."

"Why not?" asked Stella.

"I don't know, I have thought of it," he answered, and the subject
dropped.

One afternoon Stella, wrapped in thick cloaks, was seated in the chancel
of the Dead Church attending to the instrument which stood upon the
stone altar. Morris had not wished her to go that morning, for the
weather was very coarse, and snow threatened; but, anticipating a visit
from Mr. Layard, she insisted, saying that she should enjoy the walk.
Now the experiments were in progress, and going beautifully. In order to
test the aerophones fully in this rough weather, Morris and Stella had
agreed to read to each other alternate verses from the Book of Job,
beginning at the thirty-eighth chapter.

"'Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the bands
of Orion?'" read Stella presently in her rich, clear voice.

Instantly from two miles away came the next verse, the sound of those
splendid words rolling down the old church like echoes of some lesson
read generations since.

"'Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his season, or canst thou guide
Arcturus with his sons?'"

So it went on for a few more verses, till just as the instrument was
saying, "'Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts, or who hath given
understanding to the heart?'" the rude door in the brick partition
opened, admitting a rush of wind and--Stephen Layard.

The little man sidled up nervously to where Stella was sitting on a
camp-stool by the altar.

"How do you do?" said Stella, holding out her hand, and looking
surprised.

"How do you do, Miss Fregelius? What--what are you doing in this
dreadfully cold place on such a bitter day?"

Before she could answer the voice of Morris, anxious and irritated, for
as the next verse did not follow he concluded that something had gone
wrong with the apparatus, rang through the church asking:

"'Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts, or who hath given
understanding to the heart?'"

"Good gracious," said Mr. Layard. "I had no idea that Monk was here; I
left him at the Abbey. Where is he?"

"At the Abbey," answered Stella, as for the second time the voice of
Morris rolled out the question from the Book.

"I don't understand," said Stephen, beginning to look frightened; "has
it anything to do with his electrical experiments?"

Stella nodded. Then, addressing the instrument, said:

"Please stop reading for a while. Mr. Layard is calling here."

"Confound him," came the swift an