No one in all
Raymond, including the Rectangle, felt Loreen's death more
keenly than Virginia. It came like a distinct personal loss
to her. That short week while the girl had been in her home
had opened Virginia's heart to a new life. She was talking
it over with Rachel the day after the funeral. Thee were
sitting in the hall of the Page mansion.
"I am
going to do something with my money to help those women to a
better life." Virginia looked over to the end of the
hall where, the day before, Loreen's body had lain. "I
have decided on a good plan, as it seems to me. I have
talked it over with Rollin. He will devote a large part of
his money also to the same plan."
"How
much money have you, Virginia, to give in this way?"
asked Rachel. Once, she would never have asked such a
personal question. Now, it seemed as natural to talk frankly
about money as about anything else that belonged to God.
"I have
available for use at least four hundred and fifty-thousand
dollars. Rollin has as much more. It is one of his bitter
regrets now that his extravagant habits of life before his
conversion practically threw away half that father left him.
We are both eager to make all the reparation in our power.
'What would Jesus do with this money?' We want to answer
that question honestly and wisely. The money I shall put
into the NEWS is, I am confident, in a line with His
probable action. It is as necessary that we have a Christian
daily paper in Raymond, especially now that we have the
saloon influence to meet, as it is to have a church or a
college. So I am satisfied that the five hundred thousand
dollars that Mr. Norman will know how to use so well will be
a powerful factor in Raymond to do as Jesus would.
"About
my other plan, Rachel, I want you to work with me. Rollin
and I are going to buy up a large part of the property in
the Rectangle. The field where the tent now is, has been in
litigation for years. We mean to secure the entire tract as
soon as the courts have settled the title. For some time I
have been making a special study of the various forms of
college settlements and residence methods of Christian work
and Institutional church work in the heart of great city
slums. I do not know that I have yet been able to tell just
what is the wisest and most effective kind of work that can
be done in Raymond. But I do know this much. My money--I
mean God's, which he wants me to use--can build wholesome
lodging-houses, refuges for poor women, asylums for shop
girls, safety for many and many a lost girl like Loreen. And
I do not want to be simply a dispenser of this money. God
help me! I do want to put myself into the problem. But you
know, Rachel, I have a feeling all the time that all that
limitless money and limitless personal sacrifice can
possibly do, will not really lessen very much the awful
condition at the Rectangle as long as the saloon is legally
established there. I think that is true of any Christian
work now being carried on in any great city. The saloon
furnishes material to be saved faster than the settlement or
residence or rescue mission work can save it."
Virginia
suddenly rose and paced the hall. Rachel answered sadly, and
yet with a note of hope in her voice:
"It is
true. But, Virginia, what a wonderful amount of good can be
done with this money! And the saloon cannot always remain
here. The time must come when the Christian forces in the
city will triumph."
Virginia
paused near Rachel, and her pale, earnest face lighted up.
"I
believe that too. The number of those who have promised to
do as Jesus would is increasing. If we once have, say, five
hundred such disciples in Raymond, the saloon is doomed. But
now, dear, I want you to look at your part in this plan for
capturing and saving the Rectangle. Your voice is a power. I
have had many ideas lately. Here is one of them. You could
organize among the girls a Musical Institute; give them the
benefit of your training. There are some splendid voices in
the rough there. Did any one ever hear such singing as that
yesterday by those women? Rachel, what a beautiful
opportunity! You shall have the best of material in the way
of organs and orchestras that money can provide, and what
cannot be done with music to win souls there into higher and
purer and better living?"
Before
Virginia had ceased speaking Rachel's face was perfectly
transformed with the thought of her life work. It flowed
into her heart and mind like a flood, and the torrent of her
feeling overflowed in tears that could not be restrained. It
was what she had dreamed of doing herself. It represented to
her something that she felt was in keeping with a right use
of her talent.
"Yes,"
she said, as she rose and put her arm about Virginia, while
both girls in the excitement of their enthusiasm paced the
hall. "Yes, I will gladly put my life into that kind of
service. I do believe that Jesus would have me use my life
in this way. Virginia, what miracles can we not accomplish
in humanity if we have such a lever as consecrated money to
move things with!"
"Add to
it consecrated personal enthusiasm like yours, and it
certainly can accomplish great things," said Virginia
smiling. And before Rachel could reply, Rollin came in.
He hesitated
a moment, and then was passing out of the hall into the
library when Virginia called him back and asked some
questions about his work.
Rollin came
back and sat down, and together the three discussed their
future plans. Rollin was apparently entirely free from
embarrassment in Rachel's presence while Virginia was with
them, only his manner with her was almost precise, if not
cold. The past seemed to have been entirely absorbed in his
wonderful conversion. He had not forgotten it, but he seemed
to be completely caught up for this present time in the
purpose of his new life. After a while Rollin was called
out, and Rachel and Virginia began to talk of other things.
"By the
way, what has become of Jasper Chase?" Virginia asked
the question innocently, but Rachel flushed and Virginia
added with a smile, "I suppose he is writing another
book. Is he going to put you into this one, Rachel? You know
I always suspected Jasper Chase of doing that very thing in
his first story."
"Virginia,"
Rachel spoke with the frankness that had always existed
between the two friends, "Jasper Chase told me the
other night that he--in fact--he proposed to me--or he
would, if "
Rachel
stopped and sat with her hands clasped on her lap, and there
were tears in her eyes.
"Virginia,
I thought a little while ago I loved him, as he said he
loved me. But when he spoke, my heart felt repelled, and I
said what I ought to say. I told him no. I have not seen him
since. That was the night of the first conversions at the
Rectangle."
"I am
glad for you," said Virginia quietly.
"Why?"
asked Rachel a little startled.
"Because,
I have never really liked Jasper Chase. He is too cold
and--I do not like to judge him, but I have always
distrusted his sincerity in taking the pledge at the church
with the rest."
Rachel
looked at Virginia thoughtfully.
"I have
never given my heart to him I am sure. He touched my
emotions, and I admired his skill as a writer. I have
thought at times that I cared a good deal for him. I think
perhaps if he had spoken to me at any other time than the
one he chose, I could easily have persuaded myself that I
loved him. But not now."
Again Rachel
paused suddenly, and when she looked up at Virginia again
there were tears on her face. Virginia came to her and put
her arm about her tenderly.
When Rachel
had left the house, Virginia sat in the hall thinking over
the confidence her friend had just shown her. There was
something still to be told, Virginia felt sure from Rachel's
manner, but she did not feel hurt that Rachel had kept back
something. She was simply conscious of more on Rachel's mind
than she had revealed.
Very soon
Rollin came back, and he and Virginia, arm in arm as they
had lately been in the habit of doing, walked up and down
the long hall. It was easy for their talk to settle finally
upon Rachel because of the place she was to occupy in the
plans which were being made for the purchase of property at
the Rectangle.
"Did
you ever know of a girl of such really gifted powers in
vocal music who was willing to give her life to the people
as Rachel is going to do? She is going to give music lessons
in the city, have private pupils to make her living, and
then give the people in the Rectangle the benefit of her
culture and her voice."
"It is
certainly a very good example of self-sacrifice,"
replied Rollin a little stiffly.
Virginia
looked at him a little sharply. "But don't you think it
is a very unusual example? Can you imagine--" here
Virginia named half a dozen famous opera
singers--"doing anything of this sort?"
"No, I
cannot," Rollin answered briefly. "Neither can I
imagine Miss--" he spoke the name of the girl with the
red parasol who had begged Virginia to take the girls to the
Rectangle--" doing what you are doing, Virginia."
"Any
more than I can imagine Mr.--" Virginia spoke the name
of a young society leader "going about to the clubs
doing your work, Rollin." The two walked on in silence
for the length of the hall.
"Coming
back to Rachel," began Virginia, "Rollin, why do
you treat her with such a distinct, precise manner? I think,
Rollin--pardon me if I hurt you--that she is annoyed by it.
You need to be on easy terms. I don't think Rachel likes
this change."
Rollin
suddenly stopped. He seemed deeply agitated. He took his arm
from Virginia's and walked alone to the end of the hall.
Then he returned, with his hands behind him, and stopped
near his sister and said, "Virginia, have you not
learned my secret?"
Virginia
looked bewildered, then over her face the unusual color
crept, showing that she understood.
"I have
never loved any one but Rachel Winslow." Rollin spoke
calmly enough now. "That day she was here when you
talked about her refusal to join the concert company, I
asked her to be my wife; out there on the avenue. She
refused me, as I knew she would. And she gave as her reason
the fact that I had no purpose in life, which was true
enough. Now that I have a purpose, now that I am a new man,
don't you see, Virginia, how impossible it is for me to say
anything? I owe my very conversion to Rachel's singing. And
yet that night while she sang I can honestly say that, for
the time being, I never thought of her voice except as God's
message. I believe that all my personal love for her was for
the time merged into a personal love to my God and my
Saviour." Rollin was silent, then he went on with more
emotion. "I still love her, Virginia. But I do not
think she ever could love me." He stopped and looked
his sister in the face with a sad smile.
"I
don't know about that," said Virginia to herself. She
was noting Rollin's handsome face, his marks of dissipation
nearly all gone now, the firm lips showing manhood and
courage, the clear eyes looking into hers frankly, the form
strong and graceful. Rollin was a man now. Why should not
Rachel come to love him in time? Surely the two were well
fitted for each other, especially now that their purpose in
life was moved by the same Christian force.
