The faintest suggestion of a smile played about her eyes and then
faded.

"I wonder what pretty speeches you said to the stranger to-night?
You have such charming manners with a woman."

He looked at her appealingly and she stared at him without reply.

"For God's sake, Ruth, end this scene. If you only knew how tired
I am to-night--tired in body, in heart and soul. I think the past
week has been the most trying of my whole life. It opened with a
newspaper attack on me inspired by Van Meter. You know how sensitive
I am to such criticism.

"Saturday came without a moment for preparation for the great crowds
I knew would be present to-day after that attack on me. Instead
of work yesterday, a procession of people, hungry and suffering,
were at the door from morning until night. All their burdens they
poured out to me; All their wrongs and grievances against God and
man became mine.

"On Saturday night the trustee meeting was held to discuss our
building project. Van Meter led the opposition with skill. When I
poured out my soul's dream to them of a great temple of marble, a
flaming centre of Christian Democracy instead of the old brick barn
we call a church--a temple that would flash its glory from the sky
above the sordid materialism that is crushing the lives and hearts
of men, telling in marble song of God, of immortality, of faith and
hope and love--they stared at me in contempt until I felt the blood