-looking man of commanding presence, with a fine
intellectual head and face. And as for Dinah, she must have been one of
the sweetest-looking creatures on God's earth."

"Well, they were engaged, and if ever a young pair of human lovers
walked in the Garden of Eden, Dinah and Douglas Fraser were that
couple--until the cloud came that was to eclipse their happiness in
this world. There is no need for me to enter into the matter very
fully, though I know everything. One unhappy day Dinah discovered that
Dr. Fraser was an agnostic--that for some time he had had grave doubts
on the subject of revealed religion, which he had kept to himself for
fear of distressing her; but now a sense of honour compelled him to
tell her the truth. He had lost his faith, and he no longer believed in
anything but science."

"Good heavens, what a shock!" ejaculated Malcolm.

"You may well say so," returned Mrs. Godfrey sadly. "It was no light
cross that Dinah had to bear. Even in her youth she was intensely
religious. Religion was not a portion of her life, it was her life
itself. To such a nature the idea of marrying an agnostic was
practically impossible. 'If I marry Douglas I shall be committing a
great sin,' she said to her sister; 'I shall be denying my Lord and
Master;' and in the semi-delirium in the illness that ensued, Elizabeth
could hear her say over and over again, 'Whoso loveth father and mother
more than Me is not worthy of Me.'"

"And she actually gave him up."

"Yes, she gave him up, though it broke her heart and his to do so. I
believe that he suffered terribly, and that he used every argument in
his power to shake her resolution, but in vain."

"She had a long illness after that. Elizabeth took her abroad. It was
at Rome that I met them, and after a time we became intimate. Poor
Dinah had a relapse, and I assisted Elizabeth in nursing her. Well, Mr.
Herrick, I can read a question in your eyes."

"Yes, there is one thing I want to know--has not Dr. Fraser married?"

"To be sure he has; but he did not marry for some years. He left
Earlsfield and took a London practice, and his career has been a
brilliant one."

"I believe Mrs. Fraser is a lovely woman, and they have three beautiful
children. But the strangest part of my story is still to be
told--Douglas Fraser is no longer an agnostic."

Malcolm looked at her silently; but Mrs. Godfrey said no more, and not
for worlds would he have asked another question. He could s