On the third day, garbed in Elizabeth's clothes, her husband fitted out
for the east in some of George Benedict's extra things, they started. They
carried a bag containing some necessary changes, and some wonderful toilet
accessories with silver monograms, enough to puzzle the most snobbish
nurse, also there was a luscious silk kimona of Elizabeth's in the bag.
The two old people were settled in the Benedict private car, and in due
time hitched on to the Chicago express and hurried on their way. Before
the younger pair went back to their pilgrimage they sent a series of
telegrams arranging for every detail of the journey for the old couple, so
that they would be met with cars and nurses and looked after most
carefully.
And the thanksgiving and praise of the old people seemed to follow them
like music as they rode happily on their way.
They paused at the little old school house where they had attended the
Christian Endeavor meeting, and Elizabeth looked half fearfully up the
road where her evil pursuers had ridden by, and rode closer to her
husband's side. So they passed on the way as nearly as Elizabeth could
remember every step back as she had come, telling her husband all the
details of the journey.
That night they camped in the little shelter where Benedict had come upon
the girl that first time they met, and under the clear stars that seemed
so near they knelt together and thanked God for His leading.
They went to the lonely cabin on the mountain, shut up and going to ruin
now, and Benedict gazing at the surroundings and then looking at the
delicate face of his lovely wife was reminded of a white flower he had
once seen growing out of the blackness down in a coal mine, pure and clean
without a smirch of soil.
They visited the seven graves in the wilderness, and standing reverently
beside the sand-blown mounds she told him much of her early life that she
had not told him before, and introduced him to her family, telling a bit
about each that would make him see the loveable side of them. And then
they planned for seven simple white stones to be set up, bearing words
from the book they both loved. Over the care worn mother was to be written
"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you
rest."
It was on that trip that they planned what came to pass in due time. The
little cabin was made over into a simple, pretty home, with vines planted
about the garden, and a garage with a sturdy little car; and not far away
a church nestled into the side of the hill, built out of the stones that
were native, with many sunny windows and a belfry in which bells rang out
to the whole region round.