th an atmosphere those who
had only faith to "taste and see how gracious the Lord is," believing
that which cannot be seen, and therefore having it revealed to their
inmost sense, and thus living the only real life.

This was the chief thought that penetrated to her mind as she crouched
on the straw hassock behind the pew, and shared unseen in the blessing
of peace. No one saw her as the hob-nailed shoes trooped out of church,
and soon she was entirely alone, kneeling still in her hiding-place,
and whispering half-aloud the omitted morning prayer, whose heartfelt
signification had, she felt, been neglected for a long, long time.

Since when? Ah! ever since those strange mysterious voices and caresses
had come to charm and terrify her, and when her very perplexity should
have warned her to cling closer to the aid of her Heavenly Father.
Vague yearnings, uplifted feelings, discontents, and little tempers had
usurped the place of higher feelings, and blinded her eyes. And through
it all, her heart began to ache and long for tidings of him on whose
pale features she had gazed so long and who had ventured and suffered
so much for her, nay, who had started into a moment's life for her
protection! All the tumult of resentment at the deception practised on
her fell on the uncle rather than the nephew; and in spite of this long
year of tender kindness and consideration from the recluse, there was a
certain consideration from the recluse, there was a certain leaping
of heart at finding herself bound not to him but to the youth whose
endearments returned with a flood of tender remembrance. And she had
fled just as he had claimed her as his wife, had fled just as he had
claimed her as his wife, unheeding whether he died of the injury she had
caused him! All that justified her alarm was forgotten, her heartstrings
had wound themselves round him, and began to pull her back.

Then she thought of the danger of directing Lady Belamour's wrath on her
father, and leading to his expulsion and destitution. She had been sent
from home, and bestowed in marriage to prevent his ruin, and should
she now ensure it? Her return to him or even her disappearance would
no doubt lead to high words from him, and then he would be cast out to
beggary in his old age. No, she could only save him by yielding herself
up, exonerating him from all knowledge of her strange marriage, far more
of the catastrophe, and let my Lady do her worst! She had, as she knew