ured nuts. The
sunlight fell upon him in patches of yellow light. He opened the Bible,
turning over the leaves of the Old Testament as if making a rapid survey
of its history in his mind.

"Sister Halsey," he began, "when the favour of the Lord rested chiefly
upon the Jewish nation, at the times of the patriarchs and David, and
when Solomon, arrayed in all his glory and in the greatness of his
wisdom, reigned from Dan to Beersheba, mustn't those have been the times
when the people walked most closely with the Lord?"

"I suppose so, Mr. Smith."

"It is not enough to suppose, Sister Halsey, for it is clearly written
that when the Jews went contrary to the will of the Lord they were given
over into the hands of their enemies."

Susannah endeavoured to give a more unqualified assent.

"Sister Halsey, there has come to my soul in reading this book in these
last days a word, and I know not if it be the word of the Lord or no."

She saw with astonishment that his whole frame was trembling now. She
began to realise that he was truly in trouble, whether because of the
greatness of the revelation or because of private distress she could not
tell. She became more pitiful.

"I hope you are well, Mr. Smith, and that Emma is well. There is nothing
to really distress you, is there?"

In hearing the increased gentleness of her tone he seemed to find a more
easy expression for his pent-up feeling. "It's come upon me in a very
cutting way, truly as the prophets said like a two-edged sword, and at
the time too when I was inquiring of the Lord concerning--" He stopped
here, and she felt that his manner grew more confidential, but he did
not look at her, his eyes sought the ground--"concerning a matter which
has given me no little heart searching." He stopped again, she listening
with a good deal of interest.

"It's come to me to observe that among the chosen people--there ain't no
gainsayin' it, Sister Halsey, though I trust you to be discreet and not
mention the matter, but in the days when the divine favour rested on
Israel each man had more than one wife; and the Lord Himself says He
give them to Solomon, the only objection being to heathen partners."

"Do you mean, Mr. Smith, that I'm not to mention what everybody knows
already, that in the Old Testament times polygamy was practised?"

The now entire lack of sympathy in her tone affected him as an
intentional act of rudeness would affect an ordinary man. The tissue of
his