lady; she is a member of your church, and
dances, I am told. Why should not one professor of religion have the
same privileges as another?"

"Vida," he said, in a tone of mingled pain and tenderness, "it is
only a short time since we were pronounced 'no more twain hut one;'
you said then the thought made you glad. How can you separate your
interests from mine now? Will you do what would dishonour my calling
were I to do it? The world counts us one, your action is mine, and
just or unjust, they do not accord to you the right to wade quite so
far into the sea of worldly pleasures as they themselves feel
privileged to do. They would point the finger of ridicule at both of
us, and charge us with inconsistency. We will not stop to argue the
right and wrong of the subject now, supposing your conscience does
not shut you out from the dance, let worldly prudence and a desire to
keep our names from common gossip, influence you, I pray you, if
indeed my wishes and opinion are of no value."

But the young wife was in no frame for recollecting tender vows, nor
listening to reason. She threw off his arm with an impatient gesture,
and glancing at her watch, said:--

"I have not only accepted an invitation to this party, but promised
to dance. It is getting late and I must go."

Mr. Eldred controlled his agitation by a mighty effort, and in a low,
calm tone said:--

"Then I must save you from disgracing us both. I insist, I _command_
you not to go."

Had he struck her, she would not have been more astonished. She stood
as if stunned for a moment; then with a stately air, she swept by him
and ascended the stairs to her room. What was his consternation, as
he stood gazing out into the moonlight, presently to see her pass
down the walk, step into the carriage and drive away!

Turning from the window, he paced the floor with anguish keen as
though she had gone from him for ever. What obstinacy, what
unreasoning wilfulness--and what would come of it? He spent the long
night brooding over his great sorrow, the root of which was the fear
that his dear wife did not belong to Christ, for beloved her through
all her unloveliness. "Husbands, love your wives even as Christ loved
the church." His love had something in it of the divine pity and
patience that our blessed Lord feels for his sinning, stumbling, and
exasperating children.

Mrs. Eldred was not that type of womankind who spent their wrath in
tears and reproaches. When she was