l of the peacock, conversation naturally turned to the subject
of the morning service.

"I do not think I can ask you inside," she said presently, "for like
many old houses, particularly those built of stone, ours is cold in
winter and hot or rather close in summer. We might walk toward the
poplar grove there, I should so like to speak to you about that sermon."

Ringfield assented with a pleased brightness.

"And what are your conclusions as to the sermon?" he said, when they
were seated in an old and crumbling arbour looking upon the lake. "I
am afraid I did not give myself quite enough time on this important
occasion. Preparation is everything."

"I do not allude exactly to the sermon, not the devotional part of it.
Sermons are not much in my line. I meant rather the reading you gave,
that wonderful description of the river, the fall, the waters issuing
from under the sanctuary--you see I have remembered the words--the
trees for medicine and healing, even the fish,--why I never thought
there could be anything like that in the Bible! You chose it
purposely, of course?" The young man did not reply for an instant. A
hint of flippancy in the speech of his companion seemed to create a
barrier between them.

"Purposely! Well, yes, I suppose I did. Purpose, intention, design,
must, should enter into all earnest preaching, and whatever may be the
faults of mine I endeavour at least to be that, to be earnest. But I
am glad you were struck with the parallel; not many in that
congregation would be at all likely to."

"You might have dwelt more upon that parallel in the sermon. I
expected you would."

"Well, no, there are canons of good taste, good form, as the world puts
it, in preaching as in other matters. It was sufficient to indicate
the parallel; people could then look up chapter and verse for
themselves. As no doubt you have done."

"Quite impossible. I do not possess a Bible."

Ringfield turned a reproachful eye upon her.

"We are Catholics, you see, or supposed to be. I have a 'Key of
Heaven' and five other devotional works. But I never read them."

The other was silent. Looking for the first time with serious interest
at the lady whose ease of manner and cultured speech were remarkable
for the place, he perceived that in a moment she had revealed much.
How few people, how few women in particular, would display a spirit of
utter frankness towards a stranger on so important a topic as religi