on of surprise.

"What else could it have meant?" said Deryck Brand, very quietly. He
passed his hand over his lips, knowing they trembled a little. Jane's
confessions were giving him a stiffer time than he had expected. "Well,
dear, so you--?"

"I stood up," said Jane; "for while he knelt there he was master of me,
mind and body; and some instinct told me that if I were to be won to
wifehood, my reason must say `yes' before the rest of me. It is
`spirit, soul, and body' in the Word, not `body, soul, and spirit,' as
is so often misquoted; and I believe the inspired sequence to be the
right one."

The doctor made a quick movement of interest. "Good heavens, Jane!" he
said. "You have got hold of a truth there, and you have expressed it
exactly as I have often wanted to express it without being able to find
the right words. You have found them, Jeanette."

She looked into his eager eyes and smiled sadly. "Have I, Boy?" she
said. "Well, they have cost me dear.--I put my lover from me and told
him I must have twelve hours for calm reflection. He was so sure--so
sure of me, so sure of himself--that he agreed without a protest. At my
request he left me at once. The manner of his going I cannot tell, even
to you, Dicky. I promised to meet him at the village church next day
and give him my answer. He was to try the new organ at eleven. We knew
we should be alone. I came. He sent away the blower. He called me to
him at the chancel step. The setting was so perfect. The artist in him
sang for joy, and thrilled with expectation. The glory of absolute
certainty was in his eyes; though he had himself well in hand. He kept
from touching me while he asked for my answer. Then--I refused him,
point blank, giving a reason he could not question. He turned from me
and left the church, and I have not spoken to him from that day to
this."

A long silence in the doctor's consulting-room. One manly heart was
entering into the pain of another, and yet striving not to be indignant
until he knew the whole truth.

Jane's spirit was strung up to the same pitch as in that fateful hour,
and once more she thought herself right.

At last the doctor spoke. He looked at her searchingly now, and held
her eyes.

"And why did you refuse him, Jane?" The kind voice was rather stern.

Jane put out her hands to him appealingly. "Ah, Boy, I must make you
understand! How could I do otherwise, though, indeed, it was putting
away the highest good life wil