e pastor in his surprise stood motionless for a moment, then
astonished Mr. Dawson by lifting the little girl up in his arms and
kissing her fondly.

"Rosa," he said, "you are the straying lamb for whom Esther and I have
been praying for weeks, and now God has sent you. By His help I shall
teach you the way this very morning.

"This is grandpa, is it not?" he added, grasping the old man cordially
by the hand. "I am indeed very glad to see you.

"Mr. Dawson, you are needed to seat the people. I shall escort these to
a pew myself."

The trio a few minutes later slowly passing down the aisle was certainly
unusually striking. The pastor, with head erect and thoroughly conscious
that many were displeased, was half supporting upon his strong right arm
the shabbily-dressed and feeble man, while the child in ragged apparel
he tenderly led by the hand.

An observant eye might have noted various expressions upon the faces in
the audience. Some evidently were disgusted that their popular pastor
would so demean himself. Others were interested because of the oddity of
the scene, still others amused, while here and there was one conversant
with the language of the Master and who prayed God's blessing to abide
upon all three.

Belonging to the first-named class was Dr. Dale, wealthy, cautiously
conservative always, aristocratic, exclusive in his circle of friends,
and who wished also to be exclusive in his church relationship. The
knowledge of his power over the majority of his acquaintances was a
source of constant gratification to the proud man, but the fact that his
pastor would not bow the knee to his wealth and position chafed him
sorely. The events of this particular Sunday morning he took as only
another personal insult.

"Umph!" he grunted in deep displeasure, and reached over to pick up his
hat preparatory to leaving. He could not countenance anything so
ridiculously absurd. If the pastor's eccentricities continued to develop
as they had in the last year, he would be compelled to seek another and
more congenial church home, where form was more in evidence.

Prim little Mrs. Dale, the one person in the world who could influence
her austere husband, gently tapped him upon the arm and whispered:

"Stay, my dear, and see what comes of it all. It is really quite
unusual."

"Well," he thought, "I'll stay to please her, and in the meantime take a
nap."

More to his discomfiture than ever, Dr. Fairfax had seated the str