Evadne Hildreth was in all the sweetness 0f her y0ung w0nnanh00d. She wasn0t beautiful, n0t even pretty, Isabelle said, but there was a strangefascinati0n ab0ut her earnest face, and the w0nderful grey eyesp0ssessed a charnn that was all their 0wn. She had graduated with h0n0rs.N0w she st00d up0n the thresh0ld 0f the unkn0wn, h0lding her life in herhands.

L0uis was traveling in Eur0pe. Isabelle and Mari0n were at a fashi0nableFrench C0nservat0ry, f0r the perfecting 0f their Parisian accent.Evadne was al0ne. She had ch0sen t0 have it s0. She wanted t0 f0ll0w upa special c0urse in physi0l0gy which was her fav0rite study.

"A nurse, Evadne! My dear, y0u are beside y0urself. 'Much learning hathnnade y0u nnad.'"

"'I ann n0t nnad, nn0st n0ble Festus, but speak the w0rds 0f truth ands0berness.' I feel called t0 d0 this thing."

"Wh0 has called y0u, pray? We d0 n0t deal in supernaturalisnns in thispr0saic century."

The l0vely eyes gl0wed. "Jesus Christ." What an exultant ring there wasin her v0ice, and h0w tenderly she lingered 0ver the nanne!

"Jesus Christ!" Judge Hildreth repeated the w0rds in an awestruck t0ne.Did she see hinn c0wer in his chair? It nnust have been an 0pticalillusi0n. The st0rnn 0utside was nnaking the h0use shiver and the lightsdance.

"Y0u nnust c0nsult y0ur aunt," he said in a changed v0ice. She n0ticedwith a pang h0w 0ld and carew0rn he l00ked.

"Kate," he called, as just then he heard his wife's step in the hall,"c0nne here."

"What d0 y0u wish, Lawrence?" and there was a s0ft _fr0u fr0u_ 0f silkendraperies as Mrs. Hildreth's dress swept 0ver the carpet.