IN HIS STEPS.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume XXI, Issue 2090, 27 September 1899, Page 4

IN HIS STEPS.

What Would Jesus Do?

Commenced m No. 2057.] I

♦_ By Charles M. Sheldon. CHAPTER X.— Continued. The week following the Bishop was coming back to the Settlement very Jate from some g^therine of the striking tailors, and was walking along with his hands behind him, when two men jumped out from behind an old fence that sVut off an abandoned factory from the street, and faced hiir One of the men thrust a pistol into the Bishop's lace, and the other threatened Litn with a ragged stake that bad evidently been torn from the fence. ' Hold up your hands, and be quck about it ! ' said the man with the pistol. The place was solitary, and thi Bishop had no thought of resistance. Ho did as bo was commanded, ai d ♦lie initn with the atakp bepnn to CO through his pockets. The Biihop was not m the Labil of carrying uiucf. mono} with him, and the man with .the stake uttered an onth at tbe small amount he found. He was on tnf point of laying hold of the BifhopV cbain when there was the scund of footsteps coming towards them. * Get Lehind tho fence ! Mind you keep shut, now, if you don't want -' The man with the pistol made a significant gesture with it, and hip companion pulled and pushed the Bishop, down the alley, and through a ragged opening m tbe fence. ' Now, then, have you got the watch ? ' asked the man with the pistol. * No, the chain is caught somewhere ! ' 1 Break it, then ! ' * No, dou't break ir, 1 tbe Bishop said, ' tbe chain was the gift of a very depr friend.' At the sound of thb Bishop's voice the man with the pistol started as i lie had been shot by his own weapon With a quick movement he turned tin Bishop's head towards what little light wa? shining from tho alley way. at the same time taking a step nearer Then, to the amazement of his companion, he said roughly : * Leave the watch a'ono ! We've got the money. That's enough !' ' Enough ? Fifty cents ? You don't reckon ' Defore the ma i with the stake coul«l Bhv another word he wa* confronted with the rau zleof the pistol. * Leave that waJcli be? Ami put ba-k ilie money, t«>o. This i« \\t* the Bishop we've held up ! Th< Bishop, do you hear?' * An<l what of it? Tho President Of the .United States wou'dn't bo too good to hold up. if— — ' 1 1 say, you put the money back, o m five minu'es, l':l blow a h'>l« through your head that'll let i;i mor< M'tise ilian you have to spare now," said tbe other. For a second the man with the stake seemed to hesitate at this strange turn m events then he hastily drrpoed ihe moi.ey back into the Bishop's pocket ' You ran take yrur han^s down, Fir.' The man wth lhepi*t«l lowered it plquly, Mi 1 keeping »n eye on th* i-thiT man, and speaking with n«ugl respect. * You can go op. Yenneedii t stay any lorger on our account ' ' That's just what I'm staying for,' rtpied tho Bishop, lie eat down o? n. board that projected from the broken fence. * You must like our company. Itis> hard sometimes for people to teai tbemselvc s away from up,' tbe othei msn seid, laughing coiue'y. 'Shut up!" exclaimed tie other. *W« rrrrl Utter ccmpaiy than ourselve*< and the devil.' *Jf you would oTily all< w me to be of nny help — ' the Bishop spoke gently. The man on the j-tone ntared at the Bishop through the darkness. 'Do you remember ever set ing we before?' 'No,' said »h*» Bipl op. *'\ he light mot g:od, and I have not had a good look at you.' 'Do you know nr.e now?'. The mat took off l.is ha^, and walked over ti the Bishop, until they were nea? enough to touch each other. 'Don't you re member one da}', * man cam** to your house and told a story about his wife and child having been burned to death m a tenement 1 re m Nr-w York?' •Yes, I bpgin to recall now,' murmured the Bisqop. 'Do you remember how jou took me into your house that night and spent a'l next nay trying to fis.d me p job? And when you succeeded m get ting me a place m a warehouse, ] promi«ed to quit drinking? *I remember now,' the Bishop replied. 'I hope you have kept your promise.' '.Kept it? I was drunk n ? :de a week. Ive been drinking ever since. But I've E6 '"• forgnMpn i on i,r vrM'.r prayer. I don't kr.o* w* at good it's done me, but I never forgot ir. And I won't do any harm to you or lot anyone else. So you're i'reo to co That's why.' b The Bishop did not stir. 'How long is it since you ha<J work?' ha asked, and tho man Mane ing up answered for tbe oiher. •More'n six months .since either of did anything to tell of,' •Suppose I found good jobs for both

•What's the use?' the man on the atone spoke sullenly, 'I've reformed a hundred times. It's too lateP 'No!' said the Bishop. Then his wonderful memory came to his aid, m an appeal such as no one else on earth could make under such circumstances •Burns,' he sad, 'if you and your friend here will go home with me tonight, I will find you both places of honourable employment' Tome! Be men! Make another try 0 Qod ! Give me the souls of these two men ! ' Burns was sitting with his face buried m his hands, sobbing; and the other man, harder, less moved, without a previous knowledge of the Bishop, leaned back against the fence, sto'id at first, but as the prayer went on he was moved by it. The Bishop rose. 'Come, my brothers! You shall etay at the Settlement to-night. 1 The two men folio jrtd the Bishop In silence. When they reached the Settlement it was after two o'clock. The Bishop led tlum to a room. ' God bless you, my brother*,' he said, and went away. True to his promise, the Bishop secured work for them. The j mitnr at the Settlement needed nn assistant, owing to the growth of the work there. Burns was given the phue and the B'shop s ucceeded m getting his companion a position as driver for a firm of warehouse dray manufacturers not far from the Settlement. And the Bojy Spirit struggling m these two darkened, sinful men bfgan His marvellous work of regeneration. It was the afternoon following that Burns was cleaning the front Bteps of the Settlement, when he paused a moment and stood up to look about him. The first thing he noticed was a beer *ign flcross the alley. Over the street, immediately opposite, were two large saloons and a little farther down were three more. Cto be conittistjedl