ad won her affection
for ever by presenting her with a Persian kitten, whom she brought down
regularly once a week to call upon its former owner. When the bells
began to chime for evening service Kitty signified her wish to depart.

"We could take little missy," said Macdonald. "We'll be going that way
ourselves."

"No, thank you," said Paul. "We promised to take you home--did not we,
Kitty?"

Had he realized quite what the fulfilment of that promise involved, he
might have been inclined to accept the Macdonald's offer, for when he
and Sally had wheeled their visitor as far as the rectory, and were
going to enter, she shook her head vigorously.

"We can't get in there--it will be all locked up--every one's gone to
church. Please take me on! my carriage goes into the belfry, and, as I
lie there, I can see all down the church."

There was no disobeying such clear directions, so Paul, with a smile,
humbly did as he was bid.

"Is that all you want?" he asked, when he had adjusted Kitty's carriage
to the exact angle which she liked best.

He was in a hurry to slip out before the service began; Sally waited
for him outside.

"Oh no; I haven't got my book and things," said Kitty. "They are in
the box in the corner; daddy had it made for me, and here's the key,"
producing a key on a string from round her neck. "There's a nice red
one you can use that belongs to Nurse."

By the time Paul had unlocked the box and found the books, Kitty's
hands were devoutly folded in prayer, and her eyes fast shut. She
opened them presently with a bright smile.

"Thank you," she half-whispered. "Now if you bring that chair close to
me, you'll find my places for me; Nurse always does. I've not learned
to read so very long--daddy would not let me."

Paul, feeling himself a victim of circumstance, fetched the chair and
seated himself.

"I suppose he's forgotten to say his prayers," thought Kitty, as she
noticed that he neither knelt down nor even placed his hand over his
eyes, which were the varying methods of paying homage to God, that she
had observed the men of the congregation adopted when they came into
church.

Paul found his position a singular one. He had not been present at a
service of any description since his college days. It would not be
true to say that he had lost his belief; he had never had any. He
might well question the necessity of religious education, for he had
had none himself. He and Sally had b