_will_ count me, won't you?"

"You realise what you are doing," she said. "You are entering into
alliance with outcasts."

"You forget," he answered, "that I, also, am an outcast. We can at
least be outcasts together."

"It is good of you," she said gravely; "I am selfish enough to accept
it. If I was really worth anything, I would never let you see us
again. It means ostracism."

"We will fight them," he answered gaily. "We will storm the camp"; but
in his heart he knew that their stronghold, with "The Flutes" as the
heart of the defence, would be hard to overcome.

They climbed up the hill to the little church with the sea roaring at
their feet. A strong wind was blowing, and, for a moment, at a steep
turn of the hill, she laid her hand on his arm; at the touch his heart
beat furiously--in that moment he knew that he loved her, that he had
loved her from the first moment that he had seen her, and he passed on
into the church.

It was, as Bethel had said, almost in ruins--the little nave was
complete, but ivy clambered in the aisles and birds had built their
nests in the pillars. Three misty candles flickered on the altar, and
some lights burnt over the pulpit, but there were strange half-lights
and shadows so that it seemed a place of ghosts. Through the open door
the night air blew, bringing with it the beating of the sea, and the
breath of grass and flowers. The congregation was scanty; some
fishermen and their wives, two or three old women, and a baby that made
no sound but listened wonderingly with its finger in its mouth. The
clergyman was a tall man with a long white beard and he did everything,
even playing the little wheezy harmonium. His sermon was short and
simple, but was listened to with rapt attention. There was something
strangely intense about it all, and the hymns were sung with an
eagerness that Harry had never heard elsewhere. This was a contrast
with the church of the morning, just as the Cove was a contrast with
Pendragon; the parting of the ways seemed to face Harry at every moment
of his day--his choice was being urgently demanded and he had no longer
any hesitation.

Newsome was there, and he spoke to him for a moment on coming out.
"You'll be lonely 'up-along,'" he said; "you belong to us."

They all four walked back together.

"How do you like our ancient Britons?" said Bethel.

"It was wonderful," said Harry. "Thank you for taking me."

They were all very silent, b