"That is quite possible," said Mr Maxwell, gravely. "And you think I
should not speak to him about his trouble?"

"Not about his trouble with Jacob. Indeed, it is said that he will not
speak of it, nor hear of it. It would do no good. And then he likes
you so much, Mr Maxwell, and comes to church as he did not always do,
and seems to take such pleasure in hearing you. It would be a pity to
risk disturbing these pleasant relations between you with so small a
chance of any good being done by it. And besides," Elizabeth made a
long pause before she added: "besides, if trouble is before us because
of this, and if it should come to taking sides, as almost always happens
in the vexing questions of Gershom life, it would be far better that you
should know nothing about the matter--that at least you should not have
seemed to commit yourself to any decided opinion with regard to it. I
cannot bear to think that your comfort and usefulness may be endangered
through the affairs of those who should be your chief supports. Not
that I think this likely to happen," added Elizabeth, colouring with the
fear of having spoken too earnestly; "I daresay, after all, I am `making
mountains of mole-hills.'"

Mr Maxwell rose and took his hat.

"Well, to sum up," said he.

"Oh, to sum up! I believe the whole of what I wanted to say was this,
that I don't want you to be vexed or troubled about it," said Elizabeth,
rising also.

"It is kind in you to say so."

"Yes, kind to ourselves. And I daresay I may have given you a wrong
impression about the matter after all, and that it looks more serious to
you than it needs do. I had much better have kept silent, as I would
have other people do."

"Don't say that, Miss Elizabeth. What should I do without you to set me
right, and to keep me right about so many matters? Be anything but
silent, my friend."

There was a good deal more said about Mr Fleming's affairs, and about
other affairs, though Mr Maxwell stood all the time with his hat in his
hand. But enough has been told to give an idea of the way in which
these young people talked to each other. Mr Maxwell never went from
the house without congratulating himself on the friendship of Miss Holt.
How much good she always did him! What a blessing it was for him that
there was one person in his congregation to whom he might speak
unreservedly, and who had sense and judgment to see and say just what
was best for him to do or to re