giving a long,
studied artistic stroke to the oars. "I don't see why you shouldn't find
it, I'm sure--if you ask. I wish that I were good enough to talk to you
real helpfully on this subject."

I was startled at the inspiriting effect my brief exhortation seemed
already to have produced on the soul of Emily's fisherman.

"To ask! Is that all!" he exclaimed in the same low breath. And looking
at the glowing, though rather unsanctified light on his features, my
interest suddenly expanded to take in the possible drift of his words. I
concluded that it was time for me to show myself eminently discreet;
having departed so far from the immediate object of my mission as to
spend a considerable part of the Sabbath driving and rowing with a
strange young man, miles from every place of refuge.

"I'm tired," I said. "Please row back now, I should like to go home."

I rose to give Mr. Rollin my place at the oar. He held out his hand to
assist me, and, whether by any malicious design of his or not, at that
moment the boat gave a sudden lurch, and I was precipitated helplessly
forward into his arms. I felt his kiss burning on my lips.

With anger at the fisherman's unfairness, and bitterness at what I felt
to be the mortifying result of my own folly and indiscretion--"Oh," I
exclaimed; "I hate you! I wish you would never speak to me again! I wish
I had fallen into the water."

The fisherman sent the boat leaping on with long strokes. "D----n it!"
he muttered softly: "I wish you had, and I after you!"

We drove for several miles on the way homeward in silence. Then Mr.
Rollin spoke. I had been meditating upon Rebecca, upon my determination
to make my life in Wallencamp one of supreme self-sacrifice and devotion
to duty, and had concluded, in a deeply repentant mind, that this
unpleasant incident at the close of the day was only the natural
consequence of my error in departing from the prescribed limits of my
self-appointed task.

I felt that after this experience it would be unwise for me further to
extend my mission work in Mr. Rollin's behalf. So I answered him but
briefly, and in a tone of martyr-like composure, which I could not help
observing perplexed and irritated him more than anger or the most frigid
silence would have done.

I was strengthened in this frame of mind when we parted at the little
gate in front of the Ark, and Mr. Rollin proposed another drive for the
ensuing week.

Then I revealed to the fisherman t