nted the dark and ghostly house of his
inheritance.
"'Tis thy mother's terror,--an' thy father's house,--I make no
doubt," said Darrel, presently, in a deep voice. "But, boy, I
cannot tell any man where is thy father; not even thee, nor his
name, nor the least thing, tending to point him out, until--until I
am released o' me vow. Be content; if I can find the man, ere
long, thou shalt have word o' him."
Trove leaned against the breast of Darrel, shaking with emotion.
His tale had come to an odd and fateful climax.
The old man stroked his head tenderly.
"Ah, boy," said he, "I know thy heart. I shall make haste--I
promise thee, I shall make haste. But, if the good God should
bring thy father to thee, an' thy head to shame an' sorrow for his
sin, forgive him, in the name o' Christ, forgive him. Ay, boy,
thou must forgive all that trespass against thee."
"If I ever see him, he shall know I am not ungrateful," said the
young man.
A while past twelve o'clock, those two, lying there in the
firelight, thinking, rose like those startled in sleep. A mighty
voice came booming over the still water and echoed far and wide.
Slowly its words fell and rang in the great, silent temple of the
woods:--
"'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have
not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
"'And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that
I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
"'And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I
give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me
nothing.
"'Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity
vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up,
"'Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not
easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
"'Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things.
"'Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they
shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether
there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.'"
As the last words died away in the far woodland, Trove and Darrel
turned, wiping their eyes in silence. That flood of inspiration
had filled them. Big thoughts had come drifting down with its
current. They listened a while, but heard only the faint crackle
of the fire.
"Strange!" said Tr
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