would seem folly to him while it was a very holy
of holies to her. The alternative was cruel.

"Another time, Charley, I mean to tell you all," she said; and she knew
when she said it that procrastination would not better the matter, and
in the silence that ensued she was just about to change her resolve and
unfold the whole matter at once.

But Millard said: "Don't trouble yourself. I'm sorry I have hurt you.
Remember that I trust you implicitly. If you feel a delicacy in speaking
to me about anything, let it go."

The conversation after this turned on indifferent matters; but it
remained constrained, and Millard took his leave early.

XIX.

PROOF POSITIVE.

The more Millard thought of the mysterious reserve of Phillida, the more
he was disturbed by it, and the next Sunday but one he set out at an
earlier hour than usual to go to Avenue C, not this time with a
comfortable feeling that his visit would be a source of cheer to his
aunt, but rather hoping that her quiet spirit might somehow relieve the
soreness of his heart. It chanced that on this fine winter Sunday he
found her alone, except for the one-year-old little girl.

"I let the children all go to Sunday-school," she said, "except baby,
and father has gone to his meeting, you know."

"His meeting? I did not know that he had any," said Millard.

"W'y yes, Charley; I thought you knew. Henry always had peculiar views,"
she said, laughing gently, as was her wont, at her husband's oddities.
"He has especially disliked preachers and doctors. Lately he has got the
notion that the churches do not believe the Bible literally enough.
There were two Swedes and one Swiss in his shop who agreed with him.
From reading the Bible in their way and reading other books and papers
they have adopted what is called Christian Science. They have found some
other men and women who believe as they do, and a kind of a Christian
Science woman doctor who talks to them a little--a good enough woman in
her way, I suppose--and they think that by faith, or rather by declaring
that there is no such thing as a real disease, and believing themselves
well, they can cure all diseases."

"All except old age and hunger?" queried Millard.

The aunt smiled, and went on. "But father and his woman doctor or
preacher don't agree with your Miss Callender. They say her cures are
all right as far as they go, but that she is only a babe, unable to take
strong meat. The Christian Science wo