d almost of the grave. One by one they obeyed the stern forefinger of Gideon Strong, and took their seats on comfortless chairs and the horse-hair sofa. First came John Ma

gether; they waited now for him to speak. His was no common personality. Neat in his dress, precise though local, with a curious mixture of dialects in his speech, he was feared by every man in Feldwick, whether he stood over them labouring or prayed amongst them in the little chapel, where every Sunday he took the principal place. He was well set-up for all his unusual height and seventy years, with a face as hard as the ancient rocks which jutted from the Cumberland hillside, eyes as keen and grey and merciless as though every scrap of humanity which might ever have lain behind them had long since died out. Just he re

oung man who sat on the corner of the horse-hair

ne, but to-day I am quit of it. The deacons of Feldwick chapel have agreed to appoint you their pastor, provided only that they be satisfied wi' your discourse on the coming Sabbath. See to it, lad, that 'ee preach the word as these good m

hn Magee, in his thin treble. "See to it, lad, th

nothing. A sudden light had flashed in his dark eyes, and his lips had p

from the burden of your affairs once and for all. This is the woman, my daughter Joan,

figure was as straight as a dart, but without lines or curves, her gown, of homely stuff and ill-made, completed her unattractiveness. There was neither blush nor tremor, nor any sign of softening in her cold eyes. Then Douglas, in whom were already sown the seeds of a passionate discontent with the narrowing lines of his unlovely life, who on the hillside and in the sweet night solitudes had taken

and thank thy God who has sent thee, a pauper and a

hough they sounded to him and to

or any thought of it between Joan and myself. I am

those relentless eyes-fierce, too, the words of

d Joan. Choose between my bidding and the o

e which he and the whole neighbourhood wore were too heavy to be thrown lightly aside. So he held out his hand, and Jo

reckon, too, that we ha' chosen well to elect you our pastor. Thou wilt have two pounds a week an

Douglas Guest and Joan. Cicely had flitted away with the first. They two were alone. He wondered, with a grim sense of the humour of the thing, whether she

ook and looking for his place, "that I knew nothing of

rken as she rose and

she said, stiffly.

*

ed in the valleys. Below, the shadowy landscape lay like blurred patchwork-still he climbed upwards till Feldwick lay silent and sleeping at his feet and a flavour

murmured. "I must speak to

in distant countries, of passing some day into the elect of those who had written their names large in the book of life. His heart swelled in passionate revolt. Even though he might be a pauper, though he owed his learning and the very clothes in which he stood to Gideon Strong, had any man the right to demand so huge a sacrifice? He

owe, but life was surely a greater, and life he owed to no man living-only to God. Was it a thing which he dared misuse?-fritter helplessly away in this time-forgotten corner of the earth? Life surely was a precious l

. For Cicely, though she was Gideon Strong's daughter, was not of Feldwick or Feldwick ways, nor were her gowns simple, though they were fashioned by a village dressmaker. S

er. For a moment their han

e cried. "I felt that I must

ly under her dark gown, a pink flush in her cheeks. Her hair, fair and inclined

he said, gravely. "Let us go down the hill

ed into their intercourse. The wonderfully free spirit of comradeship which had sprung up between them

e said at last, "exactly how much of

red at present to enter the ministry. I showed him my diplomas and told him of my degrees. I told him what I wished-to become a schoolmaster, for a year or two, at any rate. Well, he listened to me in fixed silence. When I had

at abou

e flush

made me think of Joan in such a connection. I should have

t him and no

oracle has spoken. Wh

k for your advice

ll me just how yo

a long

s the waste places, the wild flowers springing up in unexpected corners, the little streams tearing down the hillside to flow smoothly like a belt of beautiful ribbon through the pasture land below. The love which comes for these things, Cicely, is a strange, haunting thing. You cannot escape from it. It is a sort of bondage. The winds seem to tune themselves to your thoughts, the sunlight laughs away your depression. Listen! Do you hear the sheep-bells from behind the hill there

ves," she said quietly,

to cast off the strange passionate love for the place which holds me here, to go out into the world and hold my place amongst my fellows. Cicely, surely where men do great works, where men live and die, that is the proper place for man? I have no right to fritter awa

have power. Out into the world and use it! Oh, if I were

her shoulder. He

e asked hoarsely, "to d

r cheeks. She moved imp

in London not long ago, and he sent a message to you. It is very painful for me to even think of it, Douglas, for I always believed my father to be a just man. He has let you believe that you were a pauper. My

moment. It was a s

ue," he said,

d glided away from him whil