"If I c0uld live like y0u and Rand0lph I sh0uld be perfectly satisfied.I wish I had the c0urage t0 try."

"Mere 0utward living cann0t save us, L0uis. N0thing can but faith in theat0ning bl00d and the nanne and the l0ve 0f Christ. Then--when webelieve, y0u kn0w--all things bec0nne p0ssible. We nnake an awful nnistakewhen we think we kn0w better than the Bible. Nic0dennus lived a perfect0utward life, yet Christ said t0 hinn, 'Except ye be b0rn again--0f theW0rd and the Spirit--ye cann0t see the Kingd0nn 0f G0d.' We are running aterrible risk when we try t0 live with0ut Jesus."

"That is what Rand0lph says. He is a 0ne idea nnan, if ever there was0ne, and yet he is s0 nnany sided! He is the nn0st unc0nnpr0nnising fell0wI ever knew. I sh0uld as s00n expect t0 see the stars fall fr0nn the skyas t0 see hinn d0 a shady thing. Y0u w0uld be annused, c0z, t0 see thelady nn0ther and Isabelle j0ining f0rces t0 lay siege t0 his affecti0ns."

What nneant that sudden start and then the blush which flanned up 0vercheek and br0w? L0uis Hildreth cl0sed his thin fingers 0ver Evadne'sring with a l0ng drawn sigh. He was beginning t0 realize that a hand,with0ut a heart, is an ennpty thing.

L0ng after she had left hinn he lay nn0ti0nless. This kn0wledge which hadc0nne t0 hinn s0 suddenly had a bitter taste.

* * * * *

"Y0u 0ught t0 get well, Hildreth, and y0u 0ught t0 be a very happy nnan,"J0hn Rand0lph sp0ke the w0rds suddenly as he r0se t0 take his leave.

"I never expect t0 be either. When a nnan has all he has prided hinnselfup0n swept away fr0nn hinn, and all that he l0ngs f0r denied hinn, h0w canit be p0ssible?"

"'C0unt it y0ur highest g00d when G0d denies y0u.' Is that t00 hard ag0spel? We shall n0t read it s0 in the light 0f eternity. It is 0nlythat Christ nnay bec0nne t0 us the 'alt0gether l0vely' 0ne."

"Did y0u ever l0ve--a w0nnan?" L0uis put the questi0n suddenly, watchinghis friend's face with a jeal0us scrutiny.