Softly the one called goes to the door of the one appointed by
the Divine Spirit, the human representative who is to receive the gift of the
burdened soul. Woman confesses to woman, man to man; it is the open door that
leads to God."
Susanna lifted Eldress Abby's latch and stood in her strong, patient presence;
then all at once she knelt impulsively and looked up into her serene eyes.
"Do you come as a Believer, Susanna?" tremblingly asked the Eldress.
"No, Eldress Abby. I come as a child of the world who wants to go back to her
duty, and hopes to do it better than she ever did before. She ought to be able
to, because you have chastened her pride, taught her the lesson of patience,
strengthened her will, purified her spirit, and cleansed her soul from
bitterness and wrath. I waited till afternoon when all the confessions were
over. May I speak now?"
Eldress Abby bowed, but she looked weak and stricken and old.
"I had something you would have called a vision last night, but I think of it
as a dream, and I know just what led to it. You told me Polly Reed's story,
and the little quail bird had such a charm for Sue that I've repeated it to
her more than once.
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