head was still bowed and his face
had not relaxed from the pain of moving. Standing a moment at his side
and looking down at him, she noticed how thin and gray his hair had
become. She turned away her face, looking out of the window and
battling with the cruelty of it all. The minister felt the tenderness of
her silent presence there, and glanced up.

"I shall not preach any more, Marg'et Ann, at least not here, not in
this way. If I might do something for those down-trodden people,--but
that is perhaps not best. The Lord knows. But I shall leave the ministry
for a time,--until I see my way more clearly."

His daughter crossed the room, stooping to straighten the braided rug at
his feet as she went, and took up her work again. Certainly the crimson
ball was a trifle one-sided, or was it the unevenness of her tear-filled
vision? She unwound it a little to remedy the defect as her father went
on.

"Things do not present themselves to my mind as they once did. I have
not decided just what course to pursue, but it would certainly not be
honorable for me to occupy the pulpit in my present frame of mind.
You've been a very faithful daughter, Marg'et Ann," he broke off, "a
good daughter."

He turned and looked at her sitting there winding the great ball with
her trembling fingers; her failure to speak did not suggest any coldness
to either of them; response would have startled him.

"I have thought much about it," he went on. "I have had time to think
under this affliction. Nancy Helen is old enough to be trusted now, and
when Laban marries he will perhaps be willing to rent the land. No doubt
you could get both the summer and winter schools in the district; that
would be a great help. The congregation has not been able to pay much,
but it would be a loss"--

He faltered for the first time; there was a shame in mentioning money in
connection with his office.

"I have suffered a good deal of distress of mind, child, but doubtless
it is salutary--it is salutary."

He reached for his crutches again restlessly, and then drew back,
remembering the pain of rising.

Marg'et Ann had finished the ball of carpet rags and laid it carefully
in the box with the others. She had taken great pains with the
coloring, thinking of the best room in her new home, and Lloyd had a
man's liking for red.

And now the old question had come back; it was older than she knew.
Doubtless it was right that men should always have opinions and
as