the preacher wiping tears with a handkerchief as he warned of the consequences of dying without Jesus Christ.
Dane was strongly impressed by the sermon, and the doctor could see conviction on his young face during the invitation. As others were walking the aisle to receive Jesus into their hearts as their personal Saviour, Dane gripped the back of the pew in front of him but did not move.
Chapter Seven
W hen Dr. Lee Harris and Dane Weston climbed in the buggy after the church service, Dr. Harris said, “I didn’t tell you this yet, Dane, but Mrs. Harris told me to ask you if you would come home with me and eat Sunday dinner with us. How about it?”
Dane grinned at him. “I’d love to, sir. My family in the alley have probably already eaten their lunch.”
Harris snapped the reins and put the horse into motion. “Good! Whatever she’s got cooked for dinner will be tasty, I assure you.”
“I don’t doubt that,” said Dane. “That supper last night was really a treat.”
As the buggy moved down the street, Dr. Harris noticed that Dane was unusually quiet. He sat very still, looking straight ahead as if his thoughts had him a million miles away. Harris was sure it was because the sermon on hell had a powerful effect on him.
When they arrived at the apartment, Maude was just ushering Lawanda from the kitchen toward the bedroom. Lawanda heard the door open and looked back past her mother, fixing her eyes on Dane. She stopped and a fearful frown surfaced on what had been the placid pool of her round face.
Both Dane and the doctor heard Maude say in a low voice,“Come on, honey. Your tummy is full now. It’s time for you to lie down and take your nap.”
The frown deepened as Maude urged her forward; she kept her head turned back, her dull eyes fixed on Dane.
“Lawanda,” said the mother, “that boy would never hurt you.”
Lawanda mumbled something indistinguishable, and Maude hurried her into the bedroom.
The doctor and his young guest were standing near the kitchen table when Maude returned. She set her eyes on Dane and smiled. “I’m glad you are here to eat with us again. How did you like Sunday school and church?”
It took the boy a few seconds to say, “Fine, ma’am.”
Maude noted the delay in his response. She moved toward the cupboard, and when her face was out of Dane’s line of sight, she looked at her husband questioningly. Dr. Harris nodded and gave her one of his looks that told her she was right. Dane had shown conviction upon hearing the sermon. She gave him a secret smile. “Well, gentlemen, take your seats. Dinner’s on the table and ready to be devoured.”
Dr. Harris led in prayer. He thanked the Lord for those who had walked the aisle at the invitation and opened their hearts to Jesus—then gave thanks for the food and closed as usual.
The food was passed around. Dr. Harris said, “Okay, Dane. Dig in!”
As the meal progressed, the Harrises noticed a definite difference in Dane over the way he had devoured his meal the night before. He seemed to be toying with his food rather than eating it.
The Harrises glanced at each other surreptitiously across the table. Maude finally asked her husband, “So what was Pastor’s sermon about? It must have been good, as usual, for those people to have gone forward to be saved.”
“He preached a scorcher on hell,” replied the doctor. “It was really good.”
Dane kept his face turned down toward his plate.
The Harrises exchanged glances again.
Must have really gotten to him
, mouthed Maude.
The doctor nodded.
Maude changed the subject. She and her husband talked about the orphans on the streets, trying to get Dane to open up to them, but when they addressed him on the subject, they received only perfunctory remarks. He definitely was lost in his own thoughts.
Finally, Maude asked, “Is the food not to your liking, Dane?”
Dane’s head came up. “Wh-what did you say, Mrs. Harris?”
She smiled at him. “I asked if
Dane was strongly impressed by the sermon, and the doctor could see conviction on his young face during the invitation. As others were walking the aisle to receive Jesus into their hearts as their personal Saviour, Dane gripped the back of the pew in front of him but did not move.
Chapter Seven
W hen Dr. Lee Harris and Dane Weston climbed in the buggy after the church service, Dr. Harris said, “I didn’t tell you this yet, Dane, but Mrs. Harris told me to ask you if you would come home with me and eat Sunday dinner with us. How about it?”
Dane grinned at him. “I’d love to, sir. My family in the alley have probably already eaten their lunch.”
Harris snapped the reins and put the horse into motion. “Good! Whatever she’s got cooked for dinner will be tasty, I assure you.”
“I don’t doubt that,” said Dane. “That supper last night was really a treat.”
As the buggy moved down the street, Dr. Harris noticed that Dane was unusually quiet. He sat very still, looking straight ahead as if his thoughts had him a million miles away. Harris was sure it was because the sermon on hell had a powerful effect on him.
When they arrived at the apartment, Maude was just ushering Lawanda from the kitchen toward the bedroom. Lawanda heard the door open and looked back past her mother, fixing her eyes on Dane. She stopped and a fearful frown surfaced on what had been the placid pool of her round face.
Both Dane and the doctor heard Maude say in a low voice,“Come on, honey. Your tummy is full now. It’s time for you to lie down and take your nap.”
The frown deepened as Maude urged her forward; she kept her head turned back, her dull eyes fixed on Dane.
“Lawanda,” said the mother, “that boy would never hurt you.”
Lawanda mumbled something indistinguishable, and Maude hurried her into the bedroom.
The doctor and his young guest were standing near the kitchen table when Maude returned. She set her eyes on Dane and smiled. “I’m glad you are here to eat with us again. How did you like Sunday school and church?”
It took the boy a few seconds to say, “Fine, ma’am.”
Maude noted the delay in his response. She moved toward the cupboard, and when her face was out of Dane’s line of sight, she looked at her husband questioningly. Dr. Harris nodded and gave her one of his looks that told her she was right. Dane had shown conviction upon hearing the sermon. She gave him a secret smile. “Well, gentlemen, take your seats. Dinner’s on the table and ready to be devoured.”
Dr. Harris led in prayer. He thanked the Lord for those who had walked the aisle at the invitation and opened their hearts to Jesus—then gave thanks for the food and closed as usual.
The food was passed around. Dr. Harris said, “Okay, Dane. Dig in!”
As the meal progressed, the Harrises noticed a definite difference in Dane over the way he had devoured his meal the night before. He seemed to be toying with his food rather than eating it.
The Harrises glanced at each other surreptitiously across the table. Maude finally asked her husband, “So what was Pastor’s sermon about? It must have been good, as usual, for those people to have gone forward to be saved.”
“He preached a scorcher on hell,” replied the doctor. “It was really good.”
Dane kept his face turned down toward his plate.
The Harrises exchanged glances again.
Must have really gotten to him
, mouthed Maude.
The doctor nodded.
Maude changed the subject. She and her husband talked about the orphans on the streets, trying to get Dane to open up to them, but when they addressed him on the subject, they received only perfunctory remarks. He definitely was lost in his own thoughts.
Finally, Maude asked, “Is the food not to your liking, Dane?”
Dane’s head came up. “Wh-what did you say, Mrs. Harris?”
She smiled at him. “I asked if
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