d intellect, and he strove to rise. He would refuse to act. He
would protest. He would tell them that he did not want to preach. But
something held him down. He could not rise. The light went blue and
green and purple before him. The church, with its sea of faces, spun
round and round; his head fell forward.

"He has fainted," said some one.

"The excitement has been too much for him."

"Poor young man, he has been studying too hard, working for this."

They carried him out and took him home, and one of the elders offered a
special prayer for his speedy recovery, and that, being recovered, he
might bear his new responsibilities with becoming meekness.

When the young minister came to himself, he was lying on the bed in his
own room, and Mrs. Hodges, Eliphalet, and a doctor were bending over
him.

"He 's coming round all right now," said the medical man. "You won't
need me any longer." And he departed.

"How are you now, Fred?" asked Mrs. Hodges.

The young man closed his eyes again and did not answer. He had awakened
to a full realisation of his position, and a dull misery lay at his
heart. He wished that he could die then and there, for death seemed the
only escape from his bondage. He was bound, irrevocably bound.

"Poor child," Mrs. Hodges went on, "it was awful tryin' on his nerves.
Joy is worse 'n sorrow, sometimes; an' then he 'd been workin' so hard.
I 'd never 'a' believed he could do it, ef Brother Simpson had n't stuck
up fur it."

"She knew it, then," thought Fred. "It was all planned."

"I don't think you 'd better talk, Hester," said her husband, in a low
voice. He had seen a spasm pass over the face of the prostrate youth.

"Well, I 'll go out an' see about the dinner. Some o' the folks I 've
invited will be comin' in purty soon, an' others 'll be droppin' in to
inquire how he is. I do hope he 'll be well enough to come to the table:
it won't seem hardly like an ordination dinner without the principal
person. Jes' set by him, 'Liphalet, an' give him them drops the doctor
left."

As soon as he heard the door close behind her, Brent opened his eyes and
suddenly laid his hand on the old man's shoulder. "You won't let anybody
see me, Uncle 'Liph? you won't let them come in here?"

"No, no, my boy, not ef you don't want 'em," said the old man.

"I shall have to think it all over before I see any one. I am not quite
clear yet."

"I 'low it was unexpected."

"Did you know, Uncle 'Liph?" he as