.
Tears came to her eyes. I took her hand, and we sat down together. Of
the rest I have told you. I kissed her--a stranger. She was comely. And
this I know, that the matter ended by the cross-roads, and that by and
forbidden paths have easy travel. I kissed the woman openly--is there
none among you who has kissed secretly, and has kept the matter hidden?
For him I struck and injured, it was fair. Shall a man be beaten like a
dog? Kimber would have beaten me."

"Wherein has it all profited?" asked the shrill Elder querulously.

"I have knowledge. None shall do these things hereafter but I shall
understand. None shall go venturing, exploring, but I shall pray for
him."

"Thee will break thy heart and thy life exploring," said Luke Claridge
bitterly. Experiment in life he did not understand, and even Benn
Claridge's emigration to far lands had ever seemed to him a monstrous
and amazing thing, though it ended in the making of a great business in
which he himself had prospered, and from which he had now retired. He
suddenly realized that a day of trouble was at hand with this youth on
whom his heart doted, and it tortured him that he could not understand.

"By none of these things shall I break my life," was David's answer now.

For a moment he stood still and silent, then all at once he stretched
out his hands to them. "All these things I did were against our faith.
I desire forgiveness. I did them out of my own will; I will take up your
judgment. If there be no more to say, I will make ready to go to old
Soolsby's hut on the hill till the set time be passed."

There was a long silence. Even the shrill Elder's head was buried in
his breast. They were little likely to forego his penalty. There was
a gentle inflexibility in their natures born of long restraint
and practised determination. He must go out into blank silence and
banishment until the first day of winter. Yet, recalcitrant as they held
him, their secret hearts were with him, for there was none of them but
had had happy commerce with him; and they could think of no more bitter
punishment than to be cut off from their own society for three months.
They were satisfied he was being trained back to happiness and honour.

A new turn was given to events, however. The little wizened Elder
Meacham said: "The flute, friend--is it here?"

"I have it here," David answered.

"Let us have music, then."

"To what end?" interjected the shrill Elder.

"He hath averred