s Nature's
harmonies; and tears started to Miriam's eyes as the larks dropped
their music from the sunny heights. Now they passed patient oxen
looking out at them with quiet, impressive eyes, and the plaintive
bleat of the little lambs still brought many a throb to Miriam's
heart.

Turning down by the Clough, they met old Enoch and his wife, who,
though on their way to Rehoboth, were so full of the spirit of the
hour and the season that they thought little of the bald ritual
and barn-like sanctuary that was drawing their steps.

'This is grond, lad,' said Enoch to Matt, as he threw back his
shoulders to take a deep inspiration of the moorland air. 'It's
fair like a breath o' th' Almeety.'

'Yi; it's comin' fro' th' delectable mountains, for sure it is.
I'm just thinkin' it's too fine to go inside this afternoon.'

'I'll tell thee what, Matt, I know summat haa that lad Jacob felt
when he co'd th' moorside th' gate o' heaven.'

'Ey, bless thee, Enoch, it wernd half as grand as this!' said his
wife, as she plucked a spray of may blossom from a hawthorn that
overarched the path through the Clough.

'Mebbe not, lass; but aw know summat haa he felt like.'

'Did it ever strike thee, Enoch, that there were a deal o'
mountain climbin' among th' owd prophets--like as they fun th'
Almeety on th' brow (hill)?'

'Aw never made much o' th' valleys, lad. Them as lived in 'em hes
bin a bad lot. We may well thank God as we live up as high as we
do. But I'll tell yo' what--we're baan to be lat' for the service.
Step it aat, lasses.'

On reaching the chapel yard, they found Amos Entwistle dismissing
his catechism class with a few words of warning as to deportment
during service, whilst old Joseph was busy cuffing the unruly lads
whose predilections for dodging round the gravestones overcame the
better instinct of reverence for the day and for the dead. Mr.
Penrose was just entering the vestry, and discordant sounds came
through the open door as of stringed instruments in process of
tuning.

The congregation was soon seated--a hardy race, reared on the
hills, and disciplined in the straitest of creeds. Stolid and
self-complacent, theirs was an unquestioning faith, accepting, as
they did, the Divine decrees as a Mohamedan accepts his fate. What
was, was right--all as it should be; elect, or non-elect, according
to the fore-knowledge, it was well. Sucking in their theology with
their mothers' milk, and cradled in sectarian tra