0F THE AZTECS 



Dr. Edward J. Tucker. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



JESSIE MAKES HER CHOICE. 



I ARRIVED at the little church 

 and took a seat in the darkest 

 corner just before Mr. Sheldon 

 and his daughter drove up to the 

 door. As Jessie entered I noticed 

 she paused to glance around the little 

 assemblage. I held a book before 

 my face so that she did not see me. 

 From time to time, during the serv- 

 ice, she glanced around, and, as the 

 morning wore on, a look of anxiety 

 shaded her mobile face. Then for 

 the first time I became aware of the 

 absence of Steve. A pang of jeal- 

 ousy seized me, and I felt that I had 

 over-estimated my strength. As I 

 noticed her impatience painful, bitter 

 thoughts crowded upon me, and I 

 would have given the world to have 

 been able to retire unnoticed, but the 

 church was so quiet, save for the mo- 

 notonous tones of the preacher, that 

 I almost feared to breathe. I resolved 

 to move quietly out the moment the 

 doxology was read, and I awaited it 

 with impatience. 



Our heads were bowed in final 

 prayer and I arose to make my es- 

 cape, when I came face to face with 

 Jessie, who had quietly taken a seat 

 beside me. 1 felt my face flush 

 crimson, and then grow pale as death. 

 In my agitation I sat down and bur- 

 ied my face in my hands. The look 

 of pity I saw in her brown eyes un- 

 nerved me. I heard the congregation 

 file out and Mr. Sheldon come down 

 the aisle ; a whispered consultation 

 took place between his daughter and 

 himself, and then he passed out. 



A small, soft hand was laid on my 

 head and a trembling voice said : 



"Allen!" 



I raised my head and gazed into 

 her clear eyes. 



" Did you mean to leave us without 

 a word of cheer ?" 



Something of my old rebellious 

 mood provoked me into saying : 



" I did not suppose you cared 

 whether I spoke to you or not." 



She flushed a little and said : " Al- 

 len, we are in God's holy temple. 

 For His sake let us avoid earthly 

 passions. I have thought of you 



