In the same tone of voice the man exclaimed,
Andrew looked with some slight superstition at the peculiar man, with such a tone of authority, and said again, but respectfully:
"Do I understand you as speaking to me, sir?"
"Thee is called to preach!" said the object, in precisely the same tone of voice, and vanished.
Andrew Zane walked across to the hotel and saw Duff Salter, freshly arrived, looking at him intently.
"Did you see a person in Quaker dress standing by the monument an instant past?"
"I saw nobody but yourself," said Duff heartily. "I have been looking at you some moments."
"As truly as I live, a man in Quaker dress spoke to me at the monument's side."
"He said three times, deliberately, 'Thee is called to preach!'"
"That's queer," said Duff, looking curiously at Andrew. "My friend, that man spoke from within you. Do you know that it is the earnest desire of your wife, and a subject of her prayers, that you may become a minister?"
"I didn't know it," said Andrew. "But there is something startling in this apparition. I shall never be able to forget it."
To the joy of Agnes, now a happy wife and mother, her husband went seriously into the church, and the moment his intention was announced of entering the ministry, there arose a spontaneous and united wish that he would take the pulpit in his native suburb.
"Agnes," said the young man, "the dangers I have passed, the tragedy of my family, your piety and my feelings, all concur in this step. I feel a new life within me, now that I have settled upon this design."
"I would rather see you a good minister than President," exclaimed Agnes. "The desires of my heart are fully answered now. When you saw the image standing by the Treaty tree at that instant I was upon my knees asking God to turn your heart toward the ministry."
"Here in Kensington," spoke Andrew, "we will live down all imputation and renew our family name. Here, where we made our one mistake, we will labor for others who err and suffer. Such an escape as ours can be celebrated by nothing less than religion."
Duff Salter went to Tacony for the last time on the Sunday Andrew Zane entered the church. He did not speak a word, but at the appearance of Podge Byerly drew out the ancient ivory tablets and wrote: