est and exchange a word or two in comparative
privacy; there were the church "circles" and prayer-meetings, and the
intervals between Sunday services when Mark could detach Patty a moment
from the group on the meeting-house steps. More valuable than all
these, a complete schedule of Patty's various movements here and there,
together with a profound study of Deacon Baxter's habits, which were
ordinarily as punctual as they were disagreeable, permitted Mark many
stolen interviews, as sweet as they were brief. There was never a second
kiss, however, in these casual meetings and partings. The first, in
springtime, had found Patty a child, surprised, unprepared. She was a
woman now; for it does not take years to achieve that miracle; months
will do it, or days, or even hours. Her summer's experience with Cephas
Cole had wonderfully broadened her powers, giving her an assurance sadly
lacking before, as well as a knowledge of detail, a certain finished
skill in the management of a lover, which she could ably use on any one
who happened to come along. And, at the moment, any one who happened to
come along served the purpose admirably, Philip Perry as well as Marquis
Wilson.

Young Perry's interest in Patty, as we have seen, began with his
alienation from Ellen Wilson, the first object of his affections, and
it was not at the outset at all of a sentimental nature. Philip was a
pillar of the church, and Ellen had proved so entirely lacking in the
religious sense, so self-satisfied as to her standing with the heavenly
powers, that Philip dared not expose himself longer to her society,
lest he find himself "unequally yoked together with an unbeliever," thus
defying the scriptural admonition as to marriage.

Patty, though somewhat lacking in the qualities that go to the making
of trustworthy saints, was not, like Ellen, wholly given over to the
fleshpots and would prove a valuable convert, Philip thought; one who
would reflect great credit upon him if he succeeded in inducing her to
subscribe to the stern creed of the day.

Philip was a very strenuous and slightly gloomy believer, dwelling
considerably on the wrath of God and the doctrine of eternal punishment.
There was an old "pennyroyal" hymn much in use which describes the
general tenor of his meditation:--

"My thoughts on awful subjects roll,
Damnation and the dead.
What horrors seize the guilty soul
Upon a dying bed."

(No wonder that Jacob Cochrane'