of her Bible when another reference was announced, their hands touched again, and joy ran trembling in the touch. Shoulder to shoulder, their heads bowed over the sacred Book, they read the holy words together, and new strength and hope and sunshine seemed suddenly to come to Sherrill. Her friend had come back. He was all right. Her strange unwelcomed fears had been unfounded. Now she knew it. She had looked into his eyes and all was right. She was even gladder for that than that he was here.
This meeting with him might last only a few minutes more—it might never come again; but she was glad that he was this kind of man.
The class was crowded that night, and the chairs were very close together. The aisles were narrow. Yet the nearness was pleasant, and the fellowship with God’s people. She stole a glance at her new friend’s face and saw that he was watching the speaker, listening interestedly. He was not bored. He had not come here just to take her away home and make a fashionable call upon her. He seemed to be as glad to be here as she was to have him, and to have entered into the spirit of the hour like any of them. Was that just an outstanding characteristic of his that he could adjust himself to any surroundings and seem to be at home?
But no, she felt he was truly in sympathy here, more even than he had been at the wedding reception. To a certain extent he had been an outsider there, entering in only so far as would help her, but it really seemed as if he belonged here. Or was that just her imagination?
She wondered if she ought to suggest going home. Perhaps he had only a short time. But he settled that by suddenly turning and smiling into her eyes and whispering, “He’s very fine, isn’t he?” and suddenly her joy seemed running over so that she could hardly keep glad tears from her eyes. To have a friend like this, and to have him feel as she did about this sacred hour. Why, that was greatest of all!
Then it came to her that just the other day she had felt that all the troubles in the world were crowded into her small life, and now all at once they had lifted. What did it mean? Was God showing her that He had infinitely greater joys in store for her somewhere than any she had lost?
These thoughts raced swiftly through her mind while her companion fluttered the leaves of the Bible, finding the next reference as if his fingers knew their way well about the greatest book in the world, and then their hands settled together holding it again.
Well, thought Sherrill, I seem to be losing my head a
little, but I’m just going to be glad while gladness is here. And then somehow their spirits seemed to go along together during the rest of the meeting, flashing a look of appreciation when something unusual was said.
The rest of the hour seemed all too short. It was like a bit of heaven to Sherrill. When it was over Copeland spoke graciously to the friends about her and greeted the teacher when he came down to speak to them.
“You know, we have a great Bible school out in my city, too,” he said with a smile as he shook hands with the teacher. “I don’t get as much of it as I would like. I’m pretty busy. But sometimes I run in there for a bit of refreshment.”
Out into the sweet darkness of the summer evening he guided her, his hand slipped within her arm in a pleasant possessive way. He seemed to have already located her car, and as they went toward it he said in vibrant tones, “I didn’t know you were interested in this sort of thing. I’m so glad. It gives us one more tie for our—friendship. I’m sure now that you must know the Lord Jesus.”
“And oh, do you?” Sherrill’s voice was vibrant, too. “I’ve only known Him a very short time, and I’m very ignorant, but—I want to learn.”
Sherrill’s hand was clasped in his now, but she did not realize it till he put her in the car.
“Shall I drive?” he asked, as if he had been taking care of her all his life.
“Yes, please,” she said eagerly, “and tell me, how did you happen to be there? How did you know I—?”
“Your