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"I am nothing, and I have nothing to give you, Hannah. The only thing I can offer you is my heart, and you have that already. I don't suppose you could ever love me?" he asked, not allowing himself to hope too strong. As Hannah listened to Daniel, she could feel herself falling. Hannah held out her hand to Daniel.

"Open your hand wide, Daniel. I'm falling in love, and I need you to catch me." Daniel grabbed her hand and held onto it tightly.

"I won't let go, Hannah," he said firmly, "by the grace of God, I won't let you go." Mr. Anderson smiled widely as he saw Hannah and Daniel walk towards him.

"Just after you left, Beth," Mr. Anderson explained, happily, "Daniel came to me and began to speak what God had put in his heart. While he talked, your Mother jammed me into my coat and insisted that he and I drive after you. And," Mr. Anderson smiled, "by the look of you two, I guess there will be a happy ending after all." Hannah kissed her father on the cheek.

Just as the happy trio was about to get inside the car, to return home, a limousine pulled up. A black tinted window rolled down, and Mr. Hanley's face appeared.

"I was just on my way to see you, Miss Anderson," he said, climbing out of his limousine. "I understand Victoria Jackson tried to interview you!" he laughed. "That woman is dangerous! She could make my pastor confess to the assassination of President Lincoln, if she had the mind." Mr. Hanley lit a Cuban cigar. "I like to keep my enemies in front of me, and not behind, Miss Anderson. It's harder to stab someone in the back that way." Daniel held on to Hannah's hand tightly, lending her his strength.

"I don't carry a knife," replied Hannah, evenly.

"I am glad to hear that, Miss Anderson. The story will never be published. I didn't want a public lawsuit, so I bought the 'Daily Report.'" Mr. Hanley inspected the handsome man holding Hannah's hand so devotedly. "So, this is the bum you turned me down for. I pass by no-accounts like him everyday. What on earth could he give you that I could not?" he asked.

"A pure heart," she promptly replied.

Mr. Hanley smugly rolled the Cuban cigar between his fingers. "Miss Anderson, you are a fool." With that, Mr. Hanley climbed back into his limousine and drove away.

"Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool." ~ Proverbs 19:1 ~

Hannah looked up into Daniel's loving face. The clouds overhead parted, shining down a ray of pure sunlight. Daniel looked up.

"Hannah," he said, his voice filled with wonder, "God is smiling!"

THE END





"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."
~ Psalm 37:25 ~

"The King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me."
~ Matthew 25:40 ~

"Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise."
~ Luke 10:36-37 ~

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