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12 INTO MARVELOUS LIQHT SYNOPSIS. Julian Deveaux, a New York actor of bad character, goes South for rest and recreation. He falls deeply in love with a young Southern girl who gives him only cordial friendship in return, but consents to marry him at the sudden death of her father, who also wishes the union. John Marsden, a young preacher to whom De veaux had become attracted in New York, comes South to perform the ceremony. The couple go at once abroad and in Paris, Christiania, the wife, gets the first glimpse of the husband’s unfortunate disposition. Later, a woman connected with Deveaux’s past, meets and fol lows the couple, returning on the steamer with them to America. She takes occasion to warn Deveaux that his wife does not love him. But the man determines to rid himself of this woman by police aid, and devotes him self to his wife. He has planned a surprise for her in a handsome home in New York, and he calls on John Marsden to urge him to visit Christiania in her new home. The girl herself remembers Marsden and is anx ious for another meeting. The preacher, hoping to help and guide her, consents to make the visit which he has shunned as long as permissible. (Continued from last week.) At last she said: “Forgive me. You bring it all back as if it were but yesterday. Part of my very self seemed to have left me when my father died. Life can never be the same again. No one knows but my dear, aunt what father and I were to each other. I have never been able even to speak of him, but I should like to open my heart to you. You do not seem a stranger to me. There is some thing about you that reminds me of father.” “Let me be your friend at all times and in ev ery way that lies in my power.” In her impulsive, girlish manner, she laid her hand upon his arm, exclaiming, “How good of you. You don’t know, of course, and I scarcely have time to think of it myself, in the whirl of all my social duties, but I sometimes feel that I am drifting away from all the influences of the sw T eet old home life, the life that father loved so much. Dou you think he would wish it to be so?” “If he could speak to you I know he would tell you that, with your youth and beauty, and almost limitless wealth, you might become an angel of mer cy in this great city of poverty and misery and sin. Even with all the temptations that are before you, if you would seek God’s guidance at all times and rely upon his strength in your moments of tempta tion, you would find in Him a Friend closer even than a father.” “Julian has told me about the great work you do. I am so interested, and wish you would tell me about it, and show me what I may do. With all my heart I wish to be guided by God in all things. You inspire me to all that is best and noblest. Help me.” Mr. Deveaux entered, saying, “Why, hello, John. At last? I hope you and the madame have already become good friends. Annie, have you shown John over our house ? ” “What a question. Did yon expect the moment he came, I should, like a child, say, ‘come, let me show you my play-house?” “To be sure. Come at once, John.” Christiana did not join them, for she did not rel ish showing John the ball-room, nor the room for private theatricals, nor the billiard and card room. “Come, Annie, are you not going with us?” “No, if you will pardon me, I am sure you are quite capable of doing the honors of the house without me.” Left alone she had a combat with herself. Why was it she so feared John Marsden’s disapproval of these things, when she had worried so little about whether God would approve of them or not? Perhaps he had awakened her to her relation to God in a different light. Her soliloquy ended with the consoling thought that it was all her husband’s planning, that she was not responsible for it, nei ther could she help it if she were to try. It had been impossible for her to do otherwise than marry him because he had loved her go, and because it The Golden Age for April 26, 1906. By LLEWELYN ST EP HE NS. was her idolized father’s dying request. She could not ask for a more devoted husband. But now she did something she had never before done, she com pared her husband with another man. It had never occurred to her that her husband always looked on the dark side of all questions, that he saw only the world’s wickedness, and never said or did any thing which inspired her to be that which was good and noble, while the very presence of John Mars den was enobling and inspiring toward all that was den was ennobling and inspiring toward all that was husband so critically, as she did when the two men returned. When John Marsden reached his study, he fell upon his knees and implored God to remove the cup from him if possible, but if it were his will for him to continue under such torture, to give him strength sufficient for his needs. CHAPTER XVII. “The ■world is a bride superbly dressed:— Who weds her for dowry must pay his soul.” —Hafiz. The Deveauxs were giving a great ball. Christi ana was all in white and fairly ablaze with dia monds. Her husband said, “Perfect, simply per fect. I am willing for all New York to see my beautiful wife just as she is tonight. I wish John could see you now. What a pity we could not have induced him to come. It seems to me he gets more prudish every day.” Christiana blushed. She was uncertain whether she would wish John Marsden to see her as she was dresstd for her first ball. The decorations made the house appear as in a fairy land. The music of the orchestra was en chanting. The punch bowl was intoxicating. The silent walls were witnesses to many comedies and tragedies that night among the thousand assembled guests. The usual topics were discussed, the theat rical attractions of the season, the approaching horse show, the last divorce in high life and the debutantes who were just out; but nothing was so commented on as this marriage of Julian Devaux’s. The excitement of this, her first social function, kept up Christiana’s strength, vivacity and gracious manner, all through the long night till the cool gray dawn of morning, when the last carriage rolled away. She was not so shocked by many scenes she witnessed as the sweet village maiden would have been. Mr. Deveaux had impressed his wife with the idea that upon her success or failure that night depended his future happiness. After it was over, he assured her he was the proudest husband in the world, so she persuaded herself that she was quite content for the time. Thus, by degrees, she began to look at the world through her husband’s eyes and see many things as he saw them. But -when, during this same week, her aunt, Mrs. Wayland, came to visit her, her whole being w*as again rent with conflicting emotions. The next Sunday found her and her aunt driving to John Marsden’s church. It was the first time she had gone out without her husband by her side. Her heart was heavy. He gave, as his reason for not accompanying her, an engagement at his club. She made everv effort to prevent her aunt from thinking she felt it. She had ready excuses for evprvthinqf he did. John Marsden’s text was taken from Luke 16:25, “But. Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thv lifetime received the "nod things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented.” He seemed, during the ser mon. to be insnired. and his face was glorified. When he had said “Amen,” he paused a moment, then becran sing-ins’. “Nearer mv God to Thee.” .As one by one the con "re"ation took im the hvmn, its nrnises ran" from almost everv lin. till the verv air thrilled with its "lorv. and the walls echoed with Rs "randeur. God himself was so near, everyone felt the touch of His presence. Homely faces may have been in the audience at the beginning of the service, but at its close every face was beautiful with the halo of His Spirit. It was a wonderful service, a veritable pentecostal blessing. Was Christiana’s heart touched? Yes, but she did not open her heart so much to God as she was drawn to the man sent from God. She sat as one spellbound until that ■wonderful voice, she had heard by the mound of flowers which covered her idolized father’s body, began singing. With a start she thought of herself as Christiana Devaux. Her eyes filled with tears. More and more was she over come. As the congregation arose, she leaned her head upon the back of the pew in front of her and almost sobbed aloud. John Marsden saw it, his tones became more exultant in praise to God for using him as the instrument to touch her heart. At the close of the service, Mrs. Wayland raised her up, remarking, “We shall wait to speak to Mr. Marsden. May I invite him home to dinner with us ? ” “Certainly, auntie, I should be delighted to have him and I am sure Julian would, too.” They did not have to wait long until John Mars den joined them. He had little to say, and Chris tiana had nothing. She seemed satisfied with look ing into his face. He agreed to dine with them, but they could not persuade him to drive home with them. He pre ferred to take a car, and to join them at their home. Mr. Devaux arrived home just in time for dinner, bringing a friend with him. Christiana saw that in some way he was not himself. After introducing Horace Bradmore, he began in a most teasing man ner, “Annie, did John give you enough religion this morning to make up for last time? If I had had the least idea that you could have induced him to take dinner with us, Horace and I would not have remained to finish that last game of cards, but we had up pretty good stakes, enough to make it lively, so we did not notice how late it was.” Christiana’s face crimsoned. She tried to change the subject, but each time she did so, it lead to something equally embarrassing. Horace Brad more asked Mr. Devaux when he expected to return to the stage? “Oh, Bradmore, don’t talk shop. Just take it for granted that I have withdrawn from public life. Annie might object to my taking up the stage again. That’s a secret I have kept from her, and now you’ve let it out. If you don’t mind, you’ll make yourself my worst enemy.” (Continued next week.) like Measure ofall fl rffßS] i* w M'-ll a it 'I l\ I\U ?Wi .J R hI» M ®LI K| t——.J 'EM' \sl 1 . t vTtSSipr ’ *-W vv--IM I |\ S| \ <g I Commercial Brains B S \ 71 ■ measure every typewriter [ LJZ-—r*M I ■ —quality for quality—attri- 111 I bute lor attribute—by the LI S I *1 I Underwood 111 J ■ How approach it in respon- Vl— —1 ■ ® lveness —in mechanical per- V ■ lection. How resemble it in t I b— I I appearance, design and fin-H i 1 I ish. Its increasing fame y I S I I aurd*^ S perinanent lhc Stand- U ® I I THE ORIGINAL OF ITS KIND El S 1 I I Imitations are Never so I UNDERWOOD typewriter co., j 241 Broadway, New York.