lm settled himself in his corner and prepared himself for twenty
minutes' endurance, but to his surprise he soon found himself roused
and interested.

If the preacher's articulation was imperfect--if he took hurried
breaths and stumbled here and there over a sentence--Malcolm soon
ceased to notice it.

The treasure might be in an earthen vessel, but it was goodly treasure
for all that; the priest might be young and inexperienced, but he had
his Evangel, his message to deliver, and the earnestness of his purpose
was reflected in his face. "Rejoice, oh young man, in thy youth," was
the text; but before the short sermon was over, the row of ploughboys
near them had roused from their drowsiness and stroked down their sleek
heads with embarrassed fingers, as David Carlyon's voice rang through
the darkening church with the concluding words, "but know thou, that
for all these things God will bring thee into judgment."

Involuntarily Malcolm glanced at Elizabeth as they rose, but she did
not see him; her large bright eyes were fixed on the preacher for a
moment, then her head bent meekly to receive the blessing, and to
Malcolm's disappointment she made no allusion to the sermon on their
way home.

CHAPTER XVI

"IT REALLY IS A GOOD IDEA, DIE"

It is most certain that woman's most womanly affections
are the likeness of affections which have their pure
and perfect fountain in the nature of God.
--PULSFORD.

After supper that evening Malcolm found himself alone with Dinah.
Elizabeth and Cedric had gone down to the Pool to find a book she had
left there in the afternoon, and he had been on the point of following
them when he saw a wistful look in Miss Templeton's eyes, and
immediately sat down again.

"You want to speak to me," he said pleasantly. He was quite aware that
Elizabeth had carried off her brother with intent and purpose, and
smiled to himself over her little ruse.

"She is very clever. I wonder if the missing book is a figment of her
imagination," he thought; but in this he wronged her, for that little
red-edged copy of Keble's Christian Year was very dear to Elizabeth.

"Yes, I want to speak to you," returned Dinah, and her tone was rather
anxious and flurried. "The time is growing so short now, and to-morrow
there will not be a moment, and so Elizabeth said--" and here again a
flickering smile played over Malcolm's face.

"And she has carried Cedric