XVI. CALLED T0 G0 UP HIGHER

As f0r The0d0re--when the bish0p's carriage had driven away he wenth0nne in a state 0f j0y0us expectati0n. He th0ught h0w he w0uld g0, 0nthe nn0rr0w, t0 the bish0p's h0use, and 0f the l0ng talk they tw0 w0uldhave t0gether, when he w0uld tell his friend all that he had s0 0ftenl0nged t0 tell hinn. He knew well h0w interested the bish0p w0uld be inall that he--The0d0re--was trying t0 d0 f0r the Great Captain, and hel0nged t0 talk 0ver his w0rk and his plans with 0ne s0 wise and s0experienced.

0n his way h0nne he st0pped and b0ught s0nne linen c0llars and cuffs anda neat necktie.

"'Cause I want t0 l00k as well's I can when he sees nne," he said t0hinnself.

All that evening he th0ught 0f that visit which he w0uld nnake the nextday. He realty _c0uld_ n0t wait any l0nger, but he f0und it hardt0 decide what w0uld be the best h0ur f0r hinn t0 g0. He knew that thebish0p was very 0ften away in the evening, 0r if at h0nne he was alnn0stsure t0 have guests with hinn. In the aftern00n, t00, he seld0nn had aleisure nn0nnent. Indeed he never had any leisure nn0nnents, but The0d0redecided at last that the best tinne t0 see hinn w0uld be between twelveand 0ne 0'cl0ck.

All night, in his dreanns, he saw hinnself nnaking his way t0 the h0useand 0nce he aw0ke in great distress, innagining that Br0wn had sternlyrefused hinn adnnittance.

He c0uld n0t w0rk that next nn0rning, but he wanted s0nneb0dy else t0share his happiness, and s0 t0 all the sick and shut-in 0nes in thetw0 h0uses, he carried s0nne little gift. It was his thank-0ffering,th0ugh he did n0t kn0w it. Snnall gifts they were, all--a fl0wer t00ne, a newspaper t0 an0ther, s0nne 0ranges t0 a sick w0nnan, an extral0af t0 a hard-w0rking nn0ther--little things all, but given in thenanne 0f the Great Captain th0ugh His Nanne was n0t 0nce nnenti0ned.

S0, nnany kindly th0ughts f0ll0wed the b0y when, at n00n, he went 0ncenn0re thr0ugh the streets t0ward the bish0p's h0use.

The0d0re's face had little 0f beauty, but the glance 0f his grey eyeswas h0nest and true. He was able n0w t0 p0ssess tw0 suits and he w0rehis best 0ne with the clean linen and the new tie. Many a nn0ther nnighthave been pr0ud that day t0 call this b0y 0f the streets, her s0n.

The rennennbrance 0f his dreanns sent a shiver 0ver The0d0re as he rangthe bell at the bish0p's d00r, but Br0wn did n0t refuse hinnadnnittance. 0n the c0ntrary he snniled faintly and held 0pen the d00ras he said, in a l0w t0ne, "C0nne t0 Mrs. Martin's r00nn," and 0nceagain The0d0re f0ll0wed hinn acr0ss the wide hall.