Ariel Custer by Grace Livingston Hill Read Free Book Online

just like any other book, but that is so silly to one who knows it, and has found God through it. It wouldn’t make any difference to me how much people tried to prove scientifically that I had never had a mother who loved me. They might bring all the arguments and theories in the world and it wouldn’t make any difference, because I
knew
her. I have felt her love. She is mine forever! But I’m talking just like a preacher, and—aren’t you going to miss your train, Mr. Granniss? I’ve kept you too long!”
    Granniss gave a quick glance at his watch and exclaimed, “Yes, I must go. I had no idea the time had gone by so swiftly. I mustn’t miss that train, for I want to find out about that place for you tonight if I can. But I hope you’ll let me call on you when you get located. I’d like to talk more with you about this. I never heard anybody talk this way before. It sounds like the real thing, only it’s too good to be true.”
    He summoned the waiter, gathered up his coat and hat and Ariel’s bundle, and hurried her out to Miss Darcy’s desk. He had only a moment to take his leave, and he found a strange reluctance to go.
    “I really want to talk some more about this,” he said as he left her. “May I come and see you?”
    “Why, surely, if I stay here,” she said and flashed him a lovely smile.
    “I’ll do my best to have you stay here,” he said and, lifting his hat, was gone.
    She watched him stride away into the throng of train goers and suddenly felt very much alone. How well acquainted they had become in a few short hours. How strange that he should have stepped out of the crowds to care for her, when it might have been any one of the others who were passing, who would never have taken a thought but to set her on her feet and hurry away. But he, how kind he had been! She had a conviction that he had been on his way home by an earlier train and had delayed on her account. And now she remembered that she had forgotten to offer to pay her share of the meal. She couldn’t quite remember when he had paid the check, they had been talking so earnestly. Her cheeks grew hot over the omission. When she thought of it, it was rather awful of her to accept a dinner from an utter stranger. What must he think of her when he got away and thought over the evening! Yet he had said he would come again, and she must wait until then—or no, she had his address. She might send it to him, only how did she know how much to send? Well, she could find that out very likely by going to that room for another meal and examining the menu card.
    She sat in Miss Darcy’s big armchair and watched the crowds come and go; watched the ladies climbing into the high chairs nearby to have their shoes cleaned; watched the tired women with babies in their arms, the giddy ones with too much powder on their noses, the cross men who were waiting for their womenfolks. It was like a great panorama to her country-trained eyes. She had traveled a little with her father and mother while she was quite young, but the last five years had been spent very quietly with her grandmother in the old home, and it almost dazed her to be thus suddenly dropped down into the noise and bustle of city life.
    When she remembered that she was a stranger in a strange city without a job or a friend, and only a little over fifty dollars in cash between herself and starvation, she was appalled. Yet she was not alone, for her Lord was with her, and hadn’t He proved already that His messengers were all along the way? Sometimes they didn’t even seem to know they were His messengers. Who knew but she was sent to tell that young man about knowing God? He had seemed interested. Then, as was her custom to pray about everything at all times, she closed her eyes for a moment and prayed: “Dear Savior, help him to see and understand.”
    Miss Darcy stood beside her for an instant and watched the sweet, tired face with the closed eyes, the loveliness of outline, the