"I'll take those," Marion said.
"You take one, and I'll take the other," she said with a smile.
She led him to the elevator, which she operated herself, and took him to a very nice room on the sixth floor that overlooked North Broad Street.
He gave her a dollar.
"For the Lord's work, you understand," she said.
"Of course."
"I hope you enjoy your stay with us."
"Thank you."
"Praise Jesus!"
"Praise the Lord!"
The room, Marion found on inspection, was immaculate. Everything seemed a bit old, and well worn, but the state of cleanliness left nothing to be desired.
Cleanliness, Marion thought, is next to godliness.
He went to the suitcases, hung up the clothing they contained, and then picked up the Bible that was neatly centered on the desk. He sat down in an upholstered chair.
He closed his eyes, and then opened the Bible, and then put his finger on a page.
If the Lord wants to send me a message, what better way? And then, in an hour or so, I will go back out to the airport and get the rest of my things. This time I will have the driver drop me two blocks farther up North Broad Street.
He opened his eyes to see what passage of Holy Scripture the Lord might have selected for him.
He saw that he was in the second chapter of Haggai, the seventeenth verse.
Marion was not very familiar with Haggai.
"17.1 smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the Lord."
Marion read it again and again and again, trying to understand what it meant.
****
At quarter to ten the private number on the desk of Staff Inspector Peter Wohl rang. Officer Paul O'Mara answered it in the prescribed manner.
"Inspector Wohl's office, Officer O'Mara speaking, sir."
"This is H. Charles Larkin, Secret Service. May I speak with the inspector, please?"
"I'm sorry, sir. The inspector is not available."
"This is important. Where can I reach him?"
"Just a moment, sir."
O'Mara went quickly to Captain Sabara's office.
"Captain, that Secret Service guy is on the inspector's private line. He says it's important."
"Does he have a name?"