nature and manner of our salvation. To be saved with -such a salvation!</p> - -<p>“This was a grander joy, the second grand joy of life; -and I tried to say some lines of a hymn but the words -were choked in my throat. The ebb was sucking the -sea down over the sand quite silently; and the cliffs were -whiter, and more day-like. Then there came many more -thoughts all in one thought, and I stood still without -intending it.</p> - -<p>“To be saved by such a Saviour! This was the grandest -joy of all, the third grand joy of life; and it swallowed -up the other joys; and after it there could be on -earth no higher joy.</p> - -<p>“I said nothing; but I looked at the sinking sea as -it reddened in the morning. Its great heart was throbbing -in the calm; and methought I saw the precious blood -of Jesus in heaven, throbbing that hour with real human -love of me.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166"></a>[166]</span></p> - -<p>“Yes,” murmured Tom Hammond, “after all, to be -saved by such a Saviour is a greater, higher, holier -thought than the mere knowledge that one is saved, or -of the realization of what that salvation comprises.”</p> - -<p>In every way that night was one never to be forgotten -by Tom Hammond. He needed, too, all the strength -born of his new communion with God to meet what -awaited him with the coming of the new day’s daily -papers.</p> - -<p>The paper whom whose staff he had been practically -dismissed in our first chapter (the editor of which was -his bitterest enemy) had found how to use “the glass -stiletto.”</p> - -<p>Some of the most scurrilous paragraphs ever penned -appeared in his enemy’s columns that morning. It is -true that the identity of the man slandered (Tom Hammond) -was veiled, but so thinly—so devilishly—that -every journalist, and a myriad other readers, would know -against whom the scurrilous utterances were hurled.</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond would not have been human if the -reading of the paragraphs had not hurt him. And he -would not have been “partaker of the Divine nature,” -as he now was, if he had not found a balm in the committal -of his soreness to God.</p> - -<p>“That is the work of that fellow Joyce,” he told -himself.</p> - -<p>Twenty-four hours before, if this utterance had had -to have been made by him, he would have said,</p> - -<p>“That beast Joyce!” But already, as a young soldier -of Christ, the promised watch was set upon his lips. In -the strength of the two great loves that had come into -his life—the love of Christ and the love of Zillah Robart—the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167"></a>[167]</span> -scurrilous paragraphs affected him comparatively -little.</p> - -<p>When he had skimmed the papers, attended to his -correspondence, and to one or two other special items, -he took pen and paper and began to write to his -betrothed.</p> - -<p>His pen flew over the smooth surface of the paper, but -his thoughts were even quicker than his pen. His whole -being palpitated with love. It was the love of his highest -ideal. The love which he had sometimes dared to -hope might some day be his, but which he had scarcely -dared to expect.</p> - -<p>The memory of his passing fancy for Madge Finisterre -crossed his mind, once, as he wrote. He paused -with the pen poised in his fingers, and smiled that he -should ever have thought it possible that he was beginning -to love her. “I liked her, admired her,” he mused. -“I enjoyed her frank, open friendship, but love her—no, -no. The word cannot be named in the same breath as -my feeling for Zillah.”</p> - -<p>He put his pen to the paper again, and poured out all -the wealth of the love of his heart to his beautiful -betrothed. When he had finally finished the letter, he -sent it by special messenger to Zillah.</p> - -<p>He had not forgotten that Major H——’s second -meeting was that day. Three o’clock found him again -in the hall. This time it was quite full. There was -a new sense of interest, of understanding, present within -him as he entered the place. This time he bowed his -head in real prayer.</p> - -<p>The preliminary proceedings were almost identically -like those of the previous occasion, except that the hymn -sung—though equally new to Hammond—was different<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168"></a>[168]</span> -to either of those sung at the first meeting. But, if -anything, he was more struck by the words than he had -been with those of the other hymns.</p> - -<p>And how rapturously the people sang:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“‘Till He come!’ Oh, let the words</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Linger on the trembling chords;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Let the ‘little while’ between</div> - <div class="verse indent0">In their golden light be seen;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Let us think how heaven and home</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Lie beyond that ‘Till He come!’”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>This time a lady, a returned Chinese missionary, led -prayer, and then the major resumed his subject.</p> - -<p>“We saw, dear friends, at our last meeting,” the grand -old soldier-preacher began, “what were some of the -prophesied signs of our Lord’s second coming and how -literally these signs were being fulfilled in our midst -to-day. This afternoon, God willing, and time permitting, -I want us to see how He will come; what will -happen to the believer; and also what effect the expectancy -of His coming should have upon us, as believers.</p> - -<p>“First of all, how will He come? While Jesus, who -had led His disciples out of the city, was in the act of -blessing them, He suddenly rose before their eyes, and a -cloud received Him out of their sight. Have you ever -thought of this fact, beloved, that the cloud itself was a -miracle? Whoever heard of a cloud at that special period -of the year, in Palestine? And I very much doubt if -anyone, save the apostles, in all the country round about, -saw that cloud. If you ask me what I think the cloud -was, I should be inclined to refer you to the 24th Psalm, -and say that the cloud was composed of the angel-convoy, -who, like a guard of honour, escorted the Lord back to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169"></a>[169]</span> -glory, crying, as they neared the gates of the celestial city, -‘Lift up your heads, oh, ye gates, and let the King of -Glory come in!”</p> - -<p>“He went away in a cloud. The angels, addressing -the amazed disciples declared to them that ‘He would -so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go.’</p> - -<p>“It may be that to the letter that will be fulfilled, and -that our Lord’s return for His Church will be in an -actual cloud. I think it is probable it will. Anyway, we -know that He will come ‘in the air,’ for Paul, to whom -was given, by God, the privilege of revealing to His -Church the great mystery of the second coming of our -Lord, and who said, in this connection:</p> - -<p>“‘Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, -but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling -of an eye,’ when writing more explicitly to the church -at Thessalonica, said:</p> - -<p>“‘For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, -that we which are alive and remain unto the coming -of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For -the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a -shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the -trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. -Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up -together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the -air; and so shall ever be with the Lord. Wherefore -comfort one another with these words.’</p> - -<p>“Now, beloved, can any words be plainer, simpler, -than these of Paul’s, forming, as they do, the climax -to all that has gone before in the New Testament. Jesus -had Himself said,</p> - -<p>“‘I will come again and receive you unto Myself.’</p> - -<p>“The angels said,</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170"></a>[170]</span></p> - -<p>“‘In like manner as ye have seen Him go, He shall -come again,’ and now Paul amplifies this manner of His -coming, while, at the same time, he emphasizes the fact -of that return.</p> - -<p>“Now let us look, dear friends, at the separate items -of that detailed coming. We have already, more than -once, alluded to the secrecy of the return of our Lord -for His people, and people are puzzled over the language -used by Paul’s description of the return. ‘The Lord -shall come with a shout.’ Then the world at large will -hear Him coming? No; we think not. Or, if they hear -a sound, they will not understand it.</p> - -<p>“The Lord’s voice in His spiritual revelations is never -heard save by the Lord’s people. But there is the voice -of the archangel—how about that? The same rule -applies to that, we think.</p> - -<p>“There were godly shepherds watching their flocks at -night, near Bethlehem, and there was a whole host of -angels singing, but the Bethlehemites did not hear. No -one appears to have heard or seen anything save the -godly shepherds. The same, we believe, applies to the -‘trump,’ the call of God.</p> - -<p>“In this connection it is interesting to note a fact that -probably was in the mind of Paul when he wrote thus -to the Thessalonians. The Roman army used three -special trumpet-calls in connection with departure—with -marching.</p> - -<p>“The first meant, ‘Pull down tents.’</p> - -<p>“The second, ‘Get in array.’</p> - -<p>“The third, ‘Start.’</p> - -<p>“Did Paul, moved by the Holy Ghost, translate these -three clarion notes in the topic of 1 Thess. iv. 16, after -this fashion:</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171"></a>[171]</span></p> - -<p>“1. ‘The Lord Himself.’</p> - -<p>“2. ‘Voice of the archangel.’</p> - -<p>“3. ‘The trump of God.’</p> - -<p>“But leaving that, again I would emphasize this truth, -that it is only the trained ear of the spiritually-awakened -soul which ever hears the call of God. We believe that -all Scripture teaches the secrecy as well as the suddenness -of the rapture of the church.</p> - -<p>“In all the many appearances of the risen, resurrected -Lord Jesus, during the many weeks between the resurrection -and the ascension, even though, on one occasion, -at least, He was seen by 500 disciples at once, yet there -is no hint, either in the Word of God or in the records -of history of that time, that Jesus was ever seen by the -eye of an unbeliever. And depend upon it, no eye will -see, no ear will hear Him, when He comes again, save -those who are in Christ.</p> - -<p>“‘The world seeth Me no more’ our Lord said, ‘but -ye see Me.’ ‘Him God raised up the third day, and -gave Him to be made manifest, not to all the people, but -unto witnesses that were chosen before God, even to -us who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from -the dead.’</p> - -<p>“When the voice of the Father came from heaven, -witnessing to Jesus’ truth, the people that stood by -failed to hear it as a voice, but exclaimed,—‘It thunders.’ -In the case of Paul on the way to Damascus, those -with him heard nothing understandable.</p> - -<p>“Enoch was taken secretly. Noah was shut into the -ark before the flood came. Only Israel, at Sinai, and -not the surrounding nations, understood those awful -physical manifestations of God’s power. Elijah was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172"></a>[172]</span> -taken secretly. The nation neither saw nor heard anything -of it.</p> - -<p>“When will He come? I do not know; no one knows -exactly; but this we do know, from the Word of God—that -nothing remains to be fulfilled before He comes. -He may come before this meeting closes. Again we -know by every sign of the times that His coming can -not now be delayed much longer.</p> - -<p>“Now to a very important feature as to the truth of -the second coming of the Lord. There are many who -argue that such teaching will tend to make the Christian -worker careless of his work, his life, etc. There was -never a more foolish argument advanced.</p> - -<p>“First take a concrete illustration that gives the flat -denial to it—namely, that the most spiritual-minded -workers, at home and abroad, are those whose hearts -(not heads only) are saturated with, not the doctrine -merely, but the expectancy of their Lord’s near return. -Then, too, every such worker finds an incentive to -redoubled service in the remembrance that every soul -saved through their instrumentality brings the Lord’s -return nearer—‘hasting His coming’—since, when the last -unit composing His Church has been gathered in, He will -come.</p> - -<p>“Scripture, dear friends, is most plain, most emphatic, -in its statements that the effect of living in momentary -expectancy of our Lord’s return touches the spiritual -life and service at every point. ‘We know,’ wrote John, -‘that when He shall appear we shall be like Him, for we -shall see Him as He is. And every man that hath this -hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.’ That, -beloved, is the general statement. Now let us look at -some of the separate particular statements.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173"></a>[173]</span></p> - -<p>“Writing to the Philippians, Paul connects heavenly -mindedness with the return of the Lord for His Church -saying, ‘For our conversation’—our manner of living, our -citizenship—‘is in heaven; from whence also we look for -the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.’ To the Colossians -the great apostle showed how the coming of the Lord was -to be the incentive to mortification of self. ‘When Christ, -who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear -with Him in glory. Mortify, therefore, your members -which are upon the earth,’ etc. James taught that the -real cure for impatience was this dwelling in the hope and -expectancy of our Lord’s coming again. ‘Be ye also -patient,’ he wrote; ‘stablish your hearts; for the coming -of the Lord draweth nigh!’ We live in an age which is -cursed with impatience—children, young men and women, -parents, business people, domestic people, pastors, Christian -workers, Sunday-school teachers, all alike have their -spiritual lives and their work marred by impatience. A -real, moment-by-moment heart-apprehension of the possible -coming of Jesus in the next moment of time, is the -only real cure for this universal impatience in the Christian -Church.</p> - -<p>“Then take another great sin in the Church, beloved—censoriousness. -Oh, the damage it does to the one -who indulges in it, and the suffering it causes to the one -who is the victim of it. But here, again, a full, a constant -realization of the near coming of our Lord will -check censoriousness. Writing to the Corinthians, in his -first epistle, Paul says, ‘Therefore, judge nothing before -the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light -the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the -counsels of the hearts.’</p> - -<p>“The great quickener, too, of Christian diligence is to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174"></a>[174]</span> -be found in the coming of the Lord. Peter writes to us -saying, ‘But the day of the Lord will come as a thief -in the night, ... seeing then that these things shall be, -... what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy -living and godliness; looking for and hasting the coming.... -Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for -such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him -in peace, without spot, and blameless.’</p> - -<p>“May I say, too, in all gentleness and love, that it -has seemed to me, for years, that the missing link in -nearly all ‘holiness’ preaching (so called) is this much-neglected -expectancy of our Lord’s return. Paul connects -holiness and the second coming of Christ, in his -first epistle to the Thessalonians, saying, ‘The God of -peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your spirit, -soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming -of our Lord Jesus Christ.’</p> - -<p>“The scoff of the world, dear friends, against us, as -Christians, is that the professed bond of love is absent -from our life. And here again God’s Word shows us -that a real living in expectancy of our Lord’s return -would teach us to love one another. In that same epistle -I have just quoted, Paul says, ‘The Lord make you to -increase and abound in love one toward another, and -toward all men, even as we do toward you: to the end -He may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness -before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord -with all His saints.’</p> - -<p>“I have only time, this afternoon, for but one more -of these references, and that is a very elementary though -a very essential one. Paul, in that same epistle, teaches -that to be saved means that we are saved to serve. ‘Ye<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175"></a>[175]</span> -turned to God,’ he says, ‘to serve ... and to wait for -His Son from heaven.’</p> - -<p>“I must close, friends. But before I do, do let me -beseech every Christian here this afternoon to go aside -with God, and with His plain, unadulterated Word. -Assure yourself that Jesus is coming again, that He is -coming soon, and that you are so living that you shall -‘not be ashamed at His coming.’ Should He tarry till -Thursday next, and He is willing to suffer me to meet -you here again, we will continue this great subject on -the line of the three judgments. Let us close our meeting -by singing hymn number 308.”</p> - -<p>Like one in a strange, delicious dream, Tom Hammond -rose with the others and sang:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Jesus is coming! Sing the glad word!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Coming for those He redeemed by His blood,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Coming to reign as the glorified Lord!</div> - <div class="verse indent8">Jesus is coming again!”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>As he left the hall, and thought, “How Zillah would -have enjoyed, how she would have been helped, by this -meeting!” he muttered.</p> - -<p>“How senseless of me not to have told her of it when -I wrote this morning.”</p> - -<p>He smiled a little to himself as he murmured:</p> - -<p>“May I take this bit of remissness as a sign that the -Divine love was predominant within me, rather than the -human? Or was it that I am not yet sufficiently taught -in the school of human love?”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176"></a>[176]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIXa">CHAPTER XIX<span class="smcap">a</span>.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“MY MENTOR.”</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">It</span> was about the hour that Tom Hammond entered -the Hall to listen to the Major’s second address. -Cohen, the Jew, was in his workshop, his brain busy with -many problems, while his hands wrought out that wondrous -Temple work.</p> - -<p>The door opened, quietly, and Zillah entered. She -often came for a talk with him at this hour, as she was -mostly sure of an uninterrupted conversation. Her sister, -to a large extent, lived to eat, and always slept for a -couple hours or more after her hearty two o’clock dinner.</p> - -<p>The young Jew gave the beautiful girl a pleasant -greeting. Then, after the exchange of a few very general -words, the pair were silent. Zillah broke the silence -at last.</p> - -<p>“Abraham,” she began, “I want to talk to you on—on—well—I’ve -something important to say.”</p> - -<p>He eyed her curiously, a tender little smile moving -about among the lines of his mouth. There was a new -note in her voice, a new light in her eyes. He had -caught glimpses of both when they had met at breakfast, -and again at dinner, but both were more marked than -ever now.</p> - -<p>He had laid down his tool at her first word of address. -Now she laid one of her pretty plump hands on his, as -she went on:——</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177"></a>[177]</span></p> - -<p>“You could not have been kinder, truer, dear Abraham, -if you had been my own brother, <i>after the flesh</i>. -I have looked upon you <i>as</i> a brother, as a friend, as a -protector, and I have always felt that I could, and would -make a confidant of you, should the needs-be ever arise.”</p> - -<p>The gentle smile in his eyes as well as his mouth -encouraged her, and she went on:—</p> - -<p>“A gentleman has asked me to marry him, Abraham——”</p> - -<p>Cohen gave a quick little start, but in her eagerness -she did not notice it.</p> - -<p>“I have promised,” she continued, “for I love him, and -he loves me as only——”</p> - -<p>“Who is he, Zillah?”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Hammond, dear!”</p> - -<p>His eyes flashed with the mildest surprise. But, to -her astonishment, she noticed that he showed no anger.</p> - -<p>In spite of all his usual gentleness she had half -expected a little outburst, for to marry <i>out</i> of the Jewish -faith, was equal in shame almost to turning Meshumed, -and usually brought down the curse of one’s nearest and -dearest.</p> - -<p>“He is of the Gentile race, Zillah!” Cohen said quietly.</p> - -<p>She noticed that he said <i>race</i>, and not <i>faith</i>, and she -unconsciously took courage from the fact.</p> - -<p>She was silent for a moment. Her lips moved slightly, -but no sound came from her. Watching her, he wondered. -She was praying!</p> - -<p>Suddenly she lifted her head, proudly almost. She<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178"></a>[178]</span> -suffered her great lustrous eyes,—liquid in their love-light—to -meet his, as she said, with a ringing frankness:——</p> - -<p>“Abraham! I have found the Messiah! He whom the -Gentiles call the Christ; The man-God, Jesus, <i>is</i> the -Messiah!”</p> - -<p>His eyes dwelt fixedly upon her face. She wondered -that there was neither anger nor indignation in them.</p> - -<p>“May I tell you why I think, why I <i>know</i> He is the -Messiah, Abraham?” she asked.</p> - -<p>“Do, Zillah!”</p> - -<p>He spoke very gently, and she wondered more and -more. She made no remark, however, on his toleration, -but began to pour out her soul in the words of the Old -Testament scriptures, connecting them with their fulfillment -in the New Testament.</p> - -<p>Cohen, watching her, thought of Deborah, for all her -beautiful form seemed suddenly ennobled under the -power of the theme that fired her.</p> - -<p>“Now I know, dear Abraham,” she presently cried, -“How it is that Jehovah is allowing our Rabbis—you -told me, you know, the other day, of the one at Safed—to -be led to dates that prove that Messiah is coming -soon? <i>Now</i> I know why God has allowed our nation -to be stirred up,—the Zionist movement, the colonization -of Jerusalem and its neighbourhood, and all else of this -like—yes, it is because the Christ <i>is</i> coming.</p> - -<p>“Only, dear brother, it is not as the Messiah of the -Jews that He comes soon—He came thus more than -1,900 years ago—this time, when He comes, He will -come for His church, His redeemed ones—Jew and Gentile<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179"></a>[179]</span> -alike who are washed in His blood that was shed -on Calvary for all the human race. For He was surely -<i>God’s</i> Lamb, and was slain at the Great, the last real -Passover, dear Abraham, if only we all—our race—could -see this. What the blood of that first Passover lamb, in -Egypt, was in type, to our people in their bondage and -Blood-deliverance, so Jesus was in reality.”</p> - -<p>Moses, of old, wist not how his face shone. And -this lovely Jewish maiden, as she talked of her Lord, -wist not how all her lovely face was transformed as she -talked—<i>glorified</i> would not be too strong a description of -the change her theme had wrought in her countenance.</p> - -<p>“And now, dear Abraham,” she went on, “that same -Jesus has not only blotted out all my sin, for His name’s -sake, but he bids me look for Him to come again. When -<i>next</i> He comes—it may be before even this day closes—”</p> - -<p>Cohen shot a quick, puzzled glance at her. She did -not notice it but went on:—</p> - -<p>“I have learned many things from the scriptures since -I have been going to the little Room at Spitalfields, and -from the <i>Word</i> of Jehovah, Himself, I have learned that -Jesus may now come at any moment.</p> - -<p>“He will come <i>in the air</i>, and will catch away all His -believing children. Then, as the teachers show from -the <i>Word</i> of God, when the church is gone, there shall -arise a terrible power, a man who will be Satan’s great -agent to lead the whole world astray—<i>Anti</i>christ, the -Word of God calls him—then, during a period, probably -about seven years altogether, there shall be an ever -growing persecution of those who shall witness boldly -for Jesus, and—”</p> - -<p>“<i>Who</i> will <i>they</i> be, Zillah,” he interrupted, “if all the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180"></a>[180]</span> -‘Church,’ as you say, will be taken out of the world at -the coming of Christ?”</p> - -<p>“One of the teachers, the other night, Abraham,” she -replied, said, “that the natural consequence of the sudden -taking away of the Believers from this earth would -probably be, at first, a mighty revival, a turning to God. -If this be so, then these converts will be the witnesses -to Jesus during the awful seven years, which the Word -of God calls The Great Tribulation.”</p> - -<p>“Then too, one of the teachers at the Room said, ‘it -is possible that not all Christians will be caught up in -the air at the coming again of Jesus, but <i>only</i> those -faithful ones who are found watching, expecting His -coming. If that be so—and no one dare dogmatise -about so sacred and solemn a thing—then there will be -thousands of Christians left behind who will have to pass -through the awful time of Antichrist’s Tribulation.’”</p> - -<p>Her face glowed with holy light, as inspired by the -thought in her soul, she went on:—</p> - -<p>“At first, dear Abraham, our own race will return -to Jerusalem, and to all the land of our Father, still -believing in the coming of the Messiah. The temple—that -wondrous Temple for which you are working—will -be reared to Jehovah. The morning and evening -sacrifices will be resumed. Then presently the Antichrist -will make our people believe that he is the Messiah. -Pretending to be Israel’s friend and protector he will -deceive them at first, but, by and by, he will try to force -idolatry upon them, he will want to set up in our glorious -Temple, (which will have been reared to Jehovah,) -an idol, an abomination.</p> - -<p>“The teacher whom I have heard, Abraham,—and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181"></a>[181]</span> -many of them are of our own race—see from scripture -that the great mass of our people, in the land of our -fathers, will blindly accept this hideous idol worship.</p> - -<p>“But Jehovah will not let Antichrist have all his own -way. Jesus, with all those who were caught up with -Him into the air, will come to the deliverance of our -people. He will come, <i>this</i> time, to the earth. He will -fight against Antichrist, will overcome him, His feet -shall stand on the Mount of Olives.</p> - -<p>“Our poor deluded, suffering people will see Him, -as our own prophets have said:—“<i>I will pour out upon -the House of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, -the spirit of grace and of supplication, <span class="smcap">and they -shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and -they shall mourn for Him</span>, as one mourneth for his -only son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that -is in bitterness for his first-born</i>.”</p> - -<p>She paused abruptly, struck by Cohen’s quietude of -manner, where she had expected a storm. Gazing up -wonderingly into his face she cried:—</p> - -<p>“Abraham, why are you thus quiet? Why have you -not cursed me for a Meshumed, dear? Can it be that -you, too, know aught of these glorious truths?”</p> - -<p>There was sadness and kindness in his eyes as he -returned her pleading glance. But there was no trace -of anger.</p> - -<p>“I wonder why, little sister,” he began, “I am not -angry, as the men of Israel’s faith usually are with a -Meshumed, even though the defaulter should be as beautiful -as Zillah Robart?”</p> - -<p>His glance grew kinder, as he went on:—“I began to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182"></a>[182]</span> -wonder where my little sister went, twice a week, in -the evenings, and, anxious about her, lest she, in her -innocence of heart and ignorance of life, should get into -trouble, I followed her one night, and saw that she -entered a hall, which I knew to be a preaching-place for -Jews.”</p> - -<p>Zillah’s eyes were very wide with wonder. But she -did not interrupt him.</p> - -<p>“I did not enter the place myself,” he went on, “but -that very first night, while waiting about for a few minutes, -I met an old friend, a Jew like myself, by <i>race</i>, -but a Christian by faith. He talked with me, pointed to -<i>our</i> scriptures, quoted from the Gentile New Testament, -showed, from them, how, in every detail, the birth, the -life, the death of Jesus, the Nazarene, fulfilled the -prophecies of our father, and——”</p> - -<p>“And you, Abraham—” Zillah laid her hand on the -Jew’s wrist, in a swift gesture of excitement, “you, dear,” -she cried, “see that Jesus was the Messiah?”</p> - -<p>Slowly, almost sorrowfully it seemed to the eager girl, -he shook his head.</p> - -<p>“I cannot say all that, Zillah,” he went on, “I sat in -a seat, last night, in that Hall, where I could see you -and Hammond, where I could hear all that was said -upon the platform, but where I knew that neither you -nor Hammond would be able to see me. All that I -heard, last night, dear, has more than half convinced me, -but—well, I cannot rush through this matter, I have to -remember that it has to do with the life beyond, as well -as this life.”</p> - -<p>He sighed a little wearily.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183"></a>[183]</span></p> - -<p>“I saw the meeting between Hammond and you, -Zillah,” he went on. “I had before begun to scent something -of Hammond’s probable feeling for you, and I had -seen you look at him in a way that, though you did not -yourself probably realize it, meant, I knew, a growing -feeling for him warmer than our maidens usually bestow -on a Gentile. I saw you enter the cab together, and -drive off, and——”</p> - -<p>He sighed again. Then without finishing his sentence, -he said:</p> - -<p>“Perhaps I shall see with you, Zillah, soon. Meanwhile, -dear——”</p> - -<p>He lifted his hands, let them rest upon her head, and -softly, reverently, cried:—</p> - -<p>“The Lord bless thee and keep thee; the Lord make -his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; the -Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee -peace.”</p> - -<p>The sweet old Nazarite blessing never fell more tenderly -upon human ears than it did upon Zillah Robart. -Jehovah <i>had</i> been very gracious to her. She had feared -anger, indignation from her brother-in-law, she received -blessing instead.</p> - -<p>As he slowly lifted his hands from her head, she caught -them in hers, lifted them to her lips, and kissed them -gratefully.</p> - -<p>“May that blessing fall back upon your own head, upon -your heart, your life, dear Abraham?” she cried.</p> - -<p>Still holding his hands, she lifted her head. An eager -light filled all her face, as she added:—</p> - -<p>“It wants but a few days to Passover, dear, I shall<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184"></a>[184]</span> -pray God that He will reveal Jesus fully to you before -that!”</p> - -<p>She dropped his hands, and made for the door. “I -hear the children from school,” she cried. Then she -was gone.</p> - -<p>Cohen did not turn to his work. But taking a New -Testament from his pocket, began to study anew the -Passion of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185"></a>[185]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE PLACARD.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Riding</span> back to his office from that meeting Tom -Hammond asked himself:—“Ought I to begin to -make this near Return of our Lord for His church, the -subject of my ‘Prophet’s Chamber Column’ for to-morrow’s -issue?”</p> - -<p>“I must seek special guidance about this,” he presently -decided.</p> - -<p>The cab was nearing the office when he suddenly murmured:—“<span class="smcap">He</span> -might come <i>to-day</i>!”</p> - -<p>Even as he murmured the words his eyes seemed to -see a striking way of exhibiting his new-found faith in -the Return of his Lord, and he came to a rapid decision.</p> - -<p>Lifting the flap in the roof of the cab, he told the -driver to go on to a certain Sign and Ticket writer’s. -Arrived at the place, he explained to the writer that -he wanted a card three feet six inches long, proportionate -in width, very <i>boldly</i>, handsomely written with just the -two words upon it, in the order of his sketch.</p> - -<p>He had taken an odd piece of card from the man’s -scrap heap, and with his pencil he drew out his idea, -thus:—</p> - -<div class="box"> -<p class="center larger">TO-DAY?<br /> -PERHAPS!</p> -</div> - -<p>“How soon can I have it?” he asked.</p> - -<p>“In a couple of hours, sir!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186"></a>[186]</span></p> - -<p>“Pack it carefully and I will send a messenger for -it!”</p> - -<p>Hammond was turning from the counter, when the -man said:—</p> - -<p>“I beg your pardon, sir, but if it is not too bold a -question, may I ask what the two words mean?”</p> - -<p>“They mean,” smiled Tom Hammond, “that Jesus -Christ, God’s son, may come suddenly to-day, before even -you have time to finish the work upon my order!”</p> - -<p>The man’s face wore a puzzled look. Then suddenly -it brightened a little, as he said:—</p> - -<p>“Ah! I sees, its somethink religious. That aint in my -line, not a bit, sir. I aint built that way. Now, my -misses is! She’s the best wife a man ever had, I can’t -find a speck o’ fault wi’ her, but, there it is, yer know, -she’s gone, fair gone, sir, on religious things!”</p> - -<p>“Do you love her? Would you like to lose her?” -asked Hammond.</p> - -<p>“Like to lose her, sir? why, no, sir! I believes I -should—I should—well I don’t know what I should do, -if she wur took!”</p> - -<p>There was a note of deep gravity in Tom Hammond’s -voice, as he said:—</p> - -<p>“Then let that motto warn you, as you prepare to -write it, that even before you can finish it, the Christ who -is to come again, who <i>will</i> surely come now very soon, -may come. Then, when you go to look for your wife, -when you are perhaps expecting her to call you to your -tea, she will be missing. You will call her, search for -her, yet never find her. Because, if she is a true child -of God, she, with all <i>true</i> Christians, will have been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187"></a>[187]</span> -snatched away unseen from the world, caught up to meet -their Lord in the air.”</p> - -<p>“Good gracious, sir! yer give me the creeps!” gasped -the man.</p> - -<p>“‘Seek ye the Lord’—your good wife’s Lord,—‘while -He may be found,’ my friend.” With this parting word -Tom Hammond left the shop.</p> - -<p>Two hours and a half later the splendid bit of sign -writing hung upon the wall of Hammond’s room.</p> - -<p>It was a most striking placard. The first letter of -each word nearly eight inches in length, and in brilliant -crimson, the other letters six inches long in deep, purple -black.</p> - -<p>As he sat back and regarded it where it hung, Tom -Hammond mused on all that he had heard that afternoon, -of the effects upon the lives of those who possessed -a real heart apprehension of the truth of the near Return -of the Lord.</p> - -<p>“One can scarcely conceive,” he murmured, “what -London, what all the civilized, and so-called Christian -world, would be like, if every man and woman, who -<i>professes</i> to be a christian, lived in the light of the truth -that the Lord’s return was near, was imminent. ‘Every -man’ (he was recalling the truth quoted that afternoon), -‘<i>Who hath this Hope in him, purifieth himself even as -He (Jesus) is pure.</i>’”</p> - -<p>The rest of the day was a busy one. Many callers -came in. Everyone noticed the strange placard. Some -asked what it meant. Modestly, but with strong purpose, -and with perfect frankness, Hammond told each and all -who enquired, of his change of heart, and how possessed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188"></a>[188]</span> -with the fact that Christ’s return was imminent, he had -had the placard done for his own, and for others quickening -and reminder.</p> - -<p>People smiled indulgently, but entered into no argument -with him. He was too important a man for that, and, -equally, they dare not <i>pooh-pooh</i> his testimony, wild as -it appeared to most, if not all of them.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189"></a>[189]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.<br /> -<span class="smaller">WAS HE MAD?</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Madge</span>, a wife of barely eighteen hours, found her -husband’s church packed in every nook and corner -when she entered it on the Sunday morning.</p> - -<p>The news of her sudden return, and equally sudden -marriage, had helped to fill the church, though the knowledge -that the Rev. Doig was to preach would, in itself, -have been sufficient to have gathered an unusually large -congregation.</p> - -<p>During the pastor’s sickness the pulpit had been supplied -by various good men, secured by the deacons from -all over the county. Doig had preached twice before, -and was already a great favourite with the people.</p> - -<p>The pastor had not been well enough to be present -at any service for many weeks, and as he entered the -church this morning, leaning heavily upon his wife’s -arm, he received quite an ovation from the people.</p> - -<p>In spite of the curiosity and excitement over Madge’s -appearance, the congregation speedily settled down to -quiet worship. There was something subducing, quieting -in the preacher’s manner. Just before the address, the -people sang:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Lo! God is here! let us adore,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And own how dreadful is this place!</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Let all within us feel His power,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And silent bow before His face;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Who know His power, His grace who prove,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Serve Him with awe, with reverence, love.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>With the singing of this hymn a deep, deep solemnity<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190"></a>[190]</span> -came down upon the assembly. It deepened as the -preacher unfolded the wonders of the Bible revelation -relating to the Lord’s second coming.</p> - -<p>Madge forgot her husband, as, absorbed by the wonder -of the revelation, she drank in the glorious truth. Had -she been more alert in watching the pastor, she would -have seen how restless he grew! How angrily his eyes -flashed! How scowling his beetling brows became.</p> - -<p>Some of the people noticed their pastor’s evident displeasure, -and so did one or two of the deacons. But no -one dreamed that he would dare to utter any dissent to -the service.</p> - -<p>Was he mad? Perhaps he was, for the time, as many -men and women become, who nurse a groundless, senseless -anger and jealousy! He was jealous of this man’s -hold upon the people. He had not dreamed that any -man could hold his congregation, as this man was holding -them. He was angry, too, at the doctrine preached.</p> - -<p>With a startling suddenness he leaped to his feet, -forgetting his weakness, as he cried:—</p> - -<p>“I will not have that lying, senseless nonsense—worse -than nonsense—preached in <i>my</i> church, Mr. Doig. You -will either announce another text, and take a different -subject, sir, or you must cease to preach!”</p> - -<p>A slight flush rose into the cheeks of the preacher, as -he half turned to the pastor, and in low, but firm voice, -heard everywhere amid the sudden strained silence, he -said:—</p> - -<p>“Dear Pastor, if you insist, (you have the <i>legal</i> right -to do so, as <i>pastor</i> of this church, I suppose) I will -desist. But I cannot, if I preach on, do other than -declare all that God would have me do. Why, even as<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191"></a>[191]</span> -we are here, our Loving Lord may come, and if I faltered -in my testimony I should have to meet Him ashamedly—and—”</p> - -<p>“Rot!” muttered the pastor. The word was heard by -everyone, and a murmur of strong dissent ran through -the place.</p> - -<p>With a white angry face, and flashing savage eyes, -the Pastor walked to the table, and leant upon it heavily -in his weakness, as he cried hoarsely, “This service is -now concluded. While I hold the pastorate, no such -sentimental rubbish, as Mr. Doig seems bent upon giving -us, shall be voiced from this platform.”</p> - -<p>One of the deacons protested. The pastor was firm. -Passion had rendered him temporarily irresponsible. -Another of the deacons, who had been conferring with -Doig—who had whispered the facts of the pastor’s evident -temporary irresponsibility—now urged the people to -disperse quietly.</p> - -<p>Doig walked down to his host, and whispered, “if I -go at once, it will help matters.” The pair then left the -church. The congregation followed quickly. The deacons -remained behind to confer together over the situation, -which was of a hitherto unheard of character.</p> - -<p class="tb">The pastor had left by the side door, and leaning more -heavily than ever upon Madge, they made their way to -the house of Thaddeus Finisterre, Madge’s father. They -were staying there. They took a private way, by which -they were spared the unpleasantness of meeting any of -the congregation.</p> - -<p>Four minutes took them to the house. Neither of -them spoke during the brief journey. For the first time<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192"></a>[192]</span> -in her life Madge knew what it was to feel the touch -of fear. She had married the man by her side knowing -comparatively little of his real character and temperament.</p> - -<p>“There may be insanity in his family,” she mused, as -she walked by his side. She had already told herself -that nothing but a temporary touch of madness could -have led to his outburst in the church.</p> - -<p>Arrived at the house, the pastor went straight to his -room, this gave Madge an opportunity to confer with her -father and mother a moment.</p> - -<p>“His long anxious illness has unsettled his brain a -little!” the mother said. “The best thing will be to take -no notice, let us all be as cheerful, as much like our -ordinary selves, as we can. Then, if we can persuade -him to go away to-morrow, I guess the best thing for you -to do, Madge, will be to get a good doctor to examine -him, and to prescribe for him.”</p> - -<p>The dinner-meal which followed, presently, was fairly -free of constraint. After dinner Mr. and Mrs. Finisterre -slipped away and left the husband and wife to themselves.</p> - -<p>Almost immediately the pair were left, the pastor began -to abuse the preacher of the morning, and to denounce -the teaching of the Lord’s second coming.</p> - -<p>“But, my dear,” cried Madge, “it is evidently almost -the most prominent doctrine in the New Testament. -There are more direct references to it in the New Testament, -Mr. Doig said, than to any other revealed doctrine.”</p> - -<p>“But its not <i>my</i> doctrine,” snapped the pastor, “not -the doctrine of <i>our</i> church. It was scoffed at at our college, -when <i>I</i> was a student, and—and—”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_193"></a>[193]</span></p> - -<p>Madge gazed wonderingly at him. His argument -seemed so puerile, if not actually sinful.</p> - -<p>“But,” she cried, “I don’t see how that argument -holds. To me, it sounds like blasphemy, almost, to say -<i>I</i>, as a <i>minister</i>, and <i>we</i> as a <i>church</i>, will not preach the -most prominent doctrine of the New Testament, because -of the foolish abuse of the teaching by here and there a -wild visionary who lets his fancy and whim run away with -his judgment. Suppose, dear Homer, some church or -minister should say, ‘We won’t preach the doctrine of the -Atonement,’ would that save them from the charge of -blasphemy, when God says:</p> - -<p>“‘If any man shall take away from the words of the -book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out -of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and from -the things which are written in his Book.’”</p> - -<p>The pastor gazed at her in amazement. Her fashion -of putting the matter gave him small opportunity of -replying, so he took refuge in the coarse sneer:—</p> - -<p>“Have you turned <i>Doigite</i>?”</p> - -<p>With a quick flush in her cheeks, and sudden flashing -of eye, Madge replied:—</p> - -<p>“If by that you mean, do I see, and have I accepted -the revelation of the Word of God, as to the near coming -of Christ, then I say ‘<i>yes</i>.’ I am <i>not</i> a Doigite, but I am, -thank God, a Christian! A very young one, a very poor -and inexperienced one, ’tis true, but still I am one, and -am desirous to live to the Lord to whom I have given -myself, and, after all I heard from the preacher this -morning, I am more than ever determined to serve Christ -wholly, and I can quite see how this wondrous <i>fact</i> of the -near Return of our Lord will be a new and mighty force -to revolutionize all my life.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_194"></a>[194]</span></p> - -<p>An ugly snarl curled the lips of the amazed, discomfited -pastor, and he was just beginning a cruel little -speech, when one of the Deacons was announced.</p> - -<p>Madge left the two men alone. As she passed on to -her own room there was a terrible pain at her heart, for -the hideous thought came to her:—“Can Homer be truly -converted? If he is, how can it be that he flatly refuses -to believe what God has so plainly revealed?”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_195"></a>[195]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">FROM THE PROPHET’S CHAMBER.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Tom Hammond</span> was alone in his editorial office. -He had come to the day, the moment at last, when -he felt constrained to write out of his full heart, to the -readers of his paper, all that he yearned that the world -should know of the imminence of the Return of the -Lord.</p> - -<p>Before he put pen to paper to write on this supreme -theme in his “Prophet’s Chamber” column, he bowed -his head on his desk and prayed for guidance and help. -Then he began to write out his heart fully, telling first -of his conversion, and of the wondrous meetings conducted -by Major H——.</p> - -<p>His whole being was fired with holy purpose. “Had -ever a preacher such a pulpit as has the editor of “The -Courier?” he wrote. “Had any preacher ever so mighty -a privilege, so great a responsibility as is mine to-day? -This paper circulates through more than a million people’s -hands, even allowing that only the one person purchasing -the paper, reads it—though one might almost safely -double that million, since there are very few of the -papers which will not be read by <i>two</i>, or more persons.</p> - -<p>“This ‘Prophet’s Column’ will likely overflow all its -ordinary banks, as does the Great Nile in its season, -but if my overflowing but carry life on its tide, as does -the tide of the overflowing Nile, then, all will be well.</p> - -<p>“As a converted Editor of a great daily, I have put -my hand, my pen, my mind into the mighty, unerring<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_196"></a>[196]</span> -hand of God, praying that I may write only that which -will reach the <i>hearts</i> of my readers. And the question -comes to me, ‘what word does London, does England -most need to-day?’</p> - -<p>“This—that all the world should know, and realize, -that any day, aye, any hour, Christ may return—not -to the earth but <i>into the air</i>—”</p> - -<p>Here followed the teaching of the Gospel and Epistles, -as he had learned it from Major H——, and from his -own subsequent personal study of the Word of God.</p> - -<p>“I appeal to the most thoughtful of my readers, I -appeal to the unthinking, as I say, ‘do you not see how -a real belief, in this near coming of Christ would revolutionize -all our national, commercial, domestic, and church -life. How, too, it would immediately settle every social -problem.’</p> - -<p>“If our legislators, sitting in council at St. Stephens, -realized that before the present Parliamentary session -could end in the ordinary way, that Christ might come, -what a speedy end they would seek to put to every -national iniquity.</p> - -<p>“The hideous drink traffic would be swept, root and -branch, from our land. And, in sweeping that curse -away, the awful problem of the unemployed, the homeless, -the starving, all that inures to our national poverty -would be swept away.</p> - -<p>“The shameful opium traffic with China; the national -Greed for territory; the Traffic in White Slaves; and -every other national iniquity would be abolished.</p> - -<p>“Christian churches, (so-called) would become worthy -of the name <i>Christian</i>. All those bits of devilish device -used to extract, and extort money from the pockets -of the people would end, as by magic. Theatricals<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_197"></a>[197]</span> -would be left to the theatres; nigger entertainments -would be left to the music-halls; the church would leave -all these things to their master—<i>the Devil</i>.</p> - -<p>“In <i>social</i> life, people would pay their debts; the wild, -mad, sinful extravagance that marks the life of to-day, -would cease. Christians would love one another. Every -Evangelical denomination would be <i>inter</i>-denominational -in the truest sense, and be <i>one</i> wholly in their Crucified, -Risen, coming Lord. A love for the poor fallen world, -such as has never been since our Lord spent Himself in -service, would be the order of the day, and not the -vision of a few. Every missionary society would have -more men and women and money than they actually -needed.</p> - -<p>“But, even as I pen this millennium-like picture, I know, -from the Word of God, that it <i>cannot</i> be <i>before</i> Christ -comes. But I seek to arouse every <i>Christian</i> to God’s -call to them on this matter. You, who profess to be -Christ’s, dare not refuse this truth, save at the peril of -losing the <i>Crown</i> of Life.</p> - -<p>“The vast bulk of the churches, I know, preach, that -the world will continually improve until the earth shall -be fit for Christ to come and reign. But I defy any -cleric or layman to show me a single word of scripture -that gives the faintest colour to that belief, or statement—unless -the person wrests the passage so advanced from -its distinctly marked <i>dispensational</i> setting.</p> - -<p>“Things (spiritual) are growing worse and worse. -There is a wholesale down-gradeism, too awful to contemplate. -‘Priest and people have erred alike!’ I take -up the official organ of a section of the church that has -ever been regarded as the most out-an-out, in all that -pertains to Evangelical truth, and I find its great head<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_198"></a>[198]</span> -saying ‘The Bible is <i>not</i> the sole spiritual guide for the -christian, for, practically, the Bible is a <i>dead</i> book!’</p> - -<p>“The chief leader-writer of that same paper—himself -usually regarded as the soundest of Believers, the most -trenchant of all Evangelical preachers, writes in one of -a series of articles, ‘That the so-called <i>Finished work</i> -of Christ, is a doctrine not to be found in scripture,’ -and glories in the fact that ‘<i>we</i> never have, and, I trust, -we never shall, preach this doctrine.’</p> - -<p>“All this but proves the truth of the New Testament -prophecies, ‘<i>Perilous</i> times shall come,’ ‘Evil men and -seducers shall wax worse and worse, <i>deceiving</i>, and <i>being -deceived</i>.’ If only we could all be induced to read the -signs of the times in the light of scripture! we should -then realize that we were in the thickest darkness of -the world’s blackest night, the darkness immediately preceding -the dawn, and we should be looking for ‘the -Morning Star.’”</p> - -<p>Here, writing with swift, eager pen, he went over -the ground covered by Major H——, as regarded the -signs of the coming of the Lord—the movement among -the Jews; their excitement, as a race, over the date -discovery 5,666; the preparations for the rebuilding of -the Temple. Then the increased effort in the Foreign -Mission fields. The growth of the spirit of lawlessness -in the world, and in the church. The multiplicity of -spiritualistic devices—<i>doctrine of Devils</i>. The awakening -of all real, true, spiritually-minded Bible <i>students</i> -to the fact of Christ’s near Return. And the great, -but often disregarded sign, “the scoffers who shall say -where is the promise of His coming? for, since the -Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were -from the beginning of creation.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_199"></a>[199]</span></p> - -<p>“But He <i>will</i> come! He is near at hand! Every sign -of the times proclaims this! It is <span class="smcap">night</span>, now, and He -will come as a thief in the night. At any moment now -we may look for Him. Before this news-sheet, damp -from the press, is in the hands of my readers, Christ -<i>may</i> have come and taken away <i>every one</i> of His own -Believing people—<i>I</i> shall be missing, another here, and -another there will be missing.</p> - -<p>“And when a puzzled, troubled London shall be gathering -in business, that saying shall have come to pass, -‘<i>The one shall be taken, the other left!</i>’ (For though -this word is <i>primarily Jewish</i> in its application, it will -yet have a measure of meaning for the world, when the -Church is taken away).</p> - -<p>“May every <i>Christian</i> be ready to meet His Lord, -when He shall come, and every unready, unsaved soul -who reads these ‘Prophet’s Chamber’ columns, seek the -face of God through faith in the Atoning work of Jesus -Christ. For, believe me, His Return is very near, to -some of us the sound of His footfalls is even now in our -ears.”</p> - -<p>He bent his head over the written sheets, praying God -to bless the message. Then an interruption came. A -knock at the door, and his sub, Ralph Bastin entered.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_200"></a>[200]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">PASSOVER!</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Cohen</span>, the Jew, blew out the candle, and set the -stand aside. The knees of his trousers were pressed -and dusty. He had just been over the whole house, -lighted candle in hand, and had searched every nook -and crannie, every cupboard, every shelf, under the edge -of every carpet, looking for the faintest sign of leaven -in the form of bread, cake, or biscuit crumb. He had -found nothing, and went to his room to bathe and change -his clothing.</p> - -<p>“What of you, Zillah?” he had asked the lovely girl, -earlier in the day. “With your newly-espoused faith -in the Nazarene, shall you partake of the lamb with us?”</p> - -<p>“Certainly, I will,” she replied, “<i>only</i> I shall take the -meal more in the spirit of the Lord’s Supper, of the -Christian Church. And Abraham——”</p> - -<p>Her eyes, as they were lifted to his, swam with tender, -pitying tears, as she added:</p> - -<p>“All the time I shall be praying that you may meet -the Christ of God, Jesus of Nazareth; and while you -seek to remember our people’s deliverance from the land -of Bondage, I shall be praying that you, dear Abram, -may be delivered from the bondage of the legalism of -our race.”</p> - -<p class="tb">The Passover table was spread in Cohen’s house. The -arrangement of that table was a curious mixture of -Mosaic and Rabbinical command. In the case of all but<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_201"></a>[201]</span> -really very pious Jews of this day, the real and actual -Passover is not kept.</p> - -<p>Passover—(<i>chag Appesach</i> of the Jews) <i>must</i> have -a lamb roasted to make it the <i>real</i> feast, the ordinary -Jew to-day, contents himself with an egg, and a burnt -shank-bone of mutton, and unleavened cakes.</p> - -<p>Cohen’s Passover Feast always included a small lamb. -Still, Rabbinical lore and Bible command were curiously -mixed in the Cohen celebration.</p> - -<p>The table, to-night, had an egg according to Rabbinical -order, but there was a tiny roast lamb as well. There -was the glass dish of bitter herbs; the salt water, typifying -the tears of Israelitish misery in Egypt; a dish of -almonds, apples, and other fruit, chopped and mixed, -represented the lime and mortar of the Brick-making in -the Land of Bondage.</p> - -<p>Chervil and parsley were there, and lettuce. A large -pile of unleavened cakes, a big coloured glass ewer with -unfermented wine and water, and many other items -considered to be the orthodox thing at the Feast.</p> - -<p>All the Cohen household was there. Zillah, radiant -with the glow of the new life in Christ that had come to -her.</p> - -<p>Rachel, her sister, was red-eyed and sullen. Zillah -had been pleading with her to open her mind, and her -heart to the Christian teaching of the Messiah who had -come, and who had atoned for <i>all</i> the race, Jew and -Gentile alike.</p> - -<p>Angry and sullen, the wife had said hard things of -Zillah. Her frivolous, irresponsible nature was more -than satisfied with the barest <i>form</i> of the faith of her -race.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_202"></a>[202]</span></p> - -<p>The two children were full of suppressed excitement, -the elder—the boy—especially.</p> - -<p>Cohen, the head of the house, was singularly quiet -and grave. His eyes had a far-away look in them. He -looked like a man moving in a trance.</p> - -<p>Presently the boy, (he had been carefully coached) -asked, according to the usual formula:</p> - -<p>“What mean ye, father, by this Service?”</p> - -<p>Cohen’s eyes stared over the head of his son, and in -a voice very unlike its usual tones, replied:—</p> - -<p>“<i>It is the Sacrifice of Jehovah’s Passover, who halted -by the blood-sprinkled houses of our fathers in Egypt, -that the destroying angel should come not nigh, when -He smote the Egyptians, but preserved our fathers.</i>”</p> - -<p>“Will our people <i>ever</i> do this, father?” queried the -boy.</p> - -<p>“Till Messiah come, they will, dear son.” The strained -gaze of Cohen, as he answered, was as though he was -trying to pierce Time’s veil, and see the coming Messiah -approaching.</p> - -<p>“<i>When</i> will Messiah come, father?” continued the boy.</p> - -<p>“<i>To-night</i>, perhaps, my son. Set His chair! Open -the door!”</p> - -<p>Swiftly, but with remarkable quietude, for a child, -the boy placed a chair at the table, then, stepping briskly, -silently to the door, he set it wide open, and left it thus, -and returned to his place by the table.</p> - -<p>Rachel took the ewer and poured out a little wine and -water into each glass. In her sullenness, as she came -to Zillah’s glass, she slopped the wine over the edge. -The children glanced curiously from the spilled wine -to the face of their aunt, then at their father’s face.</p> - -<p>Zillah’s face flushed; Cohen’s grew pale, and set in a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_203"></a>[203]</span> -sharp spasm of pain. No word was said, each took up -their glass, and drank the <i>first</i> cup of blessing.</p> - -<p>There was a moment’s pause, then Cohen spread his -hands, bowed his head, and repeated “The Blessing:—”</p> - -<p>“<i>The Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make His -face shine upon us and be gracious unto us. The Lord -lift up the light of his countenance upon us and give us -peace.</i>”</p> - -<p>Under her breath, yet distinctly heard by Cohen, in -the solemn hush that followed the Blessing, Zillah murmured:—</p> - -<p>“<i>But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were -afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.</i> <span class="smcap">For -He is our Peace.</span>”</p> - -<p>Cohen glanced quietly at her. She met the glance -with one of intense yearning. He translated it rightly, -as meaning “If <i>only</i> you could see this truth?”</p> - -<p>There were two bowls of water set on a side-board. -Cohen and his wife rinsed their hands in one bowl, Zillah -and the two children in the other.</p> - -<p>Addressing himself to his son, more than to the others, -Cohen, when they had returned to the table, as the head -of the house was instructed to do, explained why they -sat at the Feast:—</p> - -<p>“Our Fathers, when they took the Feast for the <i>first</i> -time in Egypt, my son, took it <i>standing</i>, with their loins -girt, and their staff in hand, for <i>they</i> were starting on that -great journey that eventually lasted forty years. But -we, their descendants, eat the feast to-day, <i>sitting</i> at our -ease, as a symbol that our people have been delivered -from the cruel bondage.”</p> - -<p>Then the <i>first</i> Hallel was repeated.—Psalms 113, and -114. The <i>second</i> cup of Blessing was taken by each.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_204"></a>[204]</span> -Then Cohen asked a Blessing on <i>each</i> kind of food on -the table. Then he carved a portion of lamb for each -one, they took their seats, and the meal began.</p> - -<p>The children were excused from eating the stinging -bitter herbs. But Cohen, Rachel, and Zillah, each took a -little with their lamb and unleavened bread.</p> - -<p>Conversation became fairly general over the meal, -except that Rachel’s sullen anger increased, and she kept -silent.</p> - -<p>At the conclusion of the meal, the <i>third</i> cup of Blessing -was drunk, and Cohen repeated the 115, 116, 117, -118, Psalm. At the close of the Hallel, the <i>fourth</i>, and -last cup of Blessing was taken. The Feast was over.</p> - -<p>A sudden silence fell upon them all. No one moved, -no one spoke, for a moment. Suddenly Zillah broke -the dead silence. She had a glorious voice, and she let -it ring out in that wondrous song:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“Not all the blood of beasts</div> - <div class="verse indent4">On Jewish altars slain</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Could give the guilty conscience peace,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Or wash away our stain.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>No one interrupted. Cohen <i>could</i> not, for the thrall -of some strange, new power was upon him. His wife -was furious—but kept her fury bottled up. The children -were delighted, they loved to hear their aunt sing, and -to the amaze of their father and mother—they joined in -the singing, for, with other children, they had often -of late been to the evening meeting for Jewish children. -And Zillah, who had talked with them, believed that -they loved the Christ.</p> - -<p>Without a break, the three voices sang on:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“But Christ the Heavenly Lamb,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">Takes all our sins away;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">A sacrifice of nobler name,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And richer Blood than they.</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_205"></a>[205]</span> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“My faith would lay her hand</div> - <div class="verse indent4">On that meek head of Thine,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">While as a penitent I stand,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And here confess my sin.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“My soul looks back to see</div> - <div class="verse indent4">The burden Thou didst bear</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When hanging on the accursed tree,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And knows her guilt was there.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“Believing we rejoice</div> - <div class="verse indent4">To feel the curse remove;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And trust His bleeding love.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Again, for full thirty seconds, as the glorious song -finished, there was an absolute silence, save for the -ricketting of Rachel’s chair, as she moved in pettish -anger on her seat.</p> - -<p>Zillah had kept her eyes fixed upon Cohen’s face all -the time she was singing, and had seen a strangely wondrous -light slowly gather in his eyes. She had known, -for days, that he was very, very near to the point of -acceptance of Christ. Even as they had gathered at the -table of the Passover, she was not sure, but that in all -but profession and testimony, he was a Christian.</p> - -<p>Now he suddenly broke the silence.</p> - -<p>“Sing the last two verses again, Zillah” he said.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“<i>My</i> soul looks back to see</div> - <div class="verse indent4">The burden Thou didst bear</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When hanging on the accursed tree,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And knows her guilt was there.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Zillah’s glorious voice rang out. And now, even to -<i>her</i> wonder, Cohen’s deeper tones joined hers. Her heart -leaped as she noted the emphasis he put upon the “<i>My</i> -soul.”</p> - -<p>She sang on. His voice sang on too. Then came<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_206"></a>[206]</span> -the last verse, and in a perfect burst of triumph, his -voice rang out:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent4">“Believing <i>I</i> rejoice</div> - <div class="verse indent4">To feel the curse remove;</div> - <div class="verse indent0"><i>I</i> bless the Lamb with cheerful voice,</div> - <div class="verse indent4">And trust His bleeding love!”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>It was a strangely ecstatic moment for Zillah. Tears -flooded her eyes, she tried to speak, but her emotion -choked her.</p> - -<p>Cohen stood up. His face was ablaze with the wonder -of the revelation that had come to him. He spread his -hands upward, and his eyes were lifted in the same direction, -as he cried:—</p> - -<p>“Thou loving Christ! Thou Precious Jesus! I am -<i>Thine</i>—<span class="smcap">thine</span>—THINE—!”</p> - -<p>Then he remembered his wife.</p> - -<p>“Rachael, dear heart,” he cried, as he moved to her side. -“Machael, wife of my heart. Jesus <i>is</i> the Messiah!”</p> - -<p>“Bah!” she cried. With a thrust of her hand and foot, -she kept him from her. Then in tones of withering -scorn and disgust, she cried:</p> - -<p>“Mehusmed!”</p> - -<p>He bent over her very tenderly, stooping to meet her -eyes, and trying to take her hand.</p> - -<p>The two children clung to Zillah, and the boy suddenly -began to pipe out, in his clear treble, the hymn so -beloved of Jewish children who attend the mission meetings.</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Come to the Saviour, Make no delay,”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Rachael shot a fiercely angry glance in the boy’s direction, -then without looking at her husband, she thrust -at him, to prevent his taking her hand, as she cried:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_207"></a>[207]</span></p> - -<p>“Accursed! Mehusmed! Don’t touch <i>me</i>!”</p> - -<p>“But, Rachael!” he began tenderly.</p> - -<p>She flung herself sharply round upon him and spat -full in his face. Then she turned sharply from him -again.</p> - -<p>A full half minute went by. The room grew so eerily -still that it startled her. She turned to gaze where the -quartette had been.</p> - -<p>The room was empty save for herself!</p> - -<p>With a cry she started to her feet. They could not -have gone out of the door for her chair had all the time -stood right in the way. What was this then that had -happened?</p> - -<p>Her breath came hot and laboured. Her eye-balls -bulged horribly! A reeling sickness began to steal over -her. She dropped back, terrified, in her chair, gasping:—</p> - -<p>“Zillah said this morning “The Christ will come <i>soon, -suddenly</i>, then those who are His, will be taken, unseen, -unheard, from the world!”</p> - -<p>With a sharp, anguished cry, she let her bulging, terror-filled -eyes sweep the room again as she cried:—</p> - -<p>“And my <i>children</i>, too!”</p> - -<p>Her eyes were tearless, but dry, hard sobs shook all -her frame.</p> - -<p>The next moment a kind of frenzy seized her. She -rushed to the front door, and into the street. She -would find out if any one else was missing.</p> - -<p>A little crowd was on the pavement. A hansom cab -stood by the curb. The fare was standing on the front -board. He was a minister of some kind. He wore a -M.B. waistcoat, a clerical collar, a soft, wide-brimmed, -black felt hat. He glanced up at the driver’s seat, as he -cried:—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_208"></a>[208]</span></p> - -<p>“But <i>some</i> one, <i>surely</i>, must have seen what became -of him. If he fell off his box in a fit, where is his -body?”</p> - -<p>“I seed him one hinstant,” cried a voice from the -crowd, “I wur lookin straight at ’im, ’cos I sed to myself, -taint often as yer see a kebby wear a white ’at, now-a-days. -Then, while I wur starin’ at ’im, he sort o’ disappeared, -the reins fell on the roof o’ the keb, the ’oss -stopped, an—”</p> - -<p>“He’s gone!” shrieked a woman’s voice.</p> - -<p>It was Rachael. Bare-headed, dressed in all her festal -finery, she had just rushed down the steps of the house, -and heard the question and answer as to the disappearance -of the hansom driver. The crowd turned and faced -her, her shrill tones had startled them.</p> - -<p>“He’s gone to Jehovah!” she screamed again. “My -husband, my sister, my two children—we were at Passover—we——”</p> - -<p>With a piercing shriek she flung up her arms, laughed -hideously and fell in a huddled heap on the bottom step -of the flight.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_209"></a>[209]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“THIS SAYING SHALL COME TO PASS.”</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Tom Hammond</span> greeted his <i>sub</i> most heartily. -Ralph had been away, in Paris, for a fortnight, -partly on business, partly for a change.</p> - -<p>As soon as their greetings were exchanged, he turned -eagerly to Hammond, as he said:—</p> - -<p>“But I say, old man, what on earth is all this jargon -you wrote me about, the return of the Christ, and——”</p> - -<p>He paused suddenly. His eyes had just caught sight -of the great placard. His gaze was riveted on it. He -read the two words aloud:—</p> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">To-day? Perhaps!</span>”</p> - -<p>In a voice of wondering amaze, he gasped:—</p> - -<p>“What’s <i>that</i>, Tom? What <i>does</i> it mean?”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond repeated, in a few sentences, what -he had previously written to his friend, as to his conversion, -then, passing on to the subject of the Lord’s -second coming, he said:</p> - -<p>“I am so impressed, Ralph, with the imminence of -our Lord’s return, that I have had that placard done -to arrest the attention of callers upon me, and give me -an opportunity of speaking to them about their eternal -destiny. To-day, too, I have been impressed so with -the necessity of speaking to the world—“The Courier’s” -world, I mean of course—on this great, this momentous -subject, that I have made it the subject of my ‘Prophet’s -Chamber’ column.”</p> - -<p>He gathered up the sheets of his M.S. he had written,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_210"></a>[210]</span> -and passed them over the table to Ralph Bastin.</p> - -<p>“You will see, I have written it in the most simple, -almost colloquial style, Ralph,” he said. “I wanted it -to be a man’s quiet, earnest, simple utterance to his fellow -man, and not a journalist’s article.”</p> - -<p>Ralph Bastin’s eyes raced over the papers. His face -was a strange study, while he read, reflecting a score -of different, ever-changing emotions, but amid them all -never losing a constant deepening amaze.</p> - -<p>As he finished the last sheet, he looked Tom Hammond -hard and searchingly in the face.</p> - -<p>“My dear Tom,” he began. His voice was very grave, -very serious. “You’ll ruin The Courier! You will ruin -yourself! The world will call you mad——!”</p> - -<p>“They called my Lord mad, Ralph, and they have called -His servants mad, over and over again, ever since.”</p> - -<p>There was not a shadow of cant in his voice and -manner, as he went on:—</p> - -<p>“The word of our God, Ralph—which is the <i>only real</i> -rule of life, tells us that Christ, whose name I profess, -said:—</p> - -<p>“‘Whosoever shall confess me, before men, him will -I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven.... -If any man will come after Me, <i>let him deny himself</i>, -and take up his cross <i>daily</i>, and follow Me. For whosoever -will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will -lose his life, for My sake, the same shall save it. For -what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world -and lose his own soul....</p> - -<p>“‘For whosoever shall be ashamed of me <i>and of My -words</i>.’ (‘<i>Surely I come quickly</i>,’ Ralph, is one of <i>His -very last</i> recorded words,) ‘of him shall the Son of Man<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_211"></a>[211]</span> -be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, and -in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.’”</p> - -<p>Tom Hammond leant forward in his chair to lay his -hand on the wrist of the other, to plead with him. But, -with an exclamation of angry impatience, Ralph, cried:</p> - -<p>“Hang it, old man, you must be going dotty!”</p> - -<p>With an expression of annoyance, almost amounting -to disgust, he swung round on his heel.</p> - -<p>“Look here, Tom,” he began.</p> - -<p>He swirled back to meet his friend face to face.</p> - -<p>Then, with a startled cry, he stared at the chair, in -which, an instant before, Tom Hammond had been sitting.</p> - -<p>The chair was empty!</p> - -<p>“Good God!” he gasped.</p> - -<p>Instinctively he knew what had happened! Involuntarily -his eyes travelled to the Placard, and in the same -moment he recalled the closing words of Tom Hammond’s -M.S. which he had just read:—</p> - -<p>“‘<i>Then shall it come to pass, that which is written</i>, -“<span class="smcap">One shall be taken, the other left.</span>’”</p> - -<p>A strange, unnatural trembling seized him. He dropped -into the chair he had been occupying, and stared -at the empty revolving chair opposite.</p> - -<p>“Good——God!” He slowly repeated the words. -There was no thought of irreverence in the utterance. -It was the unconscious acknowledgment of God’s Presence -and Power.</p> - -<p>For a time—he never knew how long—he sat still -and silent like a man stunned. Then, as his eyes travelled -slowly to where the sheets of M.S.’s lay, he smiled wearily, -drew them towards him, and took his stylo from his -pocket. Putting the most powerful pressure of his will<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_212"></a>[212]</span> -upon himself, he began to write after the last works penned -by his translated chief:—</p> - -<p>“P.S.—Written by the sub-editor of “The Courier.” -By the time this printed sheet is being read, the world -will have learned that a section of the community has -been suddenly taken from our midst. The Editor of -The Courier, the giant mind and kindly heart of Tom -Hammond, have been taken from us.</p> - -<p>“The writer of this postscript, who was in the room, -when the “Prophet” of The Courier was taken, was in -the act of scorning his message as to the nearing of the -great translation. “In a moment, in the twinkling of -an eye” he was gone.</p> - -<p>“The writer has not left the room since, and has no -means of knowing who else among those known to him -are missing,—not many <i>personal</i> acquaintances, he fears, -since one’s personal clique has never shown any very -marked signs of what one has <i>hitherto</i> considered an -<i>ultra</i> type of Christianity, a condition of “<i>righteous overmuch</i>.”</p> - -<p>“When we pass out of this room, presently, and touch -the great outside world once more, what shall we find? -How soon will it be generally known that a section of -the community—a larger section, maybe, than we conceive -possible—has been silently, suddenly, secretly taken -from our midst? What will follow? Where are the -prophets who shall teach us where we are, and what -we may expect? Does the end of the world follow -next? Is there any order of events, specified in the -Bible, that follows this mysterious translation, if so, -what is it? Who will show us these things?</p> - -<p>“Again, since I, the writer of this postscript, am left, -while my friend, Hammond, is taken, <i>why am I left</i>, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_213"></a>[213]</span> -why shall I find—as of course I shall when I begin to go -abroad among mine acquaintance—hundreds of others -<i>left</i>? I have been christened, confirmed, have occasionally -‘communicated,’—this is the clerical term, though as -I write, it occurs to me that there must have been some -flaw, somewhere, in the ‘<i>communicating</i>.’</p> - -<p>“I have always supposed myself a Christian by virtue -of these things, to which a clean, decent life has been -added. Thousands upon thousands, I feel sure, will -be puzzled by this same contemplation, when this wonderful -Translation becomes generally known.</p> - -<p>“If we are not made Christians by christening, confirmation, -communicating, why have we always been -taught so, by our clergy? How many of these same -clergy shall we find <i>left</i> behind.</p> - -<p>“And I suppose there will have been some kind of -kindred process at work among the Nonconformists -bodies—in pulpit and pew, alike. For ourselves, we -have come little in contact with Nonconformity, but, -if what is accepted generally, to-day, as to the religious -situation, be true—that the curse of the Ritualism of the -‘Establishment,’ finds its parallel in the Rationalism, Unitarianism, -Socialism, etc., of Nonconformity—then I shall -expect to find as many Nonconformists, lay and ministerial, -<i>left</i> behind from this mysterious, spiritual translation, -as churchmen.”</p> - -<p>There came a tap at the door. The messenger boy -Charley, appeared. He glanced towards the empty Editor’s -chair, then stammered.</p> - -<p>“I beg pardon, sir, I thought Mr. Hammond was here, -sir. They have jest blown up the tube to know if the -‘Prophet’s’ column was ready.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_214"></a>[214]</span></p> - -<p>Ralph Bastin noticed that the eyes of the boy flitted -from his face to the placard.</p> - -<p>“Know what that means, Charley?” Bastin asked.</p> - -<p>“Yus, sir, leastways, I knows what Mr. Hammond -means by it! E sez that Jesus Christ’s comin’ back, an’ -goin’ to take all the real Christians out ’er the world, -an’ nobody wont see ’em go, nor nothink. I ’eard Mr. -Hammond ’splainin’ it all to a gent, t’other day.”</p> - -<p>Curious to know if the boy himself had thought seriously -at all of the matter, Bastin said:—</p> - -<p>“What do <i>you</i> think of it, Charley?”</p> - -<p>“Wal, it’s like this, sir, I aint been to no Sunday -School since I wus quite a young ’un, ’bout eight perhaps. -An’ I never goes to no Church nor Chapel, cos why? -Why ’cos Sunday’s the only day—’cepts my ’olidays—when -I gits any chance fur any rickreation or fresh hair. -So I aint up much in ’ligious things. But my sister, -Lulu, she walks out wi’ a chap as teaches in a Sunday -School—leastways, he oosed to afore he took up wi’ -our Lulu, but now ’e wants ’is Sunday School time fur -spoonying, an’ ’e can spoon, sir, there’s no error—well, -knowin’ as ’e oosed to do summat at ’ligion, I ups an’ -arsks ’im about what Mr. Hammond said, about that -takin’ away business, an ’e (Jimmy Doubleyou, Lulu’s -chap, I mean, sir,) larfed, an’ said, “Don’t yer b’lieve any -sich rot! D’yer think Gawd ’ud go an’ <i>kidnap</i> all ’Is -people like that?”<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> - -<div class="footnotes"> -<div class="footnote"> -<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> At a Bible-Reading in Malvern in the house of one of God’s -choicest saints, Miss Ann Boobbyer, where the precious truth of -“<i>The Rapture</i>” was being unfolded, a minister present, who was -much used of God, as an evangelist, started up, and cried,</p> -<p>“What! My Lord coming to <i>Kidnap</i> all His people? Never! -Never! I’ll not believe that!”</p> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Ralph Bastin would have smiled, at any other time,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_215"></a>[215]</span> -at this curious reply. But, to-night, his soul was too -sobered. Gathering up the sheets of M.S.’s, he clipped -them together, stamped them with Hammond’s mechanical -imprimatur, and handed the sheaf to the lad, giving -him instructions to deliver them in the Composing Room.</p> - -<p>As the lad left the room, he sat back in his chair, -and tried to think out the position of affairs. He had -hardly settled himself down, before the messenger boy -returned.</p> - -<p>“’Scuse me, sir,” the lad began, “but summat curious -hev ’appened. There’s two ‘holy Joes,’ in the Composing -room, an’ one in the Sterio room—leastways, they -oosed to be—an’ they’s all three bunked off, somewheres, -nobody seed ’em go, an their coats an’ ’ats is ’ung hup -where they ussally is, an’ some o’ the chaps says as they’s -translated. Alf Charman, one o’ the comp’s, oosed to -talk like Mr. ’Ammond did, sir——”</p> - -<p>The boy looked a trifle fearsomely at the empty editor’s -chair, as he added.</p> - -<p>“Mr. ’Ammond, sir, I—er—I suppose as—’e—’e aint——.”</p> - -<p>“Mr. Hammond has gone out!” Bastin rapped out the -words quite sharply. All this talk of the missing men -was getting on his nerves.</p> - -<p>“That will do, Charley!” he added.</p> - -<p>The lad walked slowly to the door, his eyes fixed on -the placard, his lips moving to the words, “<i>To-day?” -“Perhaps!</i>”</p> - -<p>“Coorius!” he muttered as he passed out of the room.</p> - -<p>Ralph Bastin tried again to settle himself down for -a quiet think. Suddenly he started to his feet, wild -of eye, and with horror in his face.</p> - -<p>“Viola?” he muttered. “My beautiful little Viola?<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_216"></a>[216]</span> -She has talked continuously of the Christ of late. Has -she been——?”</p> - -<p>He seized his hat, and with a crushed down sob of -literal fear, he rushed away.</p> - -<p>Outside the office he came upon a hansom. He leaped -into it, shouting the Bloomsbury address to the man.</p> - -<p>“Drive for your life!” he yelled. “A sovereign for -you if you get me there quickly!”</p> - -<p>The man’s horse was fresh. They rushed through -the streets. Arriving at the house, he tossed the driver -his promised sovereign, and letting himself in with his -latch key, he dashed into the drawing room. It was -empty!</p> - -<p>He was leaving the room hurriedly, when he encountered -the landlady. “Miss Viola has gone to bed, sir, she -overtired herself, visiting the sick-poor with her flowers, -and all that, to-day, and she——”</p> - -<p>“Thanks!” with a hurried nod he raced up the stairs. -The child’s bedroom was next to his own. He entered it -without knocking. He was too much agitated to stand -upon ceremony.</p> - -<p>The room was in darkness, he struck a match, laid -it to the gas nipple, then shot a quick glance at the bed. -In that first glance, he saw that it was empty. He went -close up to the bed, it had been occupied, he could see -that. He thrust his hand well down under the clothes. -There was faint body warmth left in the bedding—or it -seemed so to him.</p> - -<p>“God help me?” he groaned. And two great tears -fell glittering from his eyes.</p> - -<p>“Viola! Viola! my precious darling!” he moaned. “You -were my life, my——”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_217"></a>[217]</span></p> - -<p>His emotion choked him. He was dropping into the -chair by the bedside, when he noticed that the back -and seat of the chair were strewn with the under-clothing, -which the child had evidently placed there when -disrobing.</p> - -<p>With eyes blinded with tears, he lifted the dainty -garments in a pile, and laid them on the foot of the -bed. Then he dropped back into the chair, buried his -face in the pillow—the impress of the lost, beautiful -head was left in the pillow—and wept.</p> - -<p>For five minutes he remained thus. Then rousing -himself, he muttered:—“I must play the man! and get -back to the office and lay hold of things.”</p> - -<p>He left the room, and managed to clear the house -without encountering his landlady. Lucky in finding a -hansom, he had himself driven first to the central News -Agency. He wanted to find out if anything of the mystery -was generally known.</p> - -<p>The careless-minded, light-hearted tapists, clerks and -journalists, were laughing over the few vague rumours -of the translation that had reached them.</p> - -<p>He said nothing of what he knew, and drove on to -the office.</p> - -<p>“If the world has to go on, for a time, just as it <i>has</i> -been going, in spite of this wonderful thing,” he muttered, -“then, as acting editor of the Courier, I had better -stifle every feeling, save the professional, and give London—England—the -best morning issue under the new -condition of things.”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_218"></a>[218]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.<br /> -<span class="smaller">FOILED!</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Thin</span> and pale, but with the likeness of God shining -in her dark eyes—there was the bruise-like colour -of great exhaustion under each eye—Mrs. Joyce sat -wearily stitching at her warehouse needle-work.</p> - -<p>Jem Joyce, the drunken, reprobate husband, was serving -a six weeks sentence for his old crime, drunken disorderliness -in the streets, and assaulting the police. His -time would soon be up. The fearsome wife had recalled -the fact, that very day, though she could not be sure of -the <i>actual</i> date.</p> - -<p>As she worked now her voice whispered low in -song:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“It may be in the evening,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">When the work of the day is done,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And you have time to sit in the twilight</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And watch the sinking sun,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the long, bright day dies slowly</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Over the sea,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And the hour grows quiet and holy</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With thoughts of Me;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">While you hear the village children</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Passing along the street,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Among those thronging footsteps</div> - <div class="verse indent2">May come the sound of <i>My</i> feet.</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Therefore I tell <i>you</i>: Watch</div> - <div class="verse indent2">By the light of the evening-star,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the room is growing dusky</div> - <div class="verse indent2">As the clouds afar;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Let the door be on the latch</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In your home,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For it may be through the gleaming</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I will come.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Low, soft, yearning in its passionate longing for her<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_219"></a>[219]</span> -Lord’s Return, she began again to hum her lay, when -a step sounded somewhere near. So keenly had her -imagination been aroused by her song, and by her long, -yearning-dwelling on the theme of the song, that she, -almost unconsciously to herself, rose to her feet, her -work and needle held lightly in her hand, her face turned -towards the door. For one instant, her imagination had -suggested the step to have been her Lord’s.</p> - -<p>The next moment she turned deadly pale. She had -recognized the step. It was her husband’s.</p> - -<p>She had just time to drop back into her chair, and, -tremblingly, to resume her work, when the brute entered. -He was drunk—viciously, murderously drunk.</p> - -<p>He began to curse her, the moment he crossed the -threshold. He called her foul names that brought the -flush of a great shame—for <i>him</i>, not for herself—to her -cheeks. He sneered at her religion, and blasphemed the -name of her Lord.</p> - -<p>Her lips moved, but no sound came from them. She -prayed for grace to be silent, for she feared to aggravate -him. Suddenly, he shook his fist in her face, and -hissed:—</p> - -<p>“Curse you! You ——! Do you know I’ve only -come back to you to settle all my scores. I’ve come -to——”</p> - -<p>His foaming, blaspheming rage choked him, and he -leaped forward, (she had drawn back from his clenched -fist) and caught her by the throat.</p> - -<p>She could not cry out. She thought his purpose was -to strangle her. He glared murderously back into her -eyes, which his awful grip was forcing from their sockets. -He shook her fiercely, hurling hideous blasphemies at -her all the time. Then he essayed to put his real purpose<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_220"></a>[220]</span> -in view, and drawing himself up, and drawing her, at -the same time, towards himself, he hurled himself forward -to dash her head against the wall of the room.</p> - -<p>It was <i>his</i> head that struck the wall. His hands -clutched air. He fell head-long stunned, bleeding, and—presently, -he was dead.</p> - -<p>The room was very still. Awesomely silent.</p> - -<p>Margaret Joyce was <i>in the air</i>, with her Lord!</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_221"></a>[221]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.<br /> -<span class="smaller">A CASTAWAY.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Madge</span> and her husband left Albany on the Monday -morning, ostensibly for a brief honey-moon, but, -chiefly, with a view to recruit her husband’s health. -They had gone to a tiny little house among the Catskills, -kept by a coloured woman named “Julie.” The pastor -had been there before, and had himself chosen this quiet -retreat for their marriage trip.</p> - -<p>The heart of Madge was broken, for her husband -would not be friendly with her. He was barely civil -when he spoke to her, and answered her in short, sharp -monosyllables only. All the old natural pride, with which -she would have met this treatment a fortnight ago, or -less, was, fortunately, for <i>him</i>, swallowed up in her new -found faith <i>in</i>, and her utter surrender <i>to</i> God. And -with this there had come to her the patience and purifying, -born of the Hope of the near return of the Lord, -whom she now loved.</p> - -<p>She had been alone, thinking over the whole position, -for a couple of hours. The situation had become intolerable. -She determined to make an appeal to him, though -it hurt her natural pride even to contemplate it.</p> - -<p>“Help me! Teach me! Guide me!” she cried unto -her God. And in the strength of the divine promises of -upholding and guidance, she decided to go to her husband.</p> - -<p class="tb">He was alone, with a book before him on the table. -But he was not reading. He was not even thinking.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_222"></a>[222]</span> -His mind was in a confused whirl, born of the inward -rage of a much discomfited man. He had made a fool -of himself, in public. He knew it, and he had been too -proud to apologize. He had spurned and snubbed the -woman, for whom he had professed to be dying of love, -and who had made the greatest sacrifice any honest -woman can make to man—since she had offered herself -to him, in marriage.</p> - -<p>He knew that, in the eyes of his wife, and in the eyes -of the little world he had lived and laboured in, that he -had lowered himself, had proved himself less than ordinarily -human.</p> - -<p>Some of his own recent platform and pulpit utterances, -returned to his mind, and they stung him by their -reproach. The very last sermon he had preached, before -his breakdown of health, had had for its text, “To him -that overcometh, will I give——.”</p> - -<p>In the course of his address he had alluded to the -shame of some of life’s failures, and had quoted William -S. Walsh’s “Ichabod.”</p> - -<p>Now, as he sat brooding over his own fall, the lines -returned to him. They mocked him, gibed at him, becoming, -to his brooding imagination, sentient things with -laughing, mocking, sneering voices, that somehow contrived -to fling back into his ears, the very tones of his -own voice, as he had declaimed the verses from his -platform, weeks ago:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Alas, for the lofty dreaming,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">The longed-for high emprise,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">For the man whose outer seeming</div> - <div class="verse indent2">His inner self belies!</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“I looked on the life before me</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With purpose high and true,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">When the passions of youth surged o’er me,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">And the world was strange and true.</div><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_223"></a>[223]</span> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Where the hero-soul rejoices</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I would play the hero’s part;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">My ears were attuned to the voices</div> - <div class="verse indent2">That speak to the poet’s heart.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“I would conquer a place in story,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">With a soul unsmirched by sin;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">My heart should be crowned with glory,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">My heart be pure within.</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“<i>But the hour that should have crowned me,</i></div> - <div class="verse indent2"><i>Cast all high hope adown,</i></div> - <div class="verse indent0"><i>And the time of trial found me,</i></div> - <div class="verse indent2"><i>A sinner, coward, clown.</i>”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>The thought that many of those who heard him declaim -those lines, would be now recalling them, and perhaps -be applying them to himself, half maddened him. And -it was at this worst of all moments for her mission of -reconciliation, that Madge entered the room.</p> - -<p>With a rare gentleness she began to plead with him, -reminding him of all the passionate love he had expressed -for her up to the very moment, almost, when they -entered the church together for that Sunday morning -service.</p> - -<p>He answered her coldly, sullenly at first. Then he -grew pettishly angry with her, and snapped sharply at -her, contradicting her in nearly all she said:</p> - -<p>“But, Homer,” she pleaded again, and in the deep -yearning heart to win him back to his old loving self, -she knelt before him, and tried to take his hand.</p> - -<p>With an angry exclamation, he rose sharply to his -feet and thrust her away with his foot, as he cried:—</p> - -<p>“I don’t want you! You go your way, I’ll go mine, -and——”</p> - -<p>He stopped suddenly. With a sharp cry of agony, -he stretched his hands out into the empty space, where -an instant before, she had knelt—for, in one flashing<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_224"></a>[224]</span> -moment, she had disappeared from before his eyes.</p> - -<p>“Madge! Madge, dear love, dear love, dear wife!” -he cried.</p> - -<p>The sound of his own voice struck chilly upon his -soul. Deep, deep down in his heart he knew what had -happened—<i>only he would not own it to himself</i>.</p> - -<p>He flashed a swift glance at the window and door. -Both were fast shut.</p> - -<p>“This is what Doig preached! What Madge believed -would come to pass!” he cried, hoarsely.</p> - -<p>There was a strange look of terror in his eyes.</p> - -<p>“Julie will have gone, too, if it <i>is</i> the—the—.”</p> - -<p>He did not finish his muttered thought. Like a man -walking in his sleep, he moved to the door, opened it, -and called, loudly:—“Julie!”</p> - -<p>There came no reply. An eerie stillness was in the -house.</p> - -<p>He moved on into the kitchen, the room was empty. -A saucepan of milk was boiling over on the hot-plate -of the grate!</p> - -<p>He hurried into the garden, calling “Madge! Julie!” -There was no response.</p> - -<p>He went back to the house. The turkeys had strayed -into the kitchen, there being no one to drive them back. -He made a hurried, fearsome tour of the house. Every -room was empty!</p> - -<p>He went back to where he had been, when Madge -was taken, with a groan he dropped into his chair, staring -into space with horror-stricken eyes.</p> - -<p>Suddenly, as though a living voice uttered them, the -words of scripture sounded in his ears.</p> - -<p>“<i>Lest, that by any means, when I have preached to -others, I myself should be a castaway!</i>”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_225"></a>[225]</span></p> - -<p>A mortal agony filled his eyes, as he groaned:—</p> - -<p>“God help me! I know now that I have only been -a <i>minister</i>, by training and by profession, I have never -been a son of God by conversion, by the New Birth!”</p> - -<p>His untaught soul had misinterpreted the real inwardness -of that passage of Paul’s. But it was true, in the -sense <i>he</i> meant it, he <i>was</i> “a castaway.”</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_226"></a>[226]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">A STRICKEN CITY.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">It</span> was not really until business time next morning, -that London, that the whole country, really fully -awoke to the fact of the great event of the previous -night. Suburbans, in many cases, only heard the strange -news on their arrival at their particular railway stations. -Even then, a hundred rumours were the order of the -moment. Everything reported was vague and shadowy. -There were a few rank unbelievers of the garbled stories -of the translation, who laughed sceptically, then began -to grumble at the strange disorganization of the Railway -traffic.</p> - -<p>More than one annoyed, belated traveller, remarked -in similar terms to the utterance of a commercial traveller, -at Surbiton station:—</p> - -<p>“If there is <i>any</i> actual truth in this story of the secret -translation of a number of religious people, then the -mysterious taking away of so many signal-men, and -engine-men, will be an eye-opener to the travelling public, -who never, somehow, suppose that Christianity is a strong -factor in the lives of railway men.”</p> - -<p>“It is a revelation in another way,” remarked a second, -“since it suggests <i>why</i> we have hitherto had so few railway -accidents, <i>compared with other nations</i>.”</p> - -<p>The tens and hundreds of thousands, the millions, -poured into London as usual. But the snap had gone -out of most of them. A horrible sense of foreboding, -was upon the spirits of the travellers. As the newspapers<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_227"></a>[227]</span> -more fully confirmed the news, London -approached perilously near the verge of a general panic.</p> - -<p>The newspapers were bought up with phenomenal eagerness. -“Souf Efriken War worn’t in it, fur clearin’ -out peepers!” a street seller remarked.</p> - -<p>But few of the morning papers, (except the “Courier”) -had anything special to say on the great event. Most -of them, in fact, were absolutely silent.</p> - -<p>There were weather prophecies, political prophecies, -financial prophecies, social prophecies, sporting prophecies, -commercial prophecies,—but no prophecy of the -Coming of the Christ.</p> - -<p>The “Courier’s” rival had a brief note to the effect:—</p> - -<p>“Some wild, senseless rumours were abroad in London -last night, as to the sudden, mysterious disappearance of -numbers of the <i>ultra</i> religious persons of London, and -elsewhere. Some people talked wildly of the end of -the world. We therefore despatched special commissioners, -to ascertain what truth there was in all this.</p> - -<p>Our representative returned an hour and a half later, -after having visited all the chief places of amusement -and principal restaurants. But everywhere managers told -the same story, ‘there has been no signs of the end of -the world in <i>our</i> place. We are fuller than ever.’</p> - -<p>The genial manager of the —— Theatre, assured -our Representative, that no later than last Sunday morning, -he heard it repeated at his Church, that ‘as it was in -the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, <i>world without -end</i>, Amen.’ So that, for the life of him, he could not -conceive any one being such a fool as to talk of the end -of the world.”</p> - -<p>But the note of the “Courier’s” clarion call had no -uncertain sound. Besides all that we have already seen<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_228"></a>[228]</span> -written in the office by the translated Tom Hammond, -and afterwards by Ralph Bastin, the latter had added -to his postscript, another. It was a solemn, a pathetic -word, and ran as follows:</p> - -<p>“Our sheets must go to press in a few moments, if the -“Courier” is to be in the hands of its readers at the -usual hour. But before we print, we feel compelled to -add a word or two more to what we wrote two hours ago.</p> - -<p>“During the last two hours, we have made many discoveries, -not the least of which, from the <i>personal</i> standpoint, -is the fact, that the nearest and dearest being to -our own heart and life, one whose life and thought, of -late, has been strangely taken up by the Christ of God, -is missing. She has shared in the glory and joy of the -wondrous, mysterious, and—to <i>most</i> of us, to <i>all</i> of us -surely who are <i>left</i>—<i>unexpected</i> translation.</p> - -<p>“We have no wish or intention to parade our own -personal griefs before our readers, but dare to say that -no journalist ever worked with a more broken, crushed -sense of life, than did we during the two hours we afterwards -spent in searching London for facts.</p> - -<p>“One curious fact which we speedily discovered, was, -that no one had been taken in this wondrous translation, -from any of the Theatres or music-halls. In the old -days—four <i>hours</i> ago, seems, to look back to, like four -centuries—before this awfully solemn event, discussions -arose, periodically, in certain religious and semi-religious -journals, as to whether <i>true</i> Christians could attend the -theatre and music-hall.”</p> - -<p>“The fact that no one appears to have been translated -from any of these London houses of amusement, answers, -we think, that question, as it has never been answered -before.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_229"></a>[229]</span></p> - -<p>Here followed a brief <i>resume</i> of his experiences in -other quarters. Then in big black type he asked the -question:—</p> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">What follows, (according to the Bible program) -this Stupendous Event?</span>—The Bible, evidently, (when -read aright) told those, who have been taken from our -midst, that this translation was approaching, then it -must surely give some hint of what we may expect to -follow so startling an episode as that of to-night. The -question is, <i>what</i> follows?”</p> - -<p>“There must surely be many clergymen and ministers -who knew <i>about</i> this great translation, who though not -living in the spirit of what they knew, and being therefore -left behind, like the common ruck of those of us, -who were carelessly ignorant—there must be many such -ministers left, who could teach us <i>now, what</i> to expect -<i>next</i>, and <i>how</i> to prepare for the next eruption—whatever -form it may take.”</p> - -<p>“We therefore propose to any such ministers, that -they gather us into the Albert Hall, Agricultural Hall, -St. Paul’s Cathedral, Spurgeon’s Tabernacle, Whitfields—why -not, in fact, into every church, chapel, Salvation -Army Barracks, or even in the great open spaces such -as Hyde Park, and other Parks, Primrose Hill, Hampstead -Heath, etc., and teach us, who are left behind -from the wondrous Translation, that has just occurred, -how to be prepared for the next mighty change, for we -believe the bulk of us are absolutely in the dark.”</p> - -<p>“Meanwhile, are there no houses in Paternoster Row, -and its neighbourhood, where books and pamphlets on -these momentous subjects can be obtained, or are all -such publishers translated with those of whom we have -been writing?”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_230"></a>[230]</span></p> - -<p>One effect of the last suggestion, in Bastin’s <i>second</i> -postscript, was to send thousands of people to Paternoster -Row, the Square, Ivy Lane, and all the neighbourhood. -Some of the publishers of books on the Lord’s -Second Coming, <i>had</i> been <i>left</i> behind, had <i>not</i> shared -in the Rapture of which they had printed and published.</p> - -<p>Storekeepers, packers, masters, clerks, were most of -them reading up the contents of their own wares. Business -system among them, at first, seemed an unknown -quantity. Deadness, amaze, fear, uncertainty, all of -these things held and dominated them.</p> - -<p>But they had to wake up. Their counters were -besieged. Hordes of people thronged the doors. In -twenty minutes after the first great influx, there was -not a tract, a booklet, or a volume, on the “Lord’s coming, -and the events to follow,” left in the “Row.”</p> - -<p>At any other time those in command of the stores, -would have tried to get the printing presses at work, to -run off some hundreds of thousands of the briefest of -the “Second Advent” literature. But, to-day, fear, nameless -fear held every one in thrall.</p> - -<p>The “Row” put up shutters, and went home—or at -least got away from business.</p> - -<p>Business, everywhere, was at a standstill. By eleven -o’clock most of the city houses were closed. Some of -the banks never opened at all. Throgmorton Street and -the Stock Exchange were in a state of dazed incredulity. -A few members were missing, and these were known -to be “Expectants” of the Translation.</p> - -<p>“Salvation S——, is gone!” some one called out.</p> - -<p>“Aye!” cried another, “I’d give all I possess, or ever -hoped to possess, to be where he is now. I remember -how he tried and prayed to persuade me once to——”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_231"></a>[231]</span></p> - -<p>There was a rush of members across “The Floor” at -that moment. Some one had a proposition to make, -namely a trip to 101 Queen Victoria Street, to see if -there were any Salvationists left there. A little band, -about a dozen, responded, and the silk-hatted, excited -little crowd swept away on their curious quest.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_232"></a>[232]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.<br /> -<span class="smaller">“HALLELUJAH LASS.”</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">There</span> was one “Hallelujah Lass,” in the front shop, -at the “Headquarters.” She was bonnetless, but -the big, navy-blue head-dress laid on a glass show-case. -She wore a finely-knitted crimson jersey and braided -blue skirt. Her eyes were red with weeping. She was -strangely distraught. There was no lilt of the song upon -her lips:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Oh! the peace my Saviour gives,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Peace I never knew before.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“Not all translated then?” began the leader of the -Stock Exchange band, addressing her.</p> - -<p>There was nothing flippant, nothing sneering in his -tone or manner.</p> - -<p>The girl essayed a reply, but at first it ended in a sob -only. Presently she recovered herself enough to say:—</p> - -<p>“No, we’re not <i>all</i> translated! You see, sir, the Army, -as a body, never quite admitted the truth of <i>this</i> Second -coming of our Lord. It has always preached that we, -as an Army of Salvation, were raised up by God to get -<i>all the world</i> converted. A lady in the train, as I came -up to business, only yesterday——”</p> - -<p>The girl sighed wearily, as she interpolated, “Yesterday -seems as far off as Wesley’s times. But, only yesterday, -this lady, in the train talked to me about the -‘Lord’s near return’—that is how <i>she</i> put it—and said, -‘God is undoubtedly using the Army in evangelizing the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_233"></a>[233]</span> -distant heathen, and thus allowing them to fulfil His purpose -in calling out those who are to form the Bride of -the Heavenly Bridegroom—but, believe me, my dear, the -world will never be converted <i>before</i> Christ comes for -His Church.’</p> - -<p>“She talked to me very beautifully, and simply, only, -as she said, one could only grasp these truths in proportion -as one kept clear in their minds the things which -belonged to the separate dispensations.</p> - -<p>“‘If,’ she said, ‘The Lord came to-night’—how little -she or I dreamed that He actually would—‘this dispensation -would be closed, and a new one would begin -to-morrow.’”</p> - -<p>The girl looked around in a bewildered way, almost -as though she was looking for something she had lost.</p> - -<p>“I have never known anything about the dispensations, -and their bearing on the Bible,” she went on. “The -Army has always taught us that we should <i>all</i> die, lie in -our graves until “the <i>last Day</i>,” then appear before the -Great White Throne, and be judged according to our -lives, and all that. The lady who spoke to me yesterday—yesterday? -oh, how far off it seems—explained to me, -<i>from the Bible</i>, that true Christians would <i>never</i> appear -before the Great White Throne.</p> - -<p>“That when the Great White Throne shall be set, the -real Christian will be seated in glory <i>with</i> Jesus, the -Judge. And only the wicked, unsaved dead will be judged -there. The sin of the <i>true</i> Christian, she said, is done -with, settled, put away at the Cross.</p> - -<p>“‘There is therefore <i>now no</i> condemnation (<i>judgment</i>) -to them who are <i>in</i> Christ Jesus.’ ‘He that heareth, and -believeth on Jesus, <i>hath</i> everlasting life, and <i>shall not<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_234"></a>[234]</span> -come into the judgment</i>, but <i>is</i> passed from death unto -life.’</p> - -<p>“She told me that the true Christian, who might be -living, when the Lord should Return, would be caught up -<i>into the air</i>, with all the Christian dead, who will rise -from their graves; and, that then the only judgment that -can ever come to the Christian, will take place. That will -be at Christ’s judgment <i>of Rewards</i>. She said that -eternal life did not enter into the question. That was settled -once and for ever, but at Christ’s Reward-judgment, -the Christian’s <i>work</i> would be tried.”</p> - -<p>Some of the silk-hatted listening men began to fidget. -All this talk was foreign and uninteresting to them.</p> - -<p>“The lady,” the girl went on, “promised to meet me -this morning at the station, at the same time as we met -yesterday, ‘<i>Should the Lord Tarry</i>’ she said. But I saw -nothing of her this morning. She had been ‘<i>caught up</i>,’ -of course, to meet her Lord in the air, and I——”</p> - -<p>The girl’s voice broke, her eyes streamed with tears. -One of the youngest of the stock-brokers asked:—</p> - -<p>“But why, if Salvationists are Christians, are <i>you</i> here? -Why were <i>you</i> not translated?”</p> - -<p>“God help me!” she cried, “I know <i>now</i>, now that it -is too late, that I was never converted. I was drawn -into an Army meeting by reports I heard of the singing -and music. The Army’s methods fascinated me—the -young officer who came to our town, was a very taking -fellow. He talked to me in an after-meeting, I wept -with the many emotions that were at work within me; -I went to the penitent form—and—and—afterwards -joined the Salvation Army—but I know <i>now</i>, I was not -really saved.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_235"></a>[235]</span></p> - -<p>She caught her breath in a quick sob, then a little glow -suddenly filled her face, as she added:—</p> - -<p>“But I have settled the matter this morning. I have -yielded, intelligently to Christ, and I know that</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Jesus with me is united,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Doubting and fears they are gone;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">With Him now my soul is delighted,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">I and King Jesus are one.”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“And,” she cried, her eyes flashing with a holy light, -“If witnessing for Jesus means martyrdom, then, by -God’s grace, I’ll show by my death that——”</p> - -<p>“Are there many Salvationists left?” interrupted one -of her listeners.</p> - -<p>A quick flush dyed her cheek; as she replied:—</p> - -<p>“I <i>can’t</i> say! There are some here at head-quarters, -whom I should not have thought would have been <i>left -behind</i>, but who are. Though I don’t believe there will -be more, if so many Salvationists, as other sects, <i>in -proportion</i>, be found to be left behind, or——”</p> - -<p>The sound of thousands of tramping feet broke into -the girl’s speech. The little crowd of Stock-brokers -rushed to the door.</p> - -<p>A dense mass of men and women were marching up -the street. Every face was set and serious. There were -many clergymen and ministers in the crowd, if the -clerical collar and ministerial garb gave true indication -of their calling.</p> - -<p>“To St. Paul’s! To St. Paul’s!” a stentorian voice -was shouting.</p> - -<p>The stock-brokers joined the mighty crowd, which, -grim, resolute, silent, swept on.</p> - -<p class="tb">By midnight, or soon after, a few hours only after -the great Translation, the hordes of the vicious that<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_236"></a>[236]</span> -festered in the slums—women, as well as men, <i>aliens</i> and -British alike—had heard something of what had happened, -and creeping from their filthy lairs, began, at -once to become a menace to public life and property.</p> - -<p>Many of the police beats were unprotected, the men -who had been patrolling them sharing in the sudden -glorious Rapture of their Lord’s return. By midnight, -the whole police service had become temporarily disorganized, -if not actually demoralized.</p> - -<p>Scotland Yard heads of departments were missing, as -well as local Superintendents, Sergeants, etc. In many -cases there was no one to give orders, or to maintain -control. And where leaders <i>were</i> left, they were often -too scared and unnerved to exercise a healthful authority.</p> - -<p>Under these circumstances the hordes of vicious, and -out of work grew bolder every hour. They had no fear -of the Spiritual character of the strange situation, for -God, to them, was a name only to blaspheme. Hell was -a merry jest to them, a synonym for warmth and rest,—a -combination which had been all too rare with them on -earth. Besides, Hell had no shadow of terror to people -who, for years, had suffered the torments of a life in a -literal hell in London.</p> - -<p>Shops, and private houses, and some of the larger -business houses had been openly burgled. A rumour got -abroad, that the Banks were to be raided.</p> - -<p>Ralph Bastin, passing the Bank of England, found -that the guard of Soldiers had been quadrupled, and this -too for the <i>day</i>-time. Curious to know how the Translation -of the night before had affected the army, he asked -one of the privates if any of the London soldiers were -missing?</p> - -<p>“All the ‘blue-lights,’ (as we calls the Christians, sir,)<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_237"></a>[237]</span> -is missin’. Yer see, sir, if a feller perfesses to be a -Chrishun in the Army, an’ aint real, ’e soon gits the -perfession knocked outer ’im. On the other han’ if -’e’s real, why all the persekushun on’y drives ’is ’ligion -deeper inter ’im. Yes, all the ‘blue-lights’ is gone, sir, an’ -any amount o’ officers.</p> - -<p>“These, as is gone, is mos’ly the middle-age an’ ole -ones, an’ those wot’s been in India, Malta, an’ other -furrin stations. I’ve knowed lots o’ that sort o’ officer, as -oosed to hev Bible-Readin’s at their Bungalows. Ah, they -wur <i>right</i>, they wur, the other wur wrong, an’ the wrong -’uns knows to-day as they’s out o’ luck!</p> - -<p>“If yer arsks my erpinun, ser, I sez, that London’s -full o’ fools, to-day, fur if we’d all been doin’ an’ thinkin’ -as we’d oughter, why we’d be now up in Glory wi Jesus. -I’ve yeard the truth at So’dger Homes, an’ sich places, -an’ I’ve sung wi’ lots o’ others:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“Blessed are those whom the Lord finds watching;</div> - <div class="verse indent2">In his glory they shall share:</div> - <div class="verse indent0">If He shall come at the dawn or midnight,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Will He find us watching there?”</div> - </div> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“O, can we say we are ready, brother?—</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Ready for the soul’s bright home?</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Say, will He find you and me still watching,</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Waiting, waiting, when the Lord shall come?”</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>The man suddenly straightened himself, and glanced -away from Bastin. An officer was approaching.</p> - -<p>Ralph Bastin walked away, the thought that filled his -mind, was of the strange mood that had suddenly come -over <i>every</i>one, since to-day, everybody seemed ready to -talk freely of religious things.</p> - -<p>He moved on up Cheapside, his destination being St. -Paul’s Cathedral.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_238"></a>[238]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX.<br /> -<span class="smaller">IN ST. PAUL’S.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">The</span> cathedral was packed, packed out to the doors. -The aisles, and every other inch of standing-room -was a solid Jam. The whole area of the interior showed -one black mass of silent waiting, expectant people—it -was curious to note that almost every woman had donned -black, in some form or other.</p> - -<p>The great organ was silent. No one dreamed of -singing. The choir seats were full of strangers. The -stalls were filled with an indiscriminate crowd. There -was no rule, no discipline to-day.</p> - -<p>Suddenly the tall, square-built form of a certain well-known -Bishop, rose near the pulpit. He had linked his -arm in that of one of London’s most popular Nonconformist -preachers, and almost dragged him to his -feet.</p> - -<p>There was evidently a controversy going on between -the two men as to which of them should address the -people, each urging the other to lead off. The same -thought was in the minds of nearly all who were in view -of the pair, <i>namely</i>, “how comes it that a Bishop, and a -popular preacher like the Rev. ——, have been left -behind?”</p> - -<p>A strange new tenseness, a deepening silence, settled -upon the mighty mass gathered under that great dome. -Suddenly the silence was broken by a voice calling:</p> - -<p>“Bishop ——.” Another voice immediately cried, -“No! The Rev. ——.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_239"></a>[239]</span></p> - -<p>A momentary clamour of voices ensued. The voices -were not shrill in their eagerness, but sullen, sombre, -almost savage, in fact. A moment, and the Bishop slowly -entered the pulpit. He bowed his head in prayer.</p> - -<p>Like the slow, rushing sound of the letting loose of -some distant water, the noise of thousands of bending -forms filled the place, for everyone bowed the head.</p> - -<p>A moment later, the heads were raised. The silence -almost of a tomb filled the place, when the first momentary -rustle of the uprearing had subsided.</p> - -<p>The voice of the Bishop broke the silence, crying:—</p> - -<p>“Men and women of London, fellows with me in the -greatest shame the world has ever known—the shame of -bearing the name Christian, and yet of being the rejected -of Christ,—we meet to-day under awful, solemn circumstances.</p> - -<p>“We are face to face with the most solemnly awful -situation the human race has ever known, if we except -the conditions under which, during those three hours -of blackness at Calvary, the people of Jerusalem were -found, while the Crucified Christ hung mid-air, on the -Fatal Tree.</p> - -<p>“It may be said that our position bears some likeness -to that of the people who were destroyed at the Flood. -Those antediluvians had one hundred and twenty years -warning, we, as professing Christians, have had nearly -two thousand years warning, yet, London, England and -the whole world has by last night’s events, been proved -practically heathen—or atheist, atheist will perhaps best -fit our character.</p> - -<p>“The moment came when God called Noah and his -family into the ark. But what never occurred to me, -until this morning, was the significant fact, that God did<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_240"></a>[240]</span> -not shut the door of the ark, or send the flood, until -<i>seven days later</i>, thus giving the unbelievers another -opportunity to be saved.</p> - -<p>“And God has given London, England, America, the -world, this same extra opportunity of being prepared -for the Return of the Lord, and the Translation of His -Church.</p> - -<p>“For, for some years, now, conferences, and conventions, -addresses, Bible-Readings, etc., where this subject -of the Second Coming of Christ has been specially taught, -has been multiplied mightily. I have been present at some -of these gatherings, but, smiling amusedly at what I -termed the wild utterances of visionaries, I neglected my -opportunity.</p> - -<p>“Yet, of all men, <i>I</i> ought to have been prepared for -this Coming of the Lord. I have held ministerial office -in a church that taught the doctrine, plainly, in many of -its prayers and collects. But I see, now, that all through -my life, I have been blinded by the <i>letter</i> of things, and -have mistaken christening, confirmation, communicating, -for conversion, and for life in Christ.</p> - -<p>“I see, to-day, that I entered the established church of -this realm, and not the family of God, and the service of -Christ. I have never really been God’s, by the New -Birth, until last night, when my dear wife, in company -with all the waiting, longing church, was suddenly called -up to be with her Lord. Not by death, dear friends—she -saw no death—but by that sudden translation, that has -startled us all so.”</p> - -<p>A low sobbing sound ran through all the building. The -gathered thousands, almost to a man, realised that they, -with the speaker, were equally lifeless, spiritually.</p> - -<p>“I was in the room when my wife disappeared,” the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_241"></a>[241]</span> -Bishop went on. “She had been very ill. It became -necessary to perform a critical operation on her. I -insisted on being present. I see the scene now.</p> - -<p>“The nurses standing by the antiseptic baths with the -sponges and clips immersed. In the eerie silence of that -room, no sound came save the voice of the great surgeon, -as he cried ‘clip’—‘iodoform’—‘bandages.’ Suddenly, as -he half turned to take a bandage of the nurse, the form -of my precious wife disappeared from the operating table. -One of the nurses at the antiseptic bowl, was gone also.</p> - -<p>“And I, a <i>professed</i> servant of the Christ who had -called the translated ones, was <i>left</i>, with the great surgeon, -and others, as you, dear friends, many, <i>most</i> perhaps, -members of some Christian church, have been left.</p> - -<p>“‘Sister Carrie gone too!’ cried the great surgeon, -‘then you may depend, Bishop, that Christ has come for -all His real church, for Nurse Carrie lived in daily, hourly -expectation of some kind of translation.’ With a -puzzled look upon his face, he said, suddenly:</p> - -<p>“‘But, Bishop, how is it that you are left behind, who, -of all men in our midst, one would have thought would -have gone?’</p> - -<p>“I had to say last night to him, dear friends, what, -with shame and regret, I have to say to you now, that -I <i>ought</i> to have known the Truth, and have been prepared, -but because I was unconverted, I had failed to -apprehend the fact of the Lord’s near Return.</p> - -<p>“Yet, how often, on the third Sunday in Advent, have -I, with many of you, repeated the <i>Great Truth</i>, in the -collect:—</p> - -<p>“‘O Lord Jesus Christ, who, at Thy first coming, -didst send Thy messenger to prepare Thy way before -Thee; Grant that the ministers and stewards of Thy<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_242"></a>[242]</span> -mysteries, may likewise so prepare and make ready Thy -way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the -wisdom of the just, that at Thy <i>second</i> coming to judge -the world, we may be found an acceptable people in Thy -sight, who livest and reignest with the Father, and the -Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.’</p> - -<p>“In the burial of our dead, too, how often have I -recited, and have heard the words,</p> - -<p>“‘Beseeching Thee that it may please Thee, of Thy -gracious goodness, <i>shortly to accomplish the number of -Thine elect</i>, and to hasten Thy Kingdom; that we, <i>with</i> -all those that are departed in the True faith of Thy Holy -Name, may have our perfect consummation and bliss, both -in body and soul, in Thy eternal and everlasting glory; -through Jesus Christ our Lord.’</p> - -<p>“Again, the words of Paul in the matter of the Lord’s -Supper ‘<span class="smcap">Till He Come!</span>’ ought to have opened my eyes. -But I confess, with shame, I have been blind, a blind -leader of the blind——”</p> - -<p>Visible emotion checked the Bishop’s speech, for a -moment. Recovering himself, he went on:—</p> - -<p>“A blind leader of the blind, because unborn of God. -I <i>ought</i> to have known that Christ’s Return was near. I -<i>should</i> have known it, had I been spiritually-minded, by -the signs of the Apostasy which, (prophesied to precede -the Second Coming of the Lord) have been having their -fulfillment all around us for years.</p> - -<p>“Since last night, I have lived a whole life-time. I -have read the whole of the Gospels and Epistles, and, -taking my true place as a lost soul before God, I have -been born of God. And now, here, in this solemn moment, -I bring to you the Spirit-taught knowledge that has been -given to me.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_243"></a>[243]</span></p> - -<p>For a few minutes, he traversed ground already covered -in these pages, then, continuing, he said:—</p> - -<p>“Last Sunday, when, in all the pride of my office, I -preached—preached in my unconscious unbelief—I -quoted those lines of the poet:—</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - <div class="stanza"> - <div class="verse indent0">“‘They pass me like shadows, crowds on crowds,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Dim ghosts of men, that hover to and fro,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Hugging their bodies round them like their shrouds</div> - <div class="verse indent2">Wherein their souls were buried long ago;</div> - <div class="verse indent0">They trampled on their youth, and faith and love,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">With Heaven’s clear messages they madly strove,</div> - <div class="verse indent0">And conquered—and their spirits turned to clay....</div> - <div class="verse indent0">Alas! poor fools, the anointed eye may trace</div> - <div class="verse indent0">A dead soul’s epitaph in every face.’</div> - </div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>“To-day, friends, I know that ‘the anointed eye’ must -have traced ‘The dead soul’s epitaph,’ in my <i>life</i>, if not -in my face.</p> - -<p>“Now let us face our present position, as those who -are <i>left</i>! What is the future to be? This is what you -need to know, what I need to know! <i>First</i>, let me say, -the next thing for each to do is to seek the Lord, to cry -unto Him for mercy and pardon, while all our hearts -are shocked and startled, and our thoughts are turned -God-wards. For unless we close with God, become His, -and live out the future to Him, our portion will be an -Eternal Hell.”</p> - -<p>An awful hush rested upon the gathered thousands, as -he proceeded:—</p> - -<p>“One thing appears very plain from Scripture, that is, -that when, last night, Christ came into the air and caught -up His Church, living and dead, that the Devil, who has -been the Prince of the Power of <i>the air</i>, had to descend to -earth. Christ and Beelzebub can never live together in -the same realm.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_244"></a>[244]</span></p> - -<p>“In the re-creation of this earth, recorded in Genesis, -God blessed everything that He created, <i>save the atmosphere</i>, -He <i>did</i> not, He <i>could</i> not bless that because Satan, -driven from the re-created earth, by the breath of the -divine Spirit, had taken refuge <i>in the air</i>. He is therefore -called in Scripture, not only the ‘<i>Prince of this -World</i>,’ but ‘<span class="smcap">The Prince of the power of the air</span>.’</p> - -<p>“Now, beloved, the Spirit of God has left the earth. -The Devil has taken up his abode here with all his myriad -agents, and he is going to make earth as hot for those of -us who will witness for God, as is hell itself to the lost.</p> - -<p>“If we will witness for God during the years we are -beginning to-day—called the years of ‘The Great Tribulation,’ -they will probably be seven in number, and extend -therefore to the dawning moment of the Millennium—if -we witness therefore for God, I say, during these intervening -seven years, we may expect to meet with hideous -trial and suffering.</p> - -<p>“Antichrist will now soon make himself known—he -will be a <i>man</i>, not a system, mind,—he will mislead the -Jews, who will now, immediately, return to their own -land, and build their New Temple. For a time, Antichrist -will appear to be the friends of the Jews, but he -will seek to force the most awful idolatry upon them. -The mass of Jewry will accept all this.</p> - -<p>“With the Jew, every Gentile will presently be compelled -to accept Antichrist, and the Roman Beast——”</p> - -<p>A sound of protest was heard from a seat near the -pulpit, as the Bishop spoke of the “Roman Beast.” But -the preacher took no note of the interruption and went -on:—</p> - -<p>“The Devil will be so mad at being cast down out of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_245"></a>[245]</span> -heaven, and because he knows such a very limited time -to work against God, that he will call up all hell to stamp -out God’s people.”</p> - -<p>For one instant the Bishop paused. He leaned over -the pulpit edge, his eyes were full of the light of a holy -determination, but into his voice there crept a tender -yearning, as he continued:—</p> - -<p>“Are we prepared for actual martyrdom? For this will -certainly be the fate of many who will not bear about -upon them the mark of the Beast.”</p> - -<p>Again there came a growl from that seat near the -pulpit. But the most solemn hush rested upon the vast -mass of people.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_246"></a>[246]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX.<br /> -<span class="smaller">CONCLUSION.</span></h2> - -</div> - -<p class="dropcap"><span class="smcap">Quietly</span>, giving the impression that the sense of -a great shame rested upon him, the Rev. —— —— -the noted popular Nonconformist minister rose from his -seat and faced the congregation.</p> - -<p>Many of his own church were there. Many others, -who had followed the criticisms of the more spiritual-toned -Christian papers, upon his pulpit and other utterances, -were there. Every one waited breathless, wondering -what contribution he would make to the great matter -in hand.</p> - -<p>It was evident that it was only by the exercise of tremendous -will-power that he could restrain his emotions -sufficiently to speak.</p> - -<p>“God help me, dear friends!” he began, “for I know -now that I have been a Judas to the Lord of Life and -Glory, whose <i>professed</i> servant I have been. I have -gloried in my success; in the crowd that always filled my -church; in the adulation of my intellectual powers by -the Press. But I have never glorified Christ. In a hundred -subtle ways I have denied my Lord——He <i>is</i> my -Lord <i>now</i>, I have found Him in the silence of the past -awful night——. I have been practically denying His -deity for years, I have talked learnedly, when I ought to -have been walking humbly, and—and——.”</p> - -<p>The strain was too much for him, tears streamed down -his face, he covered his face with his hands, and dropped, -sobbing, into his seat.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_247"></a>[247]</span></p> - -<p>Sobs broke from many of the people. Weeping is -infectious. In another moment the released pent-up emotions -would have become a storm that none could have -stayed. But the Bishop’s voice called out,</p> - -<p>“Let us pray!”</p> - -<p>Every head was bent, and a prayer, such as London’s -Cathedral had never heard before, poured from the -Bishop’s lips. The conclusion of the prayer was followed -by a moment or two of deepest stillness.</p> - -<p>The silence was, suddenly, sharply broken by a full, -rich voice crying:—</p> - -<p>“Sit up, dear friends! Hear ye the word of the Lord!”</p> - -<p>As the people lifted their heads a cry of amaze rang -out from many throats:—</p> - -<p>“The Monk of ——!”</p> - -<p>The face of the Monk was familiar to all Londoners -by his photograph, which beside being on sale in the shops, -had appeared again and again in magazines. He had a -striking figure, and there was a curious picturesqueness -about his appearance, with his smooth, clean-shaven face, -eagle eyes, tonsured crown, and curious purple-brown -cowled habit, girdled with a stout yellow cord about the -waist. His bare feet were sandaled. His hands, long, -thin, with white tapering fingers, were outstretched a -moment, then dropped slowly as he went on:—</p> - -<p>“These are times when no one of us may shrink from -speaking the truth boldly, if the Truth has been committed -to us.</p> - -<p>“With all due respect to our friend, Bishop ——, I -would say, that all the surmises abroad in London, to-day, -and those that have been voiced in our hearing here, -during this hour, are wrong!</p> - -<p>“The true meaning of the mysterious disappearance of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_248"></a>[248]</span> -so many ultra-protestants, is this: The great end <i>is</i> near! -God’s work was being frustrated by those unholy zealots, -who have been therefore graciously snatched away to hell, -before they could do further mischief.”</p> - -<p>Murmurs of dissent and protest ran through the mass -of people, like the low sullen roar, at sea, of a coming -storm.</p> - -<p>The Bishop thought of his Translated wife. He knew, -too, that God not only indwelt himself, now, but that -He had guided him in speaking to the people. He rose -in the pulpit to protest against the words of the Romanist.</p> - -<p>But a voice cried out from the congregation:—</p> - -<p>“Let the Monk have his say. These are strange times, -and we would hear all sides before we can judge.”</p> - -<p>And the Monk went on:—</p> - -<p>“His supreme Holiness, the Pontiff, had been warned -of God—as he is God’s Regent on earth—of the event -that has happened in our midst. His priests were warned -a few days ago, and in most of our churches, last Sunday, -certain dark hints of the coming catastrophe were given. -God therefore, now, calls upon you all, through me, to -turn to the <i>true</i> church, the <i>real</i> church, the church of -St. Peter’s, the church of Rome——.”</p> - -<p>A storm of protesting murmurs rolled up from the -people.</p> - -<p>He waited, smiling confidently a moment. Then he -went on:</p> - -<p>“When all the inhabitants of the earth bear upon them -the sign of the true church——”</p> - -<p>“<span class="smcap">The Mark of the Beast!</span>” yelled a voice.</p> - -<p>Another instant and there would have been a hideous -uproar, but that everything became forgotten in a new -excitement.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_249"></a>[249]</span></p> - -<p>From outside, in the street, there rose the roar of a -multitude, crying “Fire!” Fortunately the packed congregation -within the Cathedral, one and all realised that -the alarming thing was <i>out</i>side, not <i>in</i>side the building, -so that there was no panic.</p> - -<p>In a few minutes the great place was cleared. The -Bishop, the Great Nonconformist, and a dozen other -ministers, and laymen, remained gathered together as by -a common instinct, by the pulpit.</p> - -<p>“What is coming, brethren?”</p> - -<p>“The <i>power</i> of Antichrist, and the manifestation of The -man of Sin, himself,” cried the Bishop, solemnly. “The -Monk of ——,” he went on “has been the first to voice -the awful claims of this Man of Sin.”</p> - -<p class="tb">A week later!!!</p> - -<p>Like a sow that returneth to the mire, London, England, -the world had returned to its old careless life. The -fever for sport, pleasure, money-getting, drinking, gambling, -licentiousness, was fiercer than ever. Everyone -aimed at forgetting what had happened a week before—and -the bulk of the people were succeeding in finding the -lethal element.</p> - -<p>There had been many conversions during the first forty-eight -hours <i>after</i> the Translation of the Church, but, -since then, scarcely one. Already there had arisen, all -over the land, all over the world in fact, as the American, -Australasian, and Foreign Press Telegrams made clear, -a multitude of men and women who were preaching the -maddest, most dangerous doctrines.</p> - -<p>Among the most popular, and successful, of these was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_250"></a>[250]</span> -Spiritualism. Not the comparatively mild form known -<i>before</i> the Great Translation, but an open, hideous blasphemous -exhibition that proved itself to be, what it had -really always been—<i>demonology</i>.</p> - -<p>Antichrist’s sway had begun. Satan was a <i>positive, -active</i>, agent. The restraints of the Holy Spirit were -missing, for <i>HE</i> had left the earth when the Church had -been taken away. Other restraints were also taken from -the midst of the people, since, whether the world recognise -it or not, the fact remains, that the people of God are -the Salt, the preservative of the earth.</p> - -<p class="tb">Final word! Whether or no, the writer has failed in -the purpose he had when he set pen to paper; whether -or no he has bungled his subject; whether the reader is, -or is not willing to accept the main statements of the -special teaching in this book, does not really affect the -real question, namely, <i>The Near Return of our Lord.</i> His -word to us, whether we believe and accept it, or whether -we slight and reject it, is:—</p> - -<p>“BEHOLD I COME QUICKLY!” <span class="smcap">Be YE also -ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the -Son of Man COMETH.</span></p> - -<p><span class="smcap">For the Lord Himself SHALL descend from -Heaven.... And the dead in Christ shall -rise FIRST: Then, we which are alive and remain, -shall be Caught up together with them IN THE -CLOUDS, to meet the Lord IN THE AIR: and so -shall we ever be with the Lord!</span></p> - -<p class="hanging">TO-DAY?<br /> -PERHAPS!</p> - -<p class="tb">The continuation of this Book is published under the title “The -Mark of the Beast.”</p> - -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK “IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE” ***</div> -<div style='text-align:left'> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will -be renamed. -</div> - -<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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