od and evil implanted in their hearts.
The voice of Eldress Abby pursued Hetty in her flight like the voice in
a dream. She could hear its clear impassioned accents, saying, "The
children of this world marry; but the children of the resurrection do
not marry, for they are as the angels." The solemn tones grew fainter
and fainter as Hetty's steps led her farther and farther away from the
quiet Shaker village and its drab-clad Sisters, and at last they almost
died into silence, because Nathan's voice was nearer and Nathan's voice
was dearer.

VIII

CONCERNING BACKSLIDERS

[Illustration]

There was no work in the herb-garden now, but there was never a moment
from dawn till long after dusk when the busy fingers of the Shaker
Sisters were still. When all else failed there was the knitting: socks
for the Brothers and stockings for the Sisters and socks and stockings
of every size for the children. One of the quaint sights of the
Settlement to Susanna was the clump of young Sisters on the porch of the
girls' building, knitting, knitting, in the afternoon sun. Even little
Shaker Jane and Mary, Maria and Lucinda, had their socks in hand, and
plied their short knitting-needles soberly and not unskillfully. The
sight of their industry incited the impetuous Sue to effort, and under
the patient tutelage of Sister Martha she mastered the gentle art.
Susanna never forgot the hour when, coming from her work in the
seed-room, she crossed the grass with a message to Martha, and saw the
group of children and girls on the western porch, a place that caught
every ray of afternoon sun, the last glint of twilight, and the first
hint of sunset glow. Sister Martha had been reading the Sabbath-school
lesson for the next day, and as Susanna neared the building, Martha's
voice broke into a hymn. Falteringly the girls' voices followed the
lead, uncertain at first of words or tune, but gaining courage and
strength as they went on:--

"As the waves of the mighty ocean
Gospel love we will circulate,
And as we give, in due proportion,
We of the heavenly life partake.
Heavenly Life, Glorious Life,
Resurrecting, Soul-Inspiring,
Re-gen-er-a-ting Gospel Life,
It leadeth away from all sin and strife!"

The clear, innocent treble sounded sweetly in the virgin stillness and
solitude of the Settlement, and as Susanna drew closer she stopped under
a tree to catch the picture--Sister Martha, grave, tall,