day, be too weak to strengthen the King, in
despite of his tender years, or to raise up another man that shall
follow in the wake of my Lord Protector?"

"I know God can do miracles," said Isoult, somewhat despondingly.

"`For all but me'--is that thy thought, sweeting?" asked Avery, smiling.

"But where is there a man?" cried Isoult.

"How know I?" said Dr Thorpe. "Some whither in the Indies, it may be.
But the Lord shall surely fetch him thence when the time cometh.
Prithee, Jack, bid thy friend the Hot Gospeller to dinner, and leave us
see if he (that I gather from thy talk to be mighty busy in public
matters) can find us a man for the time."

Avery smiled, and said he would ask Mr Underhill to dinner. But Isoult
shook her head, averring that neither Dr Thorpe nor even the Hot
Gospeller could find a man for the time.

For some days, at her husband's desire, Isoult had been on the look-out
for a bower-woman to replace Jennifer. She inquired from Mrs Brent and
other neighbours, but could nowhere hear of a satisfactory person. On
the Sunday evening following Philippa's visit, as they were coming home
from Saint Botolph's, the church which stood at the top of the Minories,
Isoult heard her name softly called from the crowd of dispersing
worshippers. She looked up into a pair of black, pensive eyes, which
she knew to belong to an old friend--a converted Jewess, who had been
one of her bridesmaids, but whom she had never met since that time. The
friends halted and clasped hands.

"I knew not you were in this vicinage," said Esther in her grave manner,
"but methought that face could belong to none other."

"We dwell at this present in the Minories," said Isoult, "and are but
now come hither, by reason of certain riots in the western parts. And
where dwell you?"

"I am now abiding," she replied, "with a friend, one Mistress Little,
until I may find conveniency to meet with a service: for I have left the
one, and am not yet fallen in with the other."

"And I am but now looking for a bower-woman," said Isoult.

"Have you covenanted with any?" asked she quickly.

"Nay," was the answer, "I have not yet fallen in with any with whom to
covenant."

"Mrs Avery, will you take me?" she said, earnestly.

"Nay," answered Isoult, "but will you come to me? I had thought you
should look for a much better service than mine."

"I could not have a better, methinks," she responded, with a rather
sorrowful smile. "I