ons seem very strong
to me."

She was of a sympathetic nature, and it was easy to look at things
through another's eyes. She saw the case clearly from her mother's
standpoint, and it was difficult to muster her own defense. But she
prayed inwardly that the One she sought to please would come to her
aid, and He did. It was no small help, also, that Hubert,
strong-minded and firm as a rock, was on her side. She went on
bravely, but in a low voice and with downcast eyes:

"You know I have begun to try to worship God, mother; and to know Him
just a little is the sweetest thing I ever knew. Hubert and I were
reading the Bible together Sunday"--she glanced across at him
appealingly, and his face encouraged her--"and we read some of the
words of Jesus to His Father. He said that we--that is, those who were
given to Him--were 'not of the world,' just as He is not. It impressed
me very much. I could not help seeing Mrs. Butterworth's party, and it
seemed to me like 'the world,' and that perhaps I did not belong there.
It seemed so very, very different from what we were reading, that I
thought I never could go again to such a place. I shall be very glad,
if you don't mind it too much, mother, if I may stay at home?"

She stopped and waited for her answer. There was silence for a moment,
and then Mrs. Gray, who had passed through various stages of
apprehension and distress as her daughter spoke, replied as calmly as
possible:

"I am sure I ought to be very glad, Winifred, to have you religiously
inclined. But I should be extremely sorry to have you get any
fanatical ideas. I never thought you were given to eccentric things,
and I hope you will not become so. It seems to me that you and
Hubert"--she hesitated to include her son in the remark, but ventured
it--"are rather young Christians to decide such things for yourselves
in such an extraordinary way. You should look at older persons. I
suppose I am not an example"--and her tone was just a trifle icy for
such a gentle lady--"but Mrs. Schoolman will be there with her
daughters, and so will many of the most prominent members of our
church. I really cannot approve of such an extraordinary
idea!--extraordinary!" and she repeated the word which usually
indicated the high water mark of her well-bred disapproval.

Winifred looked silently at her plate, and Mrs. Gray spoke again,
looking at her husband.

"I wish, father," she said, "that you would try and set Wini