Just then Phebe caught sight of the star.

Did she hear over again the old command, "On whatsoever errand I shall send thee, thou shalt go"? If she did, she certainly made no answer.

CHAPTER XVI

THE CALL OF DEBORAH

It was a long time that night before Phebe got to sleep. She had even found it difficult to pray; this she tried to attribute to the unrest Nanna had caused her. Over and over again did she return to Jim's request, and each time seemed to find a fresh obstacle; the distance was surely one great obstacle.

She tried her level best to rest on the firm conviction the work was not hers, and then to consider how she was to make good her promise to find some one who _would_ feel called to do it.

Would it be any good to appeal to the church? She shrank from that, remembering her late experience.

What could she do! Did G.o.d intend to convince her the call was hers by making it impossible for her to find a subst.i.tute?

All at once she remembered a committee had recently been formed in the town consisting of representatives from various bodies, to attend to certain social and religious wants of the district--the very thing needed! The first thing she would do when morning light appeared, would be to write to that committee, and with that restful thought she fell asleep.

The letter was written and posted directly after breakfast, but not a word to Nanna did she say about it. What a delight it would be when she could all at once announce the fact that this important committee had received her suggestion with grateful thanks and were commencing work at once!

This said committee happened to meet on the following day. Stephen Collins was a member of it. Mr. Bell, Bessie's superintendent, was the honorary secretary.

Phebe's letter was the first to be read when the item "Correspondence"

on the agenda was reached.

In a very pompous voice the letter was read aloud. It had taken the writer more than half-an-hour to frame, but it did not take many seconds to read. This is a copy of it:

"DEAR SIRS,

"My attention has lately been drawn to the sad state of matters among the men working at the railway-works at ----, especially on Sundays. I believe the use of a shed could be obtained if workers could be found to conduct a service there. I need hardly say that for such men it would need to be a bright one, and conducted on as fresh lines as possible. It is four miles from Hadley, not too far for a strong man to walk. If you would take up this work, I am sure it would be fulfilling the object for which you were called together, and would bring honour to G.o.d. It seems certainly very discreditable to the Christians of this town that no hand has yet been stretched out to help these men. Will you not retrieve our good name? If I can be of any a.s.sistance or give any suggestions, I shall only be too happy to do so.

"Yours, in Christian service, "PHEBE WARING."

"There are your marching orders, gentlemen, and a captain ready provided for you," said the honorary secretary sarcastically.

"I do not think that letter calls for any such remark," said Stephen Collins. He was rather aghast at Mr. Bell's words, knowing nothing of the stone Bessie had thrown into the waters. Mr. Bell gave him a very fixed stare, causing Stephen Collins' face to grow very red. "I think it is a splendid piece of work she points out, and one that we should in no wise pa.s.s by."

"I think we have quite enough work upon our hands already," remarked the chairman.

"Excuse me, sir," said Stephen, "I thought our duty was first to ascertain how much needed to be done, and then to confer how best it is to be accomplished. We are not here to do so much and no more."

"No one said we were," was the testy answer.

"It's a fine state of matters," remarked one member who always acted as echo to the secretary, "if we are to be told our duty by a woman."

"And by such a woman," remarked the secretary.

"What do you mean, sir?" demanded Stephen.

"Oh, I forgot she was a special friend of yours; I am very sorry if I offend"--this more blandly--"but I mean this: a woman whose husband was obliged to leave her, even forfeiting thereby a profitable business, and who is seen standing talking at the door of a low public-house, is not the kind of woman to do the Deborah act for us. That's what I mean,"

bringing his hand forcibly down upon the table. "Indeed, I know it for a fact that she was refused admittance as teacher to a certain Sunday School in the town, where she had offered her services."

"That is a libel upon a good Christian woman," protested Stephen.

"Gentlemen, I think we had better pa.s.s on to the next business," said the chairman.

"No, sir," said Stephen, restraining himself with great effort, "I am about to move a resolution, and it is that an answer be sent to Mrs.

Waring, thanking her for drawing our attention to this call for service, and a.s.suring her it shall at once be considered how it can be met."

This was seconded by a special friend Stephen happened to have sitting next to him.

"And I beg to move an amendment, Mr. Chairman," said the echo; "it is that a reply be sent to Mrs. Waring to this effect:" and then he read a letter which all knew Mr. Bell had previously written and pa.s.sed on to him.

"'DEAR MADAM,

"'Your esteemed communication to hand. It is strange, whoever your informant was, that we were not the first to be put in possession of the facts. We are obliged to you for your kind offer, but it is not work at all suitable for women, and indeed the workers would have to be very carefully chosen. At present we have sufficient work in Hadley to occupy us. Perhaps at some future time, when our committee is enlarged, we may be able to take in both Hadley and district. We are, madam, yours faithfully, on behalf of the committee, etc., etc.'"

The amendment was carried with only three dissentients out of fifteen.

One of the members remarked that no doubt the application would have met with a different reception if it had come from some other quarter.

"Mark my words, gentlemen," said Mr. Bell, "Mrs. Waring will commence the work herself. What she wanted was to be able to do so under our auspices."

"And now," said the echo, with a drawl, "she will put it about that she was obliged to do so because those dreadful men were too lazy and indifferent. Trust a woman to make her side right."

Stephen said nothing; he prayed to be quiet, and the prayer was answered. Love urged him to vindicate the honour of this defenceless woman, but wisdom said, "If you love her, you will be silent."

All this part of the committee's business was duly retailed afterwards by Mr. Bell to Mrs. and Miss Bell.

From that time, although Phebe never knew the reason why exactly, she lost four good weekly customers. How many more these influenced could not be reckoned, and in addition to this several people who had been in the habit of saying "Good-day" to her as she met them in the street, now pa.s.sed her by with the coolest of nods.

The circle in the waters was spreading.

When the committee's letter was received Phebe was more than disappointed; it was like a stab to the heart. For a little while the keen pain was followed by a dazed feeling. It was some time before she recovered sufficiently to fully understand the letter; then two conclusions were arrived at: the first was the committee had no sympathy with woman's work (it was entirely composed of men, although more than half the work they had under consideration had to do with women and children), and the other was that they had the same prejudice against her that Bessie's superintendent had.

Then came three anxious questions. Should she show the letter to Nanna?

Having failed to find a subst.i.tute, had she now to consider the call a personal one? How far was she justified in allowing men's prejudices to hinder her?

The first was soon answered. It would be a poor return for all Nanna's love to keep this fresh trouble from her; besides, Nanna would be sure to supply answers quickly to the other questions.

"But shall I be ready to accept her answers?" Phebe asked herself. "I'll wait and see; I am sure about nothing that concerns myself just now."

That evening, at their usual time of confidences, and in their usual att.i.tude, Phebe handed the letter to Nanna, giving no word of explanation. Nanna got her gla.s.ses, and began at once to read. It took her a minute or so to grasp whom the letter was from, and she turned more than once to the heading of the paper.

"My poor child! You dear Phebe! But never mind; let us put this cold-blooded letter on the fire. Think of it no more, and let us go back to where we were the night Coates came. See, shall I?" holding the letter over the fire.