quest," thought Paul, not a little proud of
his moral victory over the haughty young woman.

"Well, I think everything is safe here; we may be going home. I want
to get back before my little Kitty gets news of the fire, or she will
worry herself into a fever. Late as it is, though, I must run up to
the Court."

"Why?" Paul inquired. "We know that Miss Webster is safe."

"She might wish to see me," replied the rector, simply. "And if she
does, she shall have the chance."

"Then I'll leave word at the rectory that you are all right, in case
Kitty is awake," said Paul, rather shortly.

May, from her couch in her dressing-room heard the rector's cheery
voice in the hall below asking after her.

"That's Mr. Curzon, Lancaster; run and ask him to come up and see me
for a moment," she said to her maid.

In another moment he entered, followed by her mother.

"Oh, my darling, you are not ill? Have you been burned and not told me
of it?" she gasped in terror.

"Oh no, mother," said May, trying to smile; "but it's just because I'm
not burned, nor scared, nor horrible to look at, that I want Mr.
Curzon. I want--I want----" And then May's high courage gave way, and
she burst into tears.

"Let us pray," said the rector, quietly. And he and May's mother knelt
down by the side of May's couch together.

When he rose up from his knees May's tears had ceased.

CHAPTER VII.

A MOMENTOUS DECISION.

The rector walked home through the starlight night with a thankful
heart. It was possibly his sanguine temperament, backed by his strong
faith in the Christ Who must reign until He had brought all to His
Feet, that gave him such large success in his work; and against the
background of this day two special subjects for thanksgiving stood out
in strong relief: first, that he had received positive proof that he
possessed the confidence of the majority of his parishioners; and
secondly, that an accident--a deliverance from what might have been a
horrible death--had given him an insight into the deeper side of May
Webster's character. That she had this deeper side he had been fully
assured, but hitherto he had been powerless to touch it.

To-night, however, she had appealed to him to give expression to the
gratitude which she felt to God. For a moment the spiritual life that
was in her had touched his, and he trusted that the foundation of a
deeper, truer, more lasting friendship had been laid--a friendship that
mig