Phebe paused for a moment; but when she looked up at the star she at once answered: "Yes, I will come with you."
It was a very busy time, she could ill be spared, but what was all that compared with the rescue of a soul!
A few minutes afterwards these two women had passed through the swing-doors of "The Rose in June"—the first time Phebe had ever entered a public-house.
No sooner had the doors swung to behind them than they were face to face with Jim! To say that a straw would have knocked the man down is but a faint description of his utter astonishment.
"What—what—is the matter!" he gasped. There was not the slightest smell of drink about him.
"Oh, come outside! Come outside, do!" exclaimed Mrs. Coates, bursting into tears.
It did not take the three long to get the other side of the doors, and then, standing on the doorstep, Mrs. Waring began to explain: "You must forgive us; we were afraid——"
"I understand it all, Mrs. Waring," broke in Jim. "Don't you make any trouble of it. You thought I'd come in to have a drink; but I hadn't. I only came in after some of my mates to keep them straight, if I could."
"But, ought you to put yourself in the way of temptation?"
"Bless you, the drink's no snare to me now. I hate even the smell of it. I thought——" and then he faltered.