They had walked quite round the lake, and Summerman had concluded
that he would invite the gentleman to dine with him when they came back to
the inn; would he accept the courtesy? Summerman looked at Mr. Rush, that
he might ascertain the probabilities, and thought that he could see a
breaking of the black clouds which held this man a prisoner. He wanted to
preach to him. He wanted exceedingly to launch out again on the Good Will
doctrine; and at length he did, but not exactly in the manner he would
have chosen, had he been left to himself.
As they walked along in silence, suddenly came and met them the sound of a
quick clanging church bell; then rose a mighty cry, and a still more
potent flame ascending heavenward.
"It's a fire!" cried Summerman. And, true to his living impulse and
instinct, which was forever--first and last, and ever--the good of the
public, the little man set off on a run. His companion, the gentleman who
had never, in his thirty years, run to a fire, with generous intent,
followed on as fleetly. So they came together to the village street, when,
lo! the shop of Daniel Summerman, was making all this stir! drawing such
crowds about it as never before the artist's varied powers had done.
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