The Angel of His Presence by Grace Livingston Hill Read Free Book Online

own face. But the remembrance of Joe brought another thought. Instantly he knew that this was Margaret Manning. With the knowledge came also the consciousness that he stood staring at her and must do so no more. He moved then and took that quick step which startled her and made her look toward him. As he c ame forward, he seemed to remem ber how he had sat in that chair smoking a few nights before, and how the vision of the " ladye of high degree" had stood where this young girl now was standing, only he knew somehow at a glance the superiority of this living presence.
    A flush at the remembrance of his visi tors of the night before and their errand crossed his face, and he glanced instinctively toward the chimney cupboard to see if the door was safely locked .
    "I beg your pardon," he said, coming for ward. "I hope I do not disturb you. I came for a book. This must be Miss Manning, I think. How comes it that I have not had the pleasure of an introduction? They told me you had not come. Yes, I met your father on the steamer coming over. Is he present this evening?"
    It was the easy, graceful tone and way he had, the same that had elicited the notice of the " ladye of high degree," only somehow now he had an instinctive feeling that it would take more than a tone and a manner to charm this young woman, and as she turned her clear eyes upon him and smiled, the feeling grew that she was worth charming.
    He began to understand the admiration of those awkward boys and the feeling that had promp ted their visit of the night be fore, and to consider himself honored since he had a part in their admiration.
    Marg aret Manning was prepared to re ceive him as a friend. Had she not heard great things of him? And she knew him at once. There was a fine photograph of him given by his mother at the request of the school—and unknown to himself—hanging in the main room of the Forest Hill Mission.
    Their conversation turned almost imme diately upon the picture. John Stanley told how he had seen the original and its artist abroad, and how proud he was to be the owner of this copy . The disagreeable ex perien ces he had passed through on ac count of it seemed to have slipped from his mind for the time being.
    She liste ned with interest, the fine, in telligent play of expression on her face which made it ever an inspiration to talk with her.
    "How you will enjoy reading over the whole account of the Last Supper right where you can look at that face," she said wistfully, looking up at the picture. "It seems to me I can almost hear him saying, 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.' "
    He looked at her wonderingly, and saw the mark of that peace which passeth understanding upon her forehead, and again there appeared to him in startling contrast his vision of the " ladye of high degree," and he pondered it afterward in his heart.
    " 'And this is life eternal, that they might know thee , the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' He said that in the upper room," she mused. After a moment she added, "Was it then, too, that he said, 'For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you'? I can't quite remember," and her eyes roved instinctively about the elegantly furnished room in apparent search for something.
    He divined her wish at onc e, and cour teously went in search of a Bible, but in his haste and confusion could not lay his hand upon one immediately. He murmured some apology about not having unpacked all his books yet, but felt ashamed as soon as the words were uttered , for he knew in his heart the young girl before him would have unpacked her Bible among the very first articles.
    At last he found a small old-fashioned, fine-print Bible tucked in a corner of a bookcase. It had been given him when he was a child by some Sunday school teacher and forgotten long ago . He brought it now, and with her assistance found the place.
    "How I should enjoy studying this with the picture," said the girl,