in full swing, a tall man cautiously entered an open door.
He had never yet been inside the church itself, and to-night found it
crowded to the doors with men and even women standing in the aisles.
Uncle Ambrose felt annoyed, for having made a special effort to be
subservient he certainly desired that the widow should know of it, and,
moreover, though he preferred not having the matter discussed, frequent
rheumatic twinges in his right leg made standing for any length of time
an impossibility.

Now he shoved himself forward, politely edging his way between saints
and sinners alike, hoping that Mrs. Tarwater would at least get a
passing glimpse of him, when at the front of the church, to his immense
surprise, he discovered an entirely empty pew.

There was no time for thought, and almost immediately the newcomer
dropped down upon the seat, observing at the same instant that the widow
and her escort, the Honorable Calvin, were in an opposite pew just
across the aisle, though why their pew should be so jammed and his own
exactly under the chancel entirely unoccupied he did not then consider.
Obeying his first impulse Uncle Ambrose turned a smile upon the widow.
It was tremendously gratifying to observe her large bosom heave with
emotion, but puzzling when soon after large tears coursed down her
quivering face.

Moreover, the persons in Uncle Ambrose's immediate vicinity were also
beginning to behave queerly.

"The Lord be praised that one more sinner is called to repentance!" he
heard a sister's shrill voice cry out just back of him, and then loud
"Amens" boomed all about. But even more alarming--the Rev. Elias
Tupper's expressionless eyes were apparently glued upon him, while his
face wore an exaggerated edition of that smile of heavenly forgiveness
so irritating to the other man's soul.

With a shudder of horror it was now borne in upon Uncle Ambrose Thompson
that by misadventure he had placed himself upon the mourners' bench--the
seat at revival services specially set apart for sinners overcome with
remorse who desired to make open confession.

With a hunted look the unhappy man searched about for some way of
escape; there was none, for the congregation had come crowding closer
toward the front of the church until every foot of room was occupied.

Folding his arms across his lean chest and lifting his head Uncle
Ambrose waited. During the first moments of his discovery his face had
grown extraordinarily red, but