loved to chop arguments; but our Saviour did
not, and so I will not."

Anthony was delighted that he took this line, for he knew there are some
minds that apparently cannot be loyal to both charity and truth at the
same time, and Mr. Dent's seemed to be one of them; so the two talked of
old times at Great Keynes, and of the folks there, and at last of Hubert.

"I saw him in the City last week," said Mr. Dent, "and he is a changed
man. He looks ten years older than this time last year; I scarcely know
what has come to him. I know he has thrown up his magistracy, and the
Lindfield parson tells me that the talk is that Mr. Maxwell is going on
another voyage, and leaving his wife and children behind him again."

Anthony told him gently of Hubert's share in the events at Stanfield,
adding what real and earnest attempts he had made to repair the injury he
had done as soon as he had learnt that it was his friend that was in
hiding.

"There was no treachery against me, Mr. Dent, you see," he added.

Mr. Dent pecked a little in the air with pursed lips and eyes fixed on
the ground; and a vision of the pulpit at Great Keynes moved before
Anthony's eyes.

"Yes, yes, yes," he said; "I understand--I quite understand."

Before Mr. Dent took his leave he unburdened himself of what he had
really come to say.

"Master Anthony," he said, standing up and fingering his hat round and
round, "I said I talked no doctrine now; but I must unsay that; and--you
will not think me impertinent if I ask you something?"

"My dear Mr. Dent----" began the other, standing and smiling too.

"Thank you, thank you--I felt sure--then it is this: I do not know much
about the Popish religion, though I used to once, and I may be very
mistaken; but I would like you to satisfy me before I go on one point";
and he fixed his anxious peering eyes on Anthony's face. "Can you say,
Master Anthony, from a full heart, that you fix all your hope and
confidence for salvation in Christ's merits alone?"

Anthony smiled frankly in his face.

"Indeed, in none other," he said, "and from a full heart."

"Ah well," and the birdlike face began to beam and twitch, "and--and
there is nothing of confidence in yourself and your works--and--and there
is no talk of Holy Mary in the matter?"

Anthony smiled again. He wished to avoid useless controversy.

"Briefly," he said, "my belief is that I am a very great sinner, that I
deserve eternal hell; but I humbly place all