we have asked the blessing of God upon
the deliberations of this Session; it now remains to bring the business
before it."

Mr. Dean poked Mr. Smith furtively, who replied in a loud whisper, "It is
your place, Brother Dean."

The elder's face turned a dull mottled red; he felt John's surprised
eyes upon him. Under cover of blowing his nose violently, he rose, and,
shifting from one foot to the other, he glanced imploringly at his
companions. But no one spoke.

"Brother Ward," he began at last, opening and shutting his mouth until
his upper lip looked like a hooked beak, "this Session has been called
for the consideration of--of the spiritual condition of this church. The
duties of the elders of a church are heavy, and painful--and--and--large.
But they are discharged,--they are always," said Mr. Dean, inflating his
chest, and raising one hand, "discharged! The church expects it, and the
church is not disappointed. Yet it is most terribly painful,
sometimes--most awful, and--unpleasant."

Here Mr. Dean stopped, and coughed behind his hand. Mr. Johnson crossed
his legs, and glanced back at the door as though calculating his chances
of escape. The other two men did not look up. Elder Dean had no reason to
fear that he had not the attention of the moderator. John was watching
him with burning eyes.

"Proceed," he said.

"Well," he continued, "as we always perform our painful, most painful
duties, we are here to-night. We are here to-night, Mr. Moderator, to
consider the spiritual welfare of the church, and of one especial soul
connected with the church. This soul is--is far from grace; it is in a
lost condition; a stranger to God, an alien from the commonwealth of
Israel. But that is not all. No. It is--ah--spreading its own disease of
sin in the vitals of the church. It is not only going down to hell
itself, but it is dragging others along with it. It is to consider the
welfare of that soul, Brother Ward, that this Session has been convened.
It is a very difficult task which is set before us, but we are sustained
by duty,--by duty, sir! We will not have to reproach ourselves for
neglect of an immortal soul. We wish to summon"--

"Do you refer," said John Ward, rising, his hands clenched upon the
pulpit rail, his face rigid and his teeth set,--"do you refer to my
wife?"

The three men on the bench started as though they had received a galvanic
shock. Elder Dean, with his lips parted, looked at his minister in
sil