oss for words, but he understood her.

"Your hesitation is not flattering to me. I hope you don't absolutely
distrust me."

Her embarrassment was pitiful. "Oh no, indeed! But you are a sceptic.
You don't believe in us--in her."

"Oh yes, I do!"

"And, besides, she has been promised for two years to Tony--Mr.
Clarke."

He grew a little hard at mention of the preacher's name. "But she
fears and hates Clarke. She has broken with him. She told my sister
that she was done with him forever. You will not ask her to marry a
man she distrusts?"

She flew to Clarke's defence. "That was only a mood, a lover's
quarrel. He was all upset by Pratt and--and other things. I will not
allow her to desert him when he is in trouble. He has been so much to
us, and he is a noble character in spite of all."

"All this is very disturbing to me," he answered, more humorously than
he felt. "But, nevertheless, I also claim to be a noble character."

She began once more to realize his place in the world and his kindness
to Viola. "I know that, professor, I fully recognize the honor you do
her and me, but she is not like other girls. She is set aside to do
God's work, and ought not to marry at all. That is why the 'guides'
have given her to Anthony; he, too, is consecrated."

"Dear Mrs. Lambert, you shock me when you say such things. I don't
believe it is your daughter's duty to convert people to a belief in
immortality. I don't believe in teaching men and women to depend upon
an unseen world for guidance; and especially do I despise any faith
which makes this life less important than some other just beyond. I
love this life, and do not intend to trouble myself about what lies
beyond the grave. That is really not my concern. To regard this world
as a vale of tears leading to a shining heaven is a species of
mediaevalism from which I revolt."

She caught this up. "That is just the reason why Viola would be
unhappy with a sceptic."

"But I am not a sceptic. I have the greatest faith. I am certain I can
make her happy here and now. You surely would not permit her to go
back to Anthony Clarke!"

She was troubled and confused. "I don't know. Perhaps it would be
best, after all. A great deal of her 'power' comes from him." She
brightened. "But I will leave all that to father."

Again he leaned to her with tender gravity. "You must not do that.
Unless you deny the value of all life here on the earth, you are an
unnatural mother to devote