But as he came down the steps, he saw the member from his district walking toward the Office Building across the broad space between the Capitol and the new structure put up for the accommodation of the members. And by his side walked the figure of the Man. The two were engaged in animated talk. Carter was near enough to note the characteristic pose and gesture of the congressman, and an unusual interest on his part.

An impulse seized Carter to follow at a reasonable distance behind the two. They were talking slowly, so deeply engaged in their talk as to be oblivious of the men they passed. When they finally went up the steps of the Office Building, they stopped, and Jesus bowed before coming back down the steps. He walked directly back toward the Capitol, coming so close to Carter that the editor had not time to avoid him.

Suddenly, the old defiant spirit seemed to stir in Carter. As Jesus passed him, he held his hand up proudly and almost insolently. Jesus looked directly at him, but Carter did not recognize him. Yet what were those words so quietly but so penetratingly uttered as Jesus walked by him?

Follow me!

What! Follow him? Be his disciple? Live by his rule of unselfishness? Bind himself to his chariot? Be his slave?

“No!” Carter’s soul stirred, shuddering and hostile. “No!” He walked on. Had Jesus even spoken anything, or was it a trick of his own nervousness?

He cursed under his breath as he walked up the steps of the Office Building and down the long corridor, looking for the room belonging to the member from his district. When he found it and went in, he found the man alone. He knew him politically well enough to accost him by his first name.

“How are you, Ed? Thought I’d drop in and see you a minute. I don’t bother you very often.”

“Oh, is that you, Carter? How are you? When did you arrive? Come in.”

Carter came in and took a seat by the member’s desk. “I went over to the House, and arrived just in time to see the interstate commerce bill go through. Never expected you to vote as you did. I thought you trained with the wets. When were you converted?”

The member colored up, and for the first time in his life, Carter saw him embarrassed. “Do you want me to tell why I voted aye?”

“Naturally, I’m curious to know.”

“Well, I don’t know why.”

“Good reason for a congressman to offer his constituents.”