A GOLDEN OUTLOOK.
One year had passed since Maggie Brady's death, and Faith Marvin was
nearing her nineteenth birthday.
She was still living with her mother in their pretty little flat and
working faithfully at the store with Mr. Denton. The year had brought
many changes in that establishment, and there were many new faces in
place of the old ones.
Faith talked over these changes as she sat with her mother and Mr.
Watkins in one of their social chats after the day's work was over.
"It hardly seems like the same place," she said, happily. "Why, we are
just one big family, with Mr. Denton for our father!"
"And Mr. Denton is certainly holding his own financially," said Mr.
Watkins, a trifle reluctantly, "while the papers are full of reported
failures all around us."
"I am so glad that Mrs. Denton is recovering," said Mrs. Marvin. "I did
sympathize with her so during the first few months of her anxiety!"
"We are all glad she is better," said Faith, quickly, "for she comes
down to the store often, and she is really very charming. But the
greatest changes are in the clerks themselves," she went on,
thoughtfully. "They are so courteous, so loyal and so kind to each
other. Why, a new girl is welcomed and made one of us at once, and, no
matter what her faults may be, we are almost sure to win her over. Of
course, we miss the little cash girls, but the tube system is much
better, and it did seem so terrible to think of those children being
forced to earn their living!"
Mrs. Marvin nodded her head sympathetically and her daughter continued.
"Mr. Gunning is so different that you would hardly know him," she said,
"and do you know, Fred, he and Miss Jones are to be married next
Tuesday? The dear girl, through God's grace, has had the happiness to
redeem him. Then Miss Fairbanks has developed just the kindest and
sweetest sort of character! Why, I believe every girl in the department
loves her!"
"What do you hear of Lou Willis?" asked her mother after a moment. "That
poor girl who was arrested for stealing jewelry."
"She has just come back from serving her sentence," was Faith's answer,
"and Mr. Denton is considering whether he had better reinstate her."
"It will be a great risk," said Mr. Watkins, soberly, "for 'what's bred
in the bone will come out in the flesh,' unless, of course, the spirit
of Christ takes possession of the body."
"We hope it will," said Faith, almost cheerily, "and then Lou has had a
fearful experience--she may be different altogether."
"And Miss Dean," suggested Mrs. Marvin, in a reminiscent manner.
Faith laughed a little before she answered. "She finds nothing to do in
the store now," she said, "but we still differ a little in our notions
and theories."
Mrs. Marvin left the room a few minutes later. Whether it was done for a
purpose or not, Faith did not have time to conjecture.
"Faith, dear Faith," whispered Mr. Watkins, quickly, "am I never, never
to hear your answer?"
He bent toward her so pleadingly that Faith closed her eyes
instinctively. It cut her to the heart to have to witness his sorrow.
"I have loved you so long, so patiently, dear! Can you not give me some
hope, even though it is for the far-distant future?"
"I cannot! Oh, I cannot!" murmured Faith in agony. "Oh, I wish I could,
Mr. Watkins, but it is impossible! I cannot love you!"
The young man rose without a word and took his hat from the table.
"Good-night, Faith," he said, gently. "Good-night, little sister! Don't
worry about me! Some day I will get over it!"
He went silently away without waiting for Mrs. Marvin. Faith breathed a
sigh of relief that her sad duty was over.
"You have refused him, Faith!"
Her mother spoke softly. "Poor fellow! I am sorry, but you know your own
mind, darling."
They sat down again and Faith took up a book. A peal at the bell made
her drop it suddenly.
A few moments later young James Denton entered. He was taller, broader
and deeply bronzed by travel.
"At last, I see you again," he whispered softly as soon as Mrs. Marvin
had left them together.
"Tell me of your travels," said Faith very quickly. The color had risen
to her face and her heart was beating wildly.
"Well, I went all over Europe and the Continent," he said wearily; "but
a year is not long enough for a fellow to down a bad reputation! I have
come back to find myself in contempt, the same as before, but I have
decided that I shall not run away again. I am going to try and live down
what I could not run away from."
Faith looked at him questioningly, but did not speak. The young man
understood the glance and hurried with his explanation.
"I am going to work in the store with my father now," he said, quietly,
"and I am going to put in a small sum of money that has come to me in
the past year from a distant relative."
"But are you not afraid you will lose it?" asked Faith, a little shyly.
"You know you always had grave doubts as to the financial results of
your father's undertaking."
"Well, what if I do?" asked the young man, smiling back at her. "Others
have done as much, and I can but follow in their footsteps, and then
reformation to be acceptable should not be half-hearted."
There was a light in his eyes that was not to be mistaken. As Faith
beheld it she uttered a cry of joy and held out both hands toward him
impulsively.
Young Denton gathered both her hands into one of his own, while his
other rested lightly upon her shoulder.
"And after I have proven myself worthy may I claim my reward?" he
whispered. "May I ask my good angel to share her labors with me and so
crown her noble life with the seal of forgiveness?"
"I have nothing to forgive," whispered Faith, blushing deeply. "If
Christ has forgiven there is nothing further."
"And you will marry me, Faith, if I prove worthy?" he murmured. "For,
oh, I love you, sweetheart, and I cannot live without you!"
"I will marry you--yes," was the girl's low answer, "if at the end of a
year you are still in the faith--still carrying the light to the darkest
places."
There was just one kiss to seal the compact, but that kiss was a
benediction, a holy consummation.
* * * * *
Meanwhile Mr. Denton was still sitting in his chair, although the big
building was empty of all but its watchman.
His head was bowed down upon his bosom, as the year just passed spread
panorama-like before his vision.
What had he accomplished of his Master's work? He breathed a sigh that
it had been so little.
He had tried to put justice in the place of its opposite, to install
sweet liberty in the place of oppression. In his dealings with his
fellow men he had been fair and equitable, even leaning toward mercy
when opportunity offered.
In fact, he had incorporated the Spirit of Righteousness into the Temple
of Mammon and molded worldly affairs after the principles of divine
teaching.
And what to him had been the results? He smiled with grateful
satisfaction as he briefly reviewed them.
There was a trifling shortage as compared with the accounts of previous
years, so trifling that it astonished him when he reflected upon the
amounts which he had paid his two partners. Beyond this the business of
the store had been good and his books showed new accounts recently
opened with wealthy persons, which assured him beyond doubt that they
indorsed his methods.
Further than this, there were offers of capital from a dozen different
sources. The sincere Christians of the city could not have expressed
more tangibly their ardent desire to stand shoulder to shoulder with the
merchant who had resolved to deal according to his conscience.
The outlook for the future was more than hopeful. He could see no
obstacle in the path of his ultimate victory.
There should be no more grinding down in the work-rooms where his goods
were made, no undercutting of prices to ruin a brother merchant.
He should be just with others and they must be just with him or he would
refuse absolutely to have dealings with them.
Every employee of his establishment should be suitably remunerated, and
by this treatment he felt assured that he would receive their ablest
service.
Co-operation in his humane work was all that he needed, and here, on his
desk and in his books, was ample proof of this assistance. He bowed his
head in thanksgiving as he finished his reflections.
"Surely, with God all things are possible," he murmured audibly, and
then a thought of his son's conversion and his wife's gradual but sure
return to reason with health brought a flow of happiness that irradiated
his countenance.
A glimpse of starlit sky was visible through his window and Mr. Denton
raised his eyes to it in solemn contemplation.
"Thy ways are not our ways," he whispered humbly, "but though the cross
is heavy and hard to bear, Thou wilt give Thy servant a just reward, and
the end is peace--peace that passeth understanding."
THE END.