dared!" she heard him
stammer, and faced him swiftly, with a movement he might have misread
for anger, but for the soul shining in her eyes.

"Dare, then!"

"But I am penniless," said he, a few moments later. For him the
heavens still spun and the earth reeled: but out of their turmoil
this hard truth emerged as a rock from the withdrawing flood.

"God will provide for us. He knows that I cannot wait--and you--you
must forget that I was unmaidenly and wooed you: for I _did_, and
it's useless to deny it. But I have known--known--oh, for ever so
long! And I have a short while to be happy!"

Either he did not hear or he let slip her meaning. His eyes were on
the star, now almost level with the wall's coping.

"And this has come to me: to me--that was once Johnny Whitelamb of
the Charity School!"

"And to me," she murmured; "to me--poor Grizzle, whom even her
parents despised. The stars shine upon all."

"I remember," he said, musing, "at Oxford, one night, walking back to
college with your brother John. We had been visiting the prisoners
in Bocardo. As we turned into the Turl between Exeter and Jesus
colleges there, at the end of the street--it is little more than a
lane--beyond the spire of All Saints' this planet was shining.
John told me its name, and with a sudden accord we stood still for a
moment, watching it. 'Do you believe it inhabited?' I asked.
'Why not?' he said. 'Then why not, as this world, by sinners: and if
by sinners, by souls crying for redemption in Christ?' 'Ay,' said
he,' for aught we know the son of God may pass along the heavens
adding martyrdom to martyrdom, may even at this moment be bound on a
cross in some unseen planet swinging around one in this multitude of
stars. But,' he broke off, 'what have we to do with this folly of
speculation? This world is surely parish enough for a man, and in it
he may be puzzled all his days to save his own soul out of the many
millions.'"

"And father," murmured Molly, "designs him to take Epworth cure!
But why are you telling me this?"

"Because I see now that if God's love reaches up to every star and
down to every poor soul on earth, it must be something vastly simple,
so simple that all dwellers on earth may be assured of it, as all who
have eyes may be assured of the planet yonder; and so vast that all
bargaining is below it, and they may inherit it without considering
their deserts. Is not God's love greater than human? Yet, see, t