opal ritual
might to-day fill a volume if written by one of those brooding,
self-searching woman-minds of New England--those unconscious, earnest
egotists who bring forth poetry beautiful sometimes to inspiration, but
always purely subjective. And if in such a volume the feelings, the
arguments, and the change were all represented as sincere,
conscientious, and prayerful, they would be represented with entire
truth. Nevertheless, so complex are the influences which move our lives,
and so deep the under-powers which we ourselves may not always
recognize, that it could be safely added by a man of the world as a
comment that Lois Hinsdale would never have felt these changes, these
doubts, these conflicts, if William Douglas had not been of another
creed. For in those days Douglas had a creed--the creed of his young
bride.

"Miss Hinsdale, we have come to offer you our New-Year's good wishes,"
said Rast, taking off his cap and making a ceremonious bow. "Our
equipage will wait outside. How charming is your apartment, madam! And
yourself--how Minerva-like the gleam of the eye, the motion of the hand,
which--"

"Which made the pies now cooling in the pantry, Rast Pronando, to whose
fragrance, I presume, I owe the honor of this visit."

"Not for myself, dear madam, but for Anne. She has already confided to
me that she feels a certain sinking sensation that absolutely requires
the strengthening influence of pie."

Anne laughed. "Are you going to stay long?" she asked, still standing at
the doorway.

"Certainly," replied Rast, seating himself in one of the narrow
rocking-chairs; "I have a number of subjects to discuss with our dear
Miss Lois."

"Then I will leave you here, for Tita is waiting for me. I have promised
to take them all over to Pere Michaux's house this afternoon."

Miss Lois groaned--two short abrupt groans on different keys.

"Have you? Then I'm going too," said Rast, rising.

"Oh no, Rast; please do not," said the girl, earnestly. "When you go, it
is quite a different thing--a frolic always."

"And why not?" said Rast.

"Because the children go for religious instruction, as you well know; it
is their faith, and I feel that I ought to give them such opportunities
as I can to learn what it means."

"It means mummery!" said Miss Lois, loudly and sternly.

Anne glanced toward her old friend, but stood her ground firmly. "I must
take them," she said; "I promised I would do so as long as they were
chil