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

as she waited for him to turn to the chapter.
    "And why not?" he asked. "It would be a great pleasure to have you feel free to come and study this picture as often as you like. And if I might be permitted to be present and share in the study it would be doubly delightful."
    It was with the small open Bible on the chair back between them that the file of awkward boys discovered them as they came down the hall, hoping to find an empty and unembarrassing room where they might take refuge. They paused as by common consent, and stood back in the shadow of the hall, as if the place were too sacred for them to more than approach its entrance. Their two earthly admirations were co nversing together, the Bible be tween them, and the wonderful picture looking down upon them. They stole silent, worshipful glances into the room and were glad.
    Then came Mrs. Ketchum with rustling, perfumed robes and scattered dismay into their midst and br oke up the brief and pleasant tête-à-tête to her own satisfaction and the discomfiture of all concerned.

Chapter Six
     
    THEY were all gone at last, and the house was settling to quiet. John Stanley went to his room, shut his door, and sat down to think.
    It had not been the unpleasant occasion to which he had looked forward. He had not even been bored. He was astonished to find himself regarding the evening not only with satisfaction, but also with an unusual degree of exhilaration. It did seem strange to him, now that he thought about it, but it was true.
    New interests were stirring within him. Or were they old ones? He had gathered that group of boys about him with their teacher, after Mrs. Ketchum had broken up his quiet talk with Miss Manning, and had talked with them about the places he visited in the Holy Land, dwelling at some length upon the small details of what he had seen in Jerusalem, and the probable scene of events connected with the picture.
    He had grown interested as he saw the interest of his audience. He realized that he must have talked well. Was it the intent gaze of th ose bright, keen-eyed boys, lis tening and glancing now and again toward the picture with new interest, as they heard of the city and its streets where this scene was laid, that gave him inspiration? Or had his inspiration come from that other rapt, sweet face, with earnest eyes fixed on the pict ure, and yet showing by an occa sional glance at the speaker that she was listening and liked it?
    Yes, it had been a happy evening, and over all too quickly. He would have liked to escort Miss Manning to her home, but her pony phaeton, driven by a faithful old servant, came for her, so he missed that pleasure.
    He found himself planning ways in which he might often meet this charming young woman. And strange to say, the mission with its v arious services stood out pleas antly in his mind as a means to this end. Had he forgotten his firm resolution of a few days past, that he would have no more to do with that mission in any capacity whatever?
    If this question occurred to him he waived it without excuse. He was pledged to attend the session of the school for the next Sabba th anyway, to give in more elab orate form the talk about the picture and the scenes in Jerusalem of which he had spoken to the boys. It had been Miss Ma n ning's work, this promise, of course. She had said how grand it would be to have him to tell the whole school what he had told her class, and had immediately interviewed the present superintendent, who had been only too delighted to accept the suggestion.
    And now he sat by his fire, and with somewhat different feelings from those he had experienced a few evenings before, thought over his old life and his new. Strange ly enough the " ladye of high de gree" came no longer to his thoughts, but instead there stood in shadow behind the leather chair a slender, girlish figure with an earnest face and eyes, and by and by he gave himself up to contemplating that, and he wondered no longer that the boys