ing him. It was while they were singing
that hymn that he stole a look at Pat, and felt a sudden wonder whether
he would understand about the Presence or not, a burning desire to tell
him about it some time if the right opportunity offered.

The days down at the shore had done a lot for Courtland. He had taken
care that the spot he selected was many miles removed from the popular
resort where Mr. Dare had a magnificent cottage; and there had been
absolutely nothing in the whole two days to remind him of Gila. It was a
quiet place, with a far, smooth beach, and no board walks nor crowds to
shut out the vision of the sea. He leaped along the sand and dived into
the water with his old enthusiasm. He played like a fish in the ocean.
He taught Burns several things about swimming, and played pranks like a
school-boy. He basked in the sun and told jokes, laughing at Pat's
brilliant wit and Burns's dry humor. At night they took long walks upon
the sand and talked of deep things that Pat could scarcely understand.
He was satisfied to stride between them, listening to the vigorous ring
of Courtland's old natural voice again. He heard their converse high
above where he lived, and loved them for the way they searched into
things too deep for him.

It was out in the wildest, loneliest part of the beach that night that
he heard the first hint of what had come to the soul of Courtland. Pat
had come of Catholic ancestry. He had an inheritance of reverence for
the unseen. He had never been troubled with doubts or sneers. He had let
religion go by and shed it like a shower, but he respected it.

Courtland spent much time in the vicinity of the factory and of Robert
Burns's church during the next few weeks. He helped Burns a good deal,
for the man had heavily taxed himself with the burdens of the poor about
him. Courtland found ways to privately relieve necessity and put a poor
soul now and then on his feet and able to face the world again by the
loan of a few cents or dollars. It took so pitifully little to open the
gate of heaven to some lives! Courtland with his keen intellect and fine
perceptions was able sometimes to help the older man in his
perplexities; and once, when Burns was greatly worried over a bill that
was hanging fire during a prolonged session of congress, Courtland went
down to Washington for a week-end and hunted up some of his father's
Congressional friends. He told them a few facts concerning factories in
general,