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No one in all Raymond, including the Rectangle, felt Loreen's death more keenly than
Virginia. It came like a distinct personal loss to her. That short week while the girl had
been in her home had opened Virginia's heart to a new life. She was talking it over with
Rachel the day after the funeral. They were sitting in the hall of the Page mansion.
"I am going to do something with my money to help those women to a better life." Virginia
looked over to the end of the hall where, the day before, Loreen's body had lain. "I have
decided on a good plan, as it seems to me. I have talked it over with Rollin. He will devote
a large part of his money also to the same plan."
"How much money have you, Virginia, to give in this way?" asked Rachel. Once, she
would never have asked such a personal question. Now, it seemed as natural to talk
frankly about money as about anything else that belonged to God.
"I have available for use at least four hundred and fifty- thousand dollars. Rollin has as
much more. It is one of his bitter regrets now that his extravagant habits of life before his
conversion practically threw away half that father left him. We are both eager to make all
the reparation in our power. 'What would Jesus do with this money?' We want to answer
that question honestly and wisely. The money I shall put into the 'News' is, I am confident,
in a line with his probable action. It is as necessary that we have a Christian daily paper in
Raymond, especially now that we have the saloon influence to meet, as it is to have a
church or a college. So I am satisfied that the five hundred thousand dollars that Mr.
Norman will know how to use so well will be a powerful factor in Raymond to do as Jesus
would do.
"About my other plan, Rachel, I want you to work with me. Rollin and I are going to buy
up a large part of the property in the Rectangle. The field where the tent now is, has been
in litigation for years. We mean to secure the entire tract as soon as the courts have settled
the title. For some time I have been making a special study of the various forms of college
settlements and residence methods of Christian work and institutional church work in the
heart of great city slums. I do not know that I have yet been able to tell just what is the
wisest and most effective kind of work that can be done in Raymond. But I do know this
much. My money (I mean God's, which he wants me to use) can build wholesome
lodging-houses, refuges for poor women, asylums for shop girls, safety for many and many
a lost girl like Loreen. And I do not want to be simply a dispenser of this money. God help
me! I do want to put myself into the problem. But you know, Rachel, I have a feeling all the
time that all that limitless money and limitless personal sacrifice can possibly do, will not
really lessen very much the awful condition at the Rectangle as long as the saloon is legally
established there. I think that is true of any Christian work now being carried on in any
great city. The saloon furnishes material to be saved faster than the settlement or residence
or rescue mission work can save it."
Virginia suddenly rose and paced the hall. Rachel answered sadly, and yet with a note of
hope in her voice:
"It is true. But, Virginia, what a wonderful amount of good can be done with this money!
And the saloon cannot always remain here. The time must come when the Christian forces
in the city will triumph."
Virginia paused near Rachel, and her pale, earnest face lighted up.
"I believe that, too. The number of those who have promised to do as Jesus would is
increasing. If we once have, say, five hundred such disciples in Raymond, the saloon is
doomed. But now, dear, I want you to look at your part in this plan for capturing and saving the Rectangle. Your voice is a power. I have had many ideas lately.
Here is one of them. You could organize among the girls a Musical Institute; give them the
benefit of your training. There are some splendid voices in the rough there. Did any one
ever hear such singing as that yesterday by those women? Rachel, what a beautiful
opportunity! You shall have the best of material in the way of organs and orchestras that
money can provide, and what cannot be done with music to win souls there into higher and
purer and better living?"
Before Virginia had ceased speaking Rachel's face was perfectly transformed with the
thought of her life work. It flowed into her heart and mind like a flood, and the torrent of
her feeling overflowed in tears that could not be restrained. It was what she had dreamed of
doing herself. It represented to her something that she felt was in keeping with a right use of
her talent.
"Yes," she said, as she rose and put her arm about Virginia, while both girls in the
excitement of their enthusiasm paced the hall. "Yes, I will gladly put my life into that kind
of service. I do believe that Jesus would have me use my life in this way. Virginia, what
miracles can we not accomplish in humanity if we have such a lever as consecrated money
to move things with!"
"Add to it consecrated personal enthusiasm like yours, and it certainly can accomplish great
things," said Virginia, smiling. And before Rachel could reply, Rollin came in.
He hesitated a moment, and then was passing out of the hall into the library when Virginia
called him back and asked some questions about his work.
Rollin came back and sat down, and together the three discussed their future plans. Rollin
was apparently entirely free from embarrassment in Rachel's presence while Virginia was
with them. Only his manner with her was almost precise, if not cold. The past seemed to
have been entirely absorbed in his wonderful conversion. He had not forgotten it, but he seemed to be completely caught up for this present time in the purpose of his new life.
After a while Rollin was called out, and Rachel and Virginia began to talk of other things.
"By the way, what has become of Jasper Chase?" Virginia asked the question innocently enough,
but Rachel flushed and Virginia added with a smile, "I suppose he is writing another book.
Is he going to put you into this one, Rachel? You know I always suspected Jasper Chase of
doing that very thing in his first story."
"Virginia," Rachel spoke with the frankness that had always existed between the two
friends, "Jasper Chase told me the other night that he -- in fact -- he proposed to me -- or
he would, if --"
Rachel stopped and sat with her hands clasped on her lap. and there were tears in her eyes.
"Virginia, I thought a little while ago I loved him as he said he loved me. But when he
spoke, my heart felt repelled and I said what I ought to say. I told him no. I have not seen
him since. That was the night of the first conversions at the Rectangle."
"I am glad for you," said Virginia quietly.
"Why?" asked Rachel a little startled.
"Because, I have never really liked Jasper Chase. He is too cold and -- I do not like to
judge him, but I have always distrusted his sincerity in taking the pledge at the church with
the rest."
Rachel looked at Virginia thoughtfully.
"I have never given my heart to him, I am sure. He touched my emotions, and I admired his
skill as a writer. I have thought at times that I cared a good deal for him. I think, perhaps, if
he had spoken to me at any other time than the one he chose, I could easily have persuaded
myself that I loved him. But not now."
Again Rachel paused suddenly, and when she looked up at Virginia again there were tears
on her face. Virginia came to her and put her arm about her tenderly.
When Rachel had left the house, Virginia sat in the hall thinking over the confidence her
friend had just shown her. There was something still to be told, Virginia felt sure from
Rachel's manner, but she did not feel hurt that Rachel had kept back something. She was
simply conscious of more on Rachel's mind than she had revealed.
Very soon Rollin came back, and he and Virginia, arm in arm as they had lately been in the
habit of doing, walked up and down the long hall.
It was easy for their talk to settle finally
upon Rachel because of the place she was to occupy in the plans which were being made for
the purchase of property at the Rectangle.
"Did you ever know of a girl of such really gifted powers in vocal music who was willing
to give her life to the people as Rachel is going to do? She is going to give music lessons in
the city, have private pupils to make her living, and then give the people in the Rectangle
the benefit of her culture and her voice."
"It is certainly a very good example of self-sacrifice," replied Rollin a little stiffly.
Virginia looked at him a little sharply.
"But don't you think it is a very unusual example?
Can you imagine" -- here Virginia named half a dozen famous opera singers -- "doing anything
of this sort?"
"No, I can't," Rollin answered briefly. "Neither can I imagine Miss" -- he spoke the name
of the girl with the red parasol who had begged Virginia to take the girls to the
Rectangle -- "doing what you are doing, Virginia."
"Any more than I can imagine Mr." -- Virginia spoke the name of a young society
leader -- "going about to the clubs doing your work, Rollin."
The two walked on in silence for
the length of the hall.
"Coming back to Rachel," began Virginia, ""Rollin, why do you treat her with such a
distinct, precise manner? I think, Rollin -- pardon me if I hurt you -- that she is annoyed by
it. You need to be on easy terms. I don't think Rachel likes this change."
Rollin suddenly
stopped. He seemed deeply agitated. He took his arm from Virginia's and walked alone to
the end of the hall. Then he returned, with his hands behind him, and, stopping near his sister,
he said:
"Virginia, have you not learned my secret?"
Virginia looked bewildered, then over her face the unusual color crept, showing that she
understood.
"I have never loved any one but Rachel Winslow." Rollin spoke calmly enough now. "That
day she was here when you talked about her refusal to join the concert company, I asked
her to be my wife. Out there on the avenue. She refused me, as I knew she would. And she
gave as her reason the fact that I had no purpose in life, which was true enough. Now that I
have a purpose, now that I am a new man, don't you see, Virginia, how impossible it is for
me to say anything? I owe my very conversion to Rachel's singing. And yet that night while
she sang I can honestly say that, for the time being, I never thought of her voice except as
God's message. I believe that all my personal love for her was for the time merged into a
personal love to my God and my Savior." Rollin was silent, then he went on with more
emotion. "I am still in love with her, Virginia. But I do not think she ever could love me." He stopped
and looked his sister in the face with a sad smile.
"I don't know about that," said Virginia to herself. She was noting Rollin's handsome face,
his marks of dissipation nearly all gone now, the firm lips showing manhood and courage,
the clear eyes looking into hers frankly, the form strong and graceful. Rollin was a man
now. Why should not Rachel come to love him in time? Surely the two were well fitted for
each other, especially now that their purpose in life was moved by the same Christian force.
She said something of all this to Rollin, but he did not find much comfort. When they
closed the interview, Virginia carried away the impression that Rollin meant to go his way with his chosen work, trying to
reach the fashionable men at the clubs, and while not avoiding Rachel, seeking no occasions
for meeting her. He was distrustful of his power to control his feelings. And Virginia could
see that he dreaded even the thought of a second refusal in case he did let Rachel know that
his love was still the same.
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