sarcastically ventured to surmise--was not ashamed to believe in the
inspiration of the Old Testament; he could reconcile the chronology of
the earth's crust with the first chapter of Genesis; he had a
satisfactory explanation of the Johannine gospel; and his mere existence
was an impregnable fortress from which the adherents of the banner of
belief could not be dislodged. On this Sunday morning he offered a
simple evangelical discourse, enhanced by those occasional references to
palaeozoic and post-tertiary periods which were expected from him, and
which he had enough of the wisdom of the serpent to supply. His grave
and assured utterances banished all doubts, fears, misgivings,
apprehensions; and the timid waverers smiled their relief at being
freed, by the confidence of this illustrious authority, from the
distasteful exertion of thinking for themselves.

The collection was immense, and, in addition to being immense, it
provided for the worshippers an agreeable and legitimate excitement of
curiosity; for the plate usually entrusted to Meshach Myatt was passed
from pew to pew, and afterwards carried to the communion rails, by a
complete stranger, a man extremely self-possessed and well-attired,
with a heavy moustache, a curious dimple in his chin, and melancholy
eyes, a man obviously of considerable importance somewhere. 'Oh, mamma,'
whispered Milly to her mother, who was alone with her in the Stanway
pew, 'do look; that's Mr. Twemlow.' Several men in the congregation knew
his identity, and one, a commercial traveller, had met him in New York.
Before the final hymn was given out, half the chapel had pronounced his
name in surprise. His overt act of assisting in the offertory was
favourably regarded; it was thought to show a nice social feeling on his
part; and he did it with such distinction! The older people remembered
that his father had always been a collector; they were constrained now
to readjust their ideas concerning the son, and these ideas, rooted in
the single phrase, _ran away from home_, and set fast by time, were
difficult of adjustment. The impressiveness of Dr. Quain's sermon was
impaired by this diversion of interest.

The members of the Stanway family, in order to avoid the crush in the
aisles and portico, always remained in their pew after service, until
the chapel had nearly emptied itself; and to-day Leonora chose to sit
longer than usual. John had been too fatigued to rise for breakfast;
Rose was