he faults of her class, but none of their follies; and she
has the reputation of being half feared, half revered. The man who dared
to approach her with the coarse love-making which is the fashion among
them, would rue it to the last day of his life. She seems to defy all
the world."

"And it is impossible to win upon her?"

"More than impossible. The first time I went to her with sympathy, I
felt myself a child in her hands. She never laughed nor jeered at me
as the rest do. She stood before me like a rock, listening until I had
finished speaking. 'Parson,' she said, 'if thal't leave me alone, I'll
leave thee alone,' and then turned about and walked into the house. I
am nothing but 'th' parson' to these people, and 'th' parson' is one for
whom they have little respect and no sympathy."

He was not far wrong. The stolid heavy-natured colliers openly
looked down upon 'th' parson.' A 'bit of a whipper snapper,' even the
best-natured called him in sovereign contempt for his insignificant
physical proportions. Truly the sensitive little gentleman's lines had
not fallen in pleasant places. And this was not all. There was another
source of discouragement with which he had to battle in secret, though
of this he would have felt it almost dishonor to complain. But
Derrick's keen eyes had seen it long ago, and, understanding it well, he
sympathized with his friend accordingly. Yet, despite the many rebuffs
the curate had met with, he was not conquered by any means. His was not
an easily subdued nature, after all. He was very warm on the subject of
Joan Lowrie this evening--so warm, indeed, that the interest the mere
sight of the girl had awakened in Derrick's mind was considerably
heightened. They were still speaking of her when they stopped before the
door of Grace's modest lodgings.

"You will come in, of course?" said Paul.

"Yes," Derrick answered, "for a short time. I am tired and shall feel
all the better for a cup of Mrs. Burnie's tea," pushing the hair back
from his forehead, as he had a habit of doing when a little excited.

He made the small parlor appear smaller than ever, when he entered it.
He was obliged to bend his head when he passed through the door, and it
was not until he had thrown himself into the largest easy chair, that
the trim apartment seemed to regain its countenance.

Grace paused at the table, and with a sudden flush, took up a letter
that lay there among two or three uninteresting-looking epis