Show I L 1 I J INfUSION OF FAITH 1 I By Edward L. L Van Von Dyke HANGING up the telephone Nelson King Kin settled down i heavily in a kitchen en ch chair chai to ponder ponder pon pon- der over what he just had done He hadn't intended to summon young Don Baldwin Instead hed he'd planned to visit his neighbor tell him he thought it best that he Don did not see his daughter any more The Bible beside him bim however had turned hi his hie hasty fatherly decIsion decision decision de de- I aside Comfortable In the chair Nelson Nelson Nelson Nel Nel- son King listened to the steady I roar of the nearby creek Then knowing exactly what he had to todo todo todo do he left the house Poor Janet what Janet what a crisis to I I 1 her life the flood had brought Did she believe Don a coward coward- or had but one freak and uncontrollable uncontrollable fear In the man been I unearthed Before her very eyes Don Bald Bald- Baldwin 1 I win had indeed presented a pathetic pathetic pa pa- figure that morning I Three men had been nearby t j when the little Gleason child had hadj hadi j i fallen into the rai swollen rain swollen 1 stream Sam Sam Gleason the father Don Donand I 1 and Mr King himself I 1 Into the cold reddish water the slight form had disappeared to bob up again and drift with the swift current Desperately the men had raced i along the bank I Hearing the shouting Janet hadI had hurried from the house ouse With I mixed dread and pride she had hadt t seen Don Don Baldwin move move out on the swaying trunk of a tree fallen fallen fallen fall fall- I. I en into the stream The child was drifting near and andI Don had but ut to reach forth a hand I to grasp the sodden form Cringing he had turned and flung his arms about the reassuring reassuring reassuring I ing body of the tree Past his abject form Gleason had plunged to make the rescue I Later In the day Nelson King had bad gone to The Book for comfort Judge not and ye shall not be Judged condemn not and ye shall not be condemned he had read The telephone call had bad followed He was in his little farmhouse office that night when the young man arrived Tall erect and clean looking Don looked almost defiant as be he shook h hands with the older man Nelson King saw his daughter then hovering uncertainly in the I kitchen And Andin in n her eyes her fa father father father fa- fa ther could see the sa san sago 2 strange defiance Janet be he asked will you do something for me Go to the poultry poultry poultry poul poul- try house hO and get that account book of ot mine Take a flashlight flashlight- the power is stiff off you know I No sit still Don its Don its it's only a step j I or two to the rear of the house to i The girl had been gone but a short time when the men heard first the throated deep roar of a i farm animal then animal then theD a cry from i Janet JaneL I I Good heavens I cried Nelson I King Kin Kin- the bull must be loose to Mr King saw Baldwin racing toward the sound of Janet's voice The bull roared menacingly yet Don did not slacken his speed unarmed unarmed un un- armed though he w s. s The voice of the middle-aged middle farmer strangely calm roared a command Don you Don you and Janet get back here at once Ive I've the dog and a club well club well we'll take care of the bull Ta Take e Janet into the house I Th The older man waited until they were vere gone then the rays of his flashlight played on the dark form of the pawing bull All was welL The Te two short and powerful rope ropes by which the bull was confined to toa a huge tree had held as he knew they would On the damp ground Nelson King sank gratefully to his knees Th The words he spoke were addressed addressed ad ad- dressed to the faithful farm dog but he hoped that God too was as listening Rex said he it was a risk I had to take But It worked worked and and you and I have reopened the door of faith for two fine young people Now there is no distrust distrust no no fear of fear itself |