S?eCrefarY
liVolous
of I
air,
MAY rUTEIILE
COPYEK3HT 1911
BOBB5-M3&IU. COMPANY
n
SYNOPSIS.
Jo Codman and her Bister Loulle ar
lft orphans. Their property has been
wept away by the death of their fa
ther and they are compelled to cast about
for some means to earn a living. Lou
pe answers an advertisement of an Inva
lid who wants a companion. She declines
the position. Loulle advertises for a po
sition as companion, and Mrs. Hazard
replies. She offers Loulle a position as
her "secretary of frivolous affairs." Her
chief work is to steer Mrs. Hazard's son
and daughter in the right matrimonial
path. Loulle talks baseball to Hap Has
ard and also gains the confidence of Lau
ra Hasard. The Due de Trouvilie Is be
lieved to be interested In Laura. Mrs.
Hazard gives a big reception and Loulie
meets many people high In the social
world. Natalie Agazzlz. to whom Hap
has been paying attention, loses an em
erald bracelet during the reception. She
declares there is not another like It In
the world. It develops that Natalie has
lost several pieces of jewelry under sim
ilar circumstances. Hap takes Loulle to
the baseball game. He tells her he Is
not engaged to Natalie and has been
cured of his Infatuation. The scene
changes to the Hazard country place.
Where many notables have been invited
for the summer. Loulle and Laura visit
the farm of Winthrop Abbott, an author.
In whom Laura takes considerable inter
est. ruc de Trouvilie arrives at the Haz
ard place. Loulie hears Wlnthrop's mo
tor boat out late at night. Next morning
the papers announce the robbery of sev
eral nearby homes. Natalie accuses Iipu
lie of stealing her ruby pendant. Mrs.
Hazard assures Loulie of her confidence in
her. Hap declares his love for Loulle.
She reciprocates, but will not admit It as
she fears what Mrs. Hazard will say;
Loulle is excused from dinner on account
Of a headache. She is bombarded with
rotes from Hap imploring her to see him.
"Winthrop is arrested in the presence of
Hap and Loulle. charged with robbing
General Schuyler's home and shooting ths
general. A dox oi jeweis is iuuhu "1M ,
bracelet exactly like the one 1
tali Natalie apologizes iojp-
. . jii,t fin Hn itx?? tier room.
Next morning Hap explains that he was
in pursuit OI a mysienuun -
e-n in the corridor and who eluded him
by passing through Loulie's room.
CHAPTER XVIII. Continued.
"Of course, I might have been mis
taken, but the Due d'Aubigny is not
easily 'forgotten. He has a peculiar
Bear "
"Yes, I know," I interrupted. "A
: saber cut."
"He's a handsome devil," she mused.
"Saturday he seemed a bit shabby,
and hi3 hair was cropped close, as if
he hadn't been out of prison long, and
still he was handsome. I had leisure
to observe him, and I am absolutely
sure of him. We were caught in a
matinee crush, and the Due d'Aubigny
was standing at the curb not six feet
away from me. He saw me. He look
ed at me just as one glances at any
stranger, but he knew me! I started
to speak to him, but I never act on
Impulse, and there was a bare chance
that I had made a mistake. But if he
wasn't the Due d'Aubigny it was his
ghost!"
"But how could the Due d'Aubigny
have taken the ruby ?"
"Sh-b-h-h!" she whispered. "I haven't
dared think that far. He couldn't pos
sibly have been connected in any
-way" she did not finish. "You
won't mention this to a soul, will you,
Miss Codman? It's rather absurd."
"But if Winthrop should need ?"
"You said his arrest was not seri
ous," she interrupted.
"No, it isn't.. Do you think Mr. Ab
bott is a thief?" I asked her plainly.
"I did think so. I'm sure now he
isn't."
"Why?" I wanted to know. "Have
you a reason?"
"Yes. I've come to my senses," she
smiled.
Just how that red-headed reporter
managed to come back up the drive
way in a noisy car without either Hap
or myself seeing him was an unex
plained mystery. We both were with
in earshot on the tennis courts, and I
was not playing. If only Hap had in
structed Burrows not to take the card
to Natalie! But he never thought of
that.
Natalie, at first, sent tack word
that she was not there, but on the
back of a card which bore the name
"Mr. Samuel Dick, Evening Colum
bian," the reporter wrote something
sufficiently magical to bring Natalie
down-stairs, and the conversation that
followed was sufficiently magical to
send Natalie to her room to don a
hat. She climbed in the car with the
red-headed reporter, and was driven
away. Two hours later she returned,
went to her room, and sent Minette
to say to Mrs. Hazard that she had a
Blight headache and didn't wish to be
disturbed.
The Evening Columbian fell like a
bomb into our midst at Lone Oak just
before dinner. I remember one awful
line in that glaring heading:
"Miss Agazzlz Positively Identifies
Emerald Bracelet."
Poor old Winthrop!
CHAPTER XIX.
The Arrival of Jo.
There's , comething so self-reliant
about Jo. Sfce drove up under the
porte eochere late Wednesday after
Boon, jammed on the emergency, push
ed up her goggles and alighted, total
ly oblivious of the surprised and ad
miring glances directed at her from
those who heppensd to be having tea,
cn t!i terrace. Jo drlveB
Illustrations fx
V.L.EARNE5
and I suppose a lone woman in a
hulking brute of a car was just a lit
tle out of the ordinary. Benny Bliss
arose, taking his high-ball with him,
and perched frankly on the stone cop
ing until Lydia pulled his coat and
gave a sidelong glance in my direc
tion. "Where's the garage?" Jo asked as
I came to meet her.
"Vincent will take the car around
for you," I told her.
I sounded the buzz for Vincent and
took her upstairs. It was good to see
her again. I felt that she was going
to be a strong, firm prop in a sagging
house-party still suffering from the
shock of that awful damaging evi
dence against Winthrop. Wben we
reached my sitting room she took me
in her arms, kissed me and went
strafght to the point.
"Now, what's the matter?" she ask
ed. "You look pale and droopy."
"Matter?" I echoed. "Everything's
the matter. Haven't you seen the pa
pers about Mr. Abbott?" '
"Yes, but I mean, what's the matter
with you? You don't suppose I think
I was sent for about a man I've never
seen?"
"Oh, it's all over about me now," I
told her. "Natalie lost a very valu
able ruby and accused me of taking it.
The circumstances were against me,
but afif we had telephoned for you
she tbld me she knew I hadn't. I am
no longer suspected."
k "And is that, all?" asked Jo, with
tiiat same unerring penetration.
I shook my head and tried to swal
low h. silly lump in my throat.
"He loves me," I said.
"He Is Mr. Hazard of course? Oh,
Loulie! Loulie!"
She caught me in her arms and
drew me close, and I cried on her
motherly bosom while 6he kissed my
hair. '"' '
"Jo. it had tK happen," I sobbed.
"He's so perfectly"! dear."
"They always ar" Jo replied with
a sigh. "And you lore him! And of
course you've got to brea-k your heart
and give him up!"
"What else could I do, Jo?" I asked.
"Why, I haven't a penny; I'm practic
ally a servant. I couldn't do anything
else, could I?"
"You could," replied Jo, "but you
won't. My poor little girl."
After I had finished my cry and doc
tored my nose I told her all the queer
things that had happened in connec
tion with those lost jewels. She had
seen Winthrop's part of it in the news
papers. I even told her of that mid
night chase where Hap suddenly had
found himself in my bedroom, and
what Natalie had told me of being
sure she had seen the Due d'Aubigny
in town. It wasn't violating confi
dences, for Jo is Jo.
She thought it all over, and I was
sure she was going to see a bully way
of connecting the stray threads of
the mystery. She has such a logical
mind. But her question rather disap
pointed me.
"Is there any one here I know?"
she asked.
"Not a soul," I answered. "There's
no one we ever knew who ever poked
his nose in the presence of any one
who ever poked his nose In this class,
Jo. They all are terribly exclusive and
awfully rich. I don't believe there's
any one here who can think of less
than a million, unless it's Mrs. Cutler,
and she isn't poor by any means. Of
"Jo, It Had to Happen, He's so Per
fectly Dear." -;
course, I don't count the duke, for he's
a duke; he has' a title and prospects."
"Who is Mrs. Cutler?" asked Jo.
I brought out my list and showed
her the entries; then I launched into
social history. But it was all too
much for her at once; she held up her
hand for me to stop.
"You're scaring me to death," she
said. "Why, I won't have courage to
go down. I haven't but two dinner
gowns to my name, and they great
goodness! I'll stay tonight and go
home tomorrow, since you are no
longer suspected."
liiiyi 1
Poor old beautiful Jot But she al
ways looked lovely in anything she
put on. , I rang for Celle to unpack,
Celie knows a beautiful woman when
she sees one; and she never disguises
the fact that she thinks so. , She hook
ed Jo into a very simple black gown
that I had never seen before and
paused to wonder where she got it
then sat back on her heels on the floor
and squealed Frenchily over the ef
fect, as if she were entirely responsi
ble for it.
"Ah, mademoiselle is most charm
ing, most beautiful oui oui, oh, oul
out!" Jo knew enough French to un
derstand that. "Mademoiselle has the
grand air; mademoiselle Is exquisite!"
Mademoiselle undoubtedly was. But
I stood by with the most beautiful
gown Mrs. Hazard had provided for
me hanging upon my shoulders un
hooked and unnoticed.
"Well, Celle," I remarked, "you
might quit scrambling around on your
knees and give me a little attention.
Mademoiselle isn't going to run away;
she is here for a week."
"Ah, mademoiselle, pardon!" Celie
cried. "My sweet, charming made
moiselle, I am all contrition. But
mademoiselle la soeur is most beau
tiful. I am entrance!"
Jo paused in contemplation of her
tall, slim figure In the mirror when
Celie disappeared for a moment.
"How do' you like my gown?" she
asked.
"It's lovely. Where did you get it?"
"Made it."
I looked at her tolerantly, the way
she has of looking at me.
"I may be a ninny, but I'm not that
gullible," I retorted. "It looks like a
model."
"It is a model," Jo said calmly. "And
marked 'Paris but it never saw
Paris."
"What are you driving at?" I de
manded. "The establishment Is Madame Gau
tier, Robes et Manteaux."
I looked at her as if she had taken
leave of her senses, then gradually
the truth dawned upon me.
"Then you're not studying botany!"
"No, dear, I'm learning a business.
I'm already designing. I expect to
have my own establishment next
year."
I just wanted to Sit down and weep.
I felt that I could never forgive her,
never, never! She caught me to her
and pressed her cheek against mine.
"Don't be angry, dear. I couldn't
let you do all the work. And Loulie,
I simply couldn't bear the idea of
teaching."
"Teaching! Fiddlesticks!" I snap
ped. "Dressmaking! More fiddle
sticks! I wanted you to have your
course in botany, and I'm so disap
pointed I'll never get over it."
She calmly turned and picked up my
list of entries without trying to con
sole me. She knew I'd get over it.
She ran her forefinger down the page.
" 'Knew the duke abroad,' " she
read. "Which duke? The Due d'Au
bigny, or the Due de Trouvilie?"
"Why, the Due de Trouvilie," I an
swered irritably. "Whatever made you
think it was the Due d'Aubigny?"
"Oh. I think of silly things like
that sometimes," she replied. She
stood so still for so very long, while
her eyelashes aweot her cheeks, that
I began to fidget. "Did Miss Agazziz
absolutely identify the emerald brace
let as her own?" she asked finally.
"Absolutely. It puts Winthrop in
an awful hole, and Jo, Winthrop never
took that bracelet. He's not a thief;
he's a dear, and there's a horrible mis
take somewhere."
When we came into the drawing
room Hap was lounging near the door
waiting for me, quizzically regarding
the animated circle of which Ills
Grace was the center. John was all
the way across the room, sitting near
one of the open yindows, but when he
saw us he stared, got up, nearly up
setting a table, and, upon my soul, I
believe he would rudely have inter
rupted the duke's involved speech over
Jo's hand if I hadn't Interfered.
"My sister, Miss Codman, Mr.
Crowninshield," I said In a hurry, for
fear he would actually kiss her be
fore I got them introduced John, who
never looked twice at a woman in his
life.
Jo gave him her hand and smiled.
"Mr. Crowninshield," she murmured
in the most approved tone. Jo was
never cut out for a dressmaker.
"Why didn't you tell me?" John com
plained, and somehow our duke drift
ed into the background.
Jo's answer I didn't catch. I won
dered what on earth John was talking
about, what ho meant by his question.
He tried to maneuver her to a seat,
but I came forward quickly.
"I want you to meet Miss . Aber
crombie, dear," I said, and drew her
toward Lydia; and all the while I
was aching to get her to herself and
ask her a few plain questions.
I was terribly upset. I didn't intend
to have John falling in love with her,
and he was doing it, for he was look
ing at her just as moony as Hap at
ways looks at me. She couldn't mar
ry him any more than I could marry
Hap, especially now, with this dress
making nonsense, and I wasn't going
to have those gorgeous eyes spoiled;
it was all right for me to cry, but not
Jo.
It was a horrid dinner party. Laura
didn't come down, which reminded ev
erybody of Wrinthrop; Natalie was
late, Mrs. Hazard was plainly worried,
and Natalie's vacant chair added an
other pucker to her brow. Hap was
silly, and kept trying to hold my hand
under the table; and I was cross and
didn't dare show it.
Natalie was shockingly late. She
didn't come in until after the fish, but
che was not in the least disturbed.
She drifted to ber place, all a-glltter
with her jewels, which was most un
usual ; Jewels were saved for occa-
jjj-,rr Fvf-rvlodv noticed tbem, but
Natalie chose to be unconscious of
the stir her late, dazzling entrance
had caused. .
Hap spoke across the table . to her
when she sat down.
"Good morning," he said, laughing.
Everything was rather hushed and
still except for the clatter of dishes
and silver as the course was changed,
and everybody heard it. Everybody
tittered everybody but the duke, who
didn't understand it, and Jo, who was
never so undignified as to titter.
"I had rather wear them than lose
them, dear," Natalie drawled in an
swer to a question Lydia smilingly
flung at her when the laugh subsided,
"Who knows when our North Shore
thieves will descend upon Lone Oak?"
"Don't worry, my dear," Mrs. Haz
ard assured her. "There will be a de
tective here tomorrow to look after
us all."
"Detective!" shrieked Lydia. "How
interesting!"
"Dee-tec-teeve!" repeated His Grace,
struggling with his pronunciation.
"For why have we ze dee-tec-teeve?"
"For precaution, Your Grace," Mrs.
Higglnson answered him. "We Ameri
cans believe in locking the stable be
fore the horse is stolen."
His Grace gazed at her amazed.
Poor little duke! I wished that I
could have been near to explain it in
French. I don't know how he inter
preted it. k
"Well, I'm not afraid of thieves!"
Lydia declared. "I always put my
things In a stocking and toss .it care
lessly near my slippers under the bed.
It's the last place on earth a thief
would look for anything. That's Aber
cromble system. Clever, isn't it?"
"Oh, mother keeps hers in a shoe,
now," Dorothy burst in naively.
"I've changed again," Mrs. Aber
crombie laughed.. "Under the pillow.
It's so old it may be new."
"I've changed, too," Dorothy ad-
Natalie Was Shockingly Late.
mitted. "I'd rather lose everything
than be scared to death with 'Your
money or your life!' So I put half of
what I possess in plain sight on the
dressing-table, and hope Mr. Thief
will think that's all and go away sat
isfied without waking me. Isn't that
clever?"
"Next!" Hap called, and everybody
applauded. .
"I think I have the best scheme of
all," Mrs. Higginson ventured. "I have
presumably a hot-water bottle, but
really it's a chamois bag. Now, no
thief would ever, think of looking for
jewels in a hot-water bottle."'
"You win!" Hap exclaimed, and he
tossed her an olive. I think from his
expression that His Grace was a bit
scandalized at the proceeding.
"I'm trying to devise a method of
protecting what I have left," Natalie
drawled, "but"' she paused for a mo
ment, effectively "I shall not tell It."
The rebuke was accepted good na
turedly, but the conversation about
thieves and jewels ended, at least so
far as the women were concerned,
when Mrs. Cutler remarked: .
"I have a new hat, a perfect beau
ty! It came on the last express!"
And everybody wanted to know the
color, and what It looked like.
CHAPTER XX.
The Picture Galfery.
I thought I knew Jo. I don't. She
had either changed since we separated,
or there were latent qualities in her
that I never suspected. She had never
been curious, especially about things
that were none of her business, but
she linked her arm through mine as
we went toward the drawing-room aft
er dinner.
"Who is the duke in love with?" she
wanted to know.
"Natalie," I replied.
"Not wants to marry," she qualified,
"but cares for loves?" .
"If you mean anything horrid, clan
destine why, I don't know anything
about It, and I don't think you have
any business thinking such things."
She merely smiled at my outburst.
"Is there a picture gallery here?"
she asked presently.
"Yes. Why?"
"Oh, no reason particularly. There
always is in these houses, Isn't there?"
"No. There always isn't. Every
body I know, except the Hazards, have
their pictures in town."
"Loulle, what was the name of the
German count who took us to the
Spring Exhibition?"
"Count Felix von Brunner," I an
swered promptly.
"Of course!" she exclaimed. "I've
racked my brain for an hour trying to
think of It."
I turned about and faced her.
"Now look here, Jo, you are making
me crazy with curiosity. You've asked
me three questions for no reason on
earth that I can see, and I want to
know why."
"And you haven't asked me the on
question I expected you tc ask." Jo
smiled quizzically.
Suddenly I thought of it.
"Where did you know John?" I de
manded. "He has a client who wants to buy
our stock in the mine," she answered;
"a client who thinks he can pump it
dry."
"Can it be done, Jo?"
"I don't know." She laughed out
right at my excitement. "He wants
to buy up all the stock. He can get
it cheap, except ours. He offers us
five thousand dollars for it. It's worth
nothing unless the mine is pumped.
Odd, wasn't it, Mr. Crowninshield nev
er guessed who I was? And of course
I didn't tell him."
"Gracious me!" I exclaimed, rather
breathless at the prospect. "What
does Mr. Partridge say?"
"Sell."
"Well, what are you we goings to
do? Sell?"
"I'd rather have the income," she
answered.
"But there Isn't any," I pointed out.
"If a man knows and he does know,
Loulie that he can pump that mine
dry, can buy up all the stock practic
ally for nothing, except ourB, and he
lets our little bundle keep him from
pumping, he's crazy. And if he pumps
we will have an income. It's a gam
bler's chance, and I am going to take
it."
"Yes, sounds gambly," I commented.
"What the poker players call a
bluff."
"I'm not bluffing I'm standing pat,"
Jo reminded me. "And I'm taking the
chance because I want to end this
work of yours, dear, and these silly
accusations."
We had walked to the end of the
wide hallway, and I dropped down in
a window seat, grossly neglecting my
duties and forgetting that my fiends
were apt to get mixed. The prospect
of going back to that tidy little life
Jo and I once led suddenly appalled
me.
"I don't want you to to end It," I
stammered. And seeing Jo's amazed
expression, I hurried on; "Being Sec
retary of Frivolous Affairs isn't im
portant, I know, but It's my life now.
I can't go back to things as they were.
I would never be satisfied."
"You can't seriously mean that you
want to keep on with this? Being
a well-paid servant of the rich?" she
asked.
'Yes," I admitted.
"I'm sorry, dear," she said softly.
"Why sorry?"
"It's dangerous!" 7
"Why dangerous? I'm quite capable
of taking care of myself. You said
so."
"You're already In trouble.'.'
"Yes, but my heart's broken now,
and there isn't anything more to wor
ry about. I'll never love any one else.
I have a good job, and well, I'm go
ing to stick to it. And when the Haz
ards don't want me any longer the
Dykemans do, and there's a long list
of others I won't bother you to name.
I've made good in my job, which re
minds me that if I don't go look after
It I may not have It very long." I
rose; It never occurred to me that I
was pushing Jo out of my scheme of
life. "Use the stock to finance tho
dressmaking, dear, and take a little
tip from me you take care of your
self!" "Why, what do you mean?" Jo ask
ed, but I'm sure she knew what I was
going to answer.
"John Crowninshield never looked
twice at a woman In his life; he has
looked at you I don't know how many
times, for I don't know how many in
terviews have been necessary about
that stock, but" I thrust out a rigid
forefinger dramatically "beware!"
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
Musical Insects.
A carefully trained mind and eai
are indispensable to enable one to de
tect and to discriminate readily from
the general insect medley any particu
lar species of musician.
As with birds and their songs, much
of the charm and pleasure to be got
ten from insect music depends on the
emotional coloring associated with it.
We are enraptured with the notes of
the peepee in spring, or the earlier
piping of the frogs, not because these
sounds In themselves possess any in
trinsic sweetness, but because they
recall endearing memories . of many
happy, hopeful springtimes. They are
always the harbingers of another ver
dant season. Their plaintive notes
add to our minds an emotional warmth
and sunshine. The yawaken for us
an inner, subjective springtime.
In a similar way the crickets and
katydids gladden and Inspire us with
their music in proportion as their
notes have become associated In our
minds with the emotional coloring of
past memories. Country Life in
America.
The Stooping Bishop.
Nat C. Goodwin was defending a
clergyman who had gone wrong.
"I don't condone his offense, mind
you," said Mr. Goodwin. "But I want
you to be sorry for him. Don't cackle
and rejoice over his downfall. We
are all human."
Then, in his musical and thrilling
voice, the famous comedian resumed:
"I know a very beautiful actress
who dined one Sunday evening at a
bishop's. After dinner the bishop, as
he helped her to put on her cloak,
stooped stooped in more ways than
one and imprinted a kiss on her
white shoulder. x
"She turned and, looking at him 'dis
dainfully, she said:
" 'Remember, sir, if I am an actress,
I am a lady, too.'
"The bishop made a low and hum
ble bow.
" 'And will you please remember, he
said, 'if I am a bishop, I am a 13 a
man?'"
MmMriom
9INDM00L
Lessor
(By E. O. SELLERS, Director of Evening
Department, The Moody Bible Institute,
Chicago.)
LESSON FOR JULY 13
MOSES PREPARES FOR HIS WORK.
LESSON TEXT Ex. 2:11-25.
GOLDEN TEXT "Blesssd are the
meek; for they shall inherit the earth."
Matt. 6:5. ,
Meekness does not imply any lack
of aggressiveness; it does not imply a
mildness of temper. Moses, we judge
from a study of this chapter, was not
as yet "meek above all men."
In last week's lesson we considered
the birth, salvation, nursing and train
ing of Moses as child. After Jochebed
had nursed Moses (v. 9) he was re
turned to Pharaoh's daughter and "be
came her son," thereby obtaining all
the rights, privileges and training of
the Egyptian court.
I. His Qualifications. (1) He had a
godly parentage' and an early godly
training. Do we appreciate the tre
mendous advantage of the child who is
well born and well trained? True, en
vironment is not all-sufflclent, but it is
a great asset. The psalmist empha
sizes this when he exclaims "thou hast
given me the heritage of them that
fear thy name." Ps. 61:5.
(2) Moses had a knowledge of the
conditions. Born and nursed in a
slave's home he knew of the oppres
sion f Israel. Reared ixl Pharaoh's
court, he knew how the Egyptians
feared these same Israelites (Ch. 1:9,
10). Moses saw (,v. 11) the burdens
borne by those of his own race.
Heart of Sympathy.
(3) Moses had a heart of sympathy
(v. 11). Seeing an Egyptian task
master evilly entreating a kinsman
Moses' heart rebelled and at once he
flew to his support and defence. Our
Lord was "moved with compassion."
A like righteous indignation impelled
the Master to drive the money
changers from the temple and to de
nounce the hypocritical Pharisees.
Moses had not, however, learned self
restraint, and that he should express
his sympathy at the proper time and
in the most effective manner.
(4) Moses was brave and zealous,
v. 12. But he acted before God told
him to act. He "looked this way and
that," but he did not look upward.
(5) Moses was educated. We have
already seen how he was taught by his
own mother and that he received the
training of the -Egyptians, Acts 7:22.
Being brave and mighty in deeds was
not enough; he was "mighty in words
and deeds." Thus he was prepared tc
stand before Pharaoh (not the father
of his deliverer, but another Pharaoh,
v. 24), meet him on an equal footing,
and intelligently combat his religion
with that of Jehovah.
(6) Moses had assurance. True, he
had not as yet received God's call (see t
Ch. 3) for particular work and his re
liance upon force, his tit-for-tat policy
was not God's method of working de
liverance. But Moses was obedient,
and as he obeyed, God honored each
step of his faith.
Moses' Mistake.
(7) Moses was meek, e. g., teach
able. To us this was his greatest as
set. A man may be well born, well
trained and know the needs and the
resources at his command, but if he
lack a teachable spirit he is doomed
to failure. Moses made, a mistake
when he slew the Egyptian. At a later
date when he had learned of God he
undertook the same task and no dif
ficulties daunted him. The change
from a prince's position at the court
to one of an humble shepherd, a des
pised calling, was as essential as had
been those 40 years at the Egyptian,
schools.
II. His error. Moses endeavored to
work relief by the strength of his own
arm, a mistake many Christian work
ers are constantly making. Our war
fare is not with carnal weapons.
Moses had no warrant for killing the
Egyptian. He was not obeying any
command other than that of Impulse.
The life' of Moses had been miracu
lously spared, nor had he been sub
ject to slavery. Yet he did not know
God's method nor was it God's oppor
tune time to strike the blow for deliv
erance. It is true that the sufferings
of the Israelites increased and that ng.
one seemed to heed their cry. But God
remembered.
III. His pilgrimage. Some one has
suggested that Moses entered another
school of patience which would cause
him to exercise all of his meekness
when he married ZIpporah, Ch. 4:20-26.
It Is true that his father-in-law was
more generous and proved a better
friend than his daughter, Ch. 18:13
27. Moses gave evidence that he rec
ognized his pilgrim character in the
names he cave to his sons. v. 22 and
Ch. 18:3, 4. The Christian needs con.
stantly to be reminded that he is but
a pilgrim and a stranger here below.
IV. A summary. Again we have
brought before us God's wonderful
method of preparing his chosen instru
ment for the carrying out of his prom
ises. Not all, of course, is recorded. A
life is saved and preserved. It receives
a brief period of instruction at its
most critical Etage from the hands of
Us own mother. He becomes proficient
in all of the learning of a rich and
opulent court. Then comes a time
when a definite crisis of responsibility,
a sense of persons relation to the poor
and oppressed of his own blood, forces
him to make a choice. He Is con
vinced of his own incompetence.