His own exceeding hope was too great
for that to-night, his own home joys too near and dear.
Still farther on there was music. He could look into the lighted
parlor and see the peaceful faces of those who stood or sat there. A
girl was at the piano playing; a young, fair girl with a face like the
faces of the pictured angels. They were all singing, a familiar sacred
song, and the words came floating out so sweetly to the boy's ears
that he stopped to listen:--
"O Paradise! O Paradise!
Who doth not crave for rest?
Who would not seek the happy land,
Where they that loved are blest;
Where loyal hearts and true
Stand ever in the light,
All rapture through and through,
In God's most holy sight?"
Oh, it was all so beautiful! so peaceful! so calm and holy!
Ralph tried to think, as he started on, whether there was anything
that he could have, or see, or do, that would increase his happiness.
But there was nothing in the whole world now, nothing more, he said to
himself, that he could think to ask for.
"Where loyal hearts and true,
Stand ever in the light."
The words came faintly from the distance to his ears as the music died
away, the gentle wind brought perfumed air from out the shadows of the
night to touch his face. The quiet stars looked down in peace upon
him, the heart that beat within his breast was full with hope, with
happiness, with calm content.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE PURCHASE OF A LIE.
Lawyer Sharpman sat in his office on Sunday evening, meditating on his
success in the Burnham suit and planning to avert the dangers that
still lay in his path.
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