d
given him the answer his heart so craved.

"I love thee, Anthony; one day I will be thy wife!"

He could have cried aloud in his joy and triumph.

"My wife, my wife, my wife! O blessed, blessed thought! For her
sake I will achieve all, I will dare all, I will win all. I have
talents--they have told me so; I will use them might and main to
win myself fame and renown. I have friends; they will help me. Has
not Cole spoken ofttimes of what he hoped to do for me in the
matter of some appointment later on, when my studies shall be
finished here? I have a modest fortune--not great wealth; but it
will suffice for the foundation on which to build. Oh yes, fortune
smiles sweetly and kindly upon me, and I will succeed for her sweet
sake as well as for mine own.

"My Freda! my star! my pearl amongst women! How can it be that she
loves me? Oh, it is a beautiful and gracious thing! And truly do I
believe that it is our faith which has drawn us together; for do we
not both believe in the right of free conscience for every man, and
the liberty to read for himself, and in his own tongue, the words
of the holy Book of Life? Do we not both long for the day when
greed and corruption shall be banished from the church we both
love, and she shall appear as a chaste virgin, without spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing, meet for the royal Bridegroom who waits
for her, that He may present her spotless before His Father's
throne?"

Dalaber was quoting unconsciously from an address recently
delivered in Dr. Randall's house by Clarke to a select audience,
who loved to listen to his words of hope and devotion. Clarke's
spirit at such times would seem to soar into the heavenlies, and to
uplift thither the hearts of all who heard him. He spoke not of
strife and warfare; he railed not against the prevailing abuses, as
did others; he ever spoke of the church as the Holy Mother, the
beloved of the Lord, the spouse of Christ; and prayed to see her
purified and cleansed of all the defilement which had gathered upon
her during her pilgrimage in this world, after the departure of her
Lord into the heavens, that she might be fit and ready for her
espousals in the fulness of time, her eyes ever fixed upon her
living Head in the heavens, not upon earthly potentates or even
spiritual rulers on this earth, but ever waiting and watching for
His coming, who would raise her in glory and immortality to sit at
His right hand for evermore.

Anthony had hear