herefore I'm not particular; but I can't
stand the way your good religious people express themselves."

"They said, 'It's so d---- pleasant to get hold of a parson who can be
trusted in the pulpit--sermons with a good healthy moral tone, and
so forth. You might bring your youngest daughter to St. Chad's in
the certainty that she would hear nothing that would make her ask
uncomfortable questions when she got home.' It's a fact, they said that;
and now you go and spoil all. The bishop will have a word to say to you
some of these days, my lad. He ran away to the Continent, they tell
me, when your book was published, and it's perfectly well known that he
never runs away unless things look serious. When the bishop is serious,
those that can't swim had best take to the boats."

"I'll ask you for a seat in your yacht, Tommy. Meantime kindest regards
to her ladyship."

"Oh! by the way, it's not true, is it, that the girl has thrown you over
on account of the book?"

For an instant there came a little flush to the face of the Rev. George
Holland; then he shifted his umbrella from one hand to the other,
saying:

"If you mean Phyllis, all I can say in reply is that she is the best and
the truest girl alive at present. I've an engagement at a quarter-past
six."

"Well, good-by. It was my missus who said that the girl would throw you
over on account of that book."

"Ah! Good-by."

"Honestly speaking, George, old man, I think you've made a mistake this
time. People don't mind much about Jacob and Jonah and Jeremiah and the
whole job lot of Sheenies; but they do mind about Ruth. Hang it all man!
she was a woman."

"Ah! so was Jezebel, and yet--ah! good-by. I'll be late for my
appointment."

"See you on Sunday," said the earl, with a broadish smile.

And so he did.

So did the largest congregation that had ever assembled within the
venerable walls of St. Chad's. They heard him also, and so did the dozen
reporters of the morning papers who were present--some to describe,
with the subtle facetiousness of the newspaper reporter, the amusing
occurrences incidental to the church service of the day, and others to
take down his sermon to the extent of half a column to be headed "The
Rev. George Holland Defends Himself." One reporter, however, earned an
increase in his salary by making his headline, "The Defense of Holland."
It was supposed that casual readers would fancy that the kingdom of
Holland had been repelling an invad