t is that have broken it."

"Wherein have I broken it?" she asked defiantly.

"`All unrighteousness is sin.' Have you alway done rightly, all your
life long? If not, then you are a sinner."

"Oh, of course, we be all sinners," said Blanche, as if that were a very
slight admission.

"Good. And a sinner is a condemned criminal. He is not come into this
world to see if he may perchance do well, and stand: he is already
fallen; he is already under condemnation of law."

"Then 'tis even as I said,--there is no fault in any of us," maintained
Blanche, sturdily clinging to her point.

"`This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.'"

"Nay, Master Tremayne, you be now too hard on me. I love not darkness
rather than light."

"God saith you so do, dear maid. And He knoweth--ay, better than
yourself. But look not only on that side of the matter. If a man
believe that and no more, 'tis fit to drive him unto desperation. Look
up unto the writing which is over the gate into God's narrow way--the
gate and the way likewise being His Son Jesus Christ--and read His
message of peace sent unto these sinners. `Whosoever will, let him take
the water of life freely.' It is God's ordering, that whosoever _will_,
he can."

"You said but this last Sunday, Master Tremayne, that 'twas not possible
for any man to come to Christ without God did draw him thereto."

"_I_ said, my maid? My Master it was which said that. Well--what so?"

"Then we can have nought to answer for; for without God do draw us, we
cannot come."

"And without we be willing to be thus drawn, God will not do it."

"Nay, but you said, moreover, that the very will must come from God."

"Therein I spake truth."

Blanche thought she had now driven her pastor into a corner.

"Then you do allow," she asked triumphantly, "that if I should not will
the same, I am clean of all fault, sith the very will must needs come
from God?"

Mr Tremayne understood the drift of his catechumen.

"An' it like you, Mistress Blanche, we will leave a moment to make
inquiry into that point, till we shall have settled another, of more
import to you and me."

"What is it, Master?"

"Are you willing?"

"Willing that I should be saved eternally? Most assuredly."

"Then--willing that all the will of God shall be done, in you and by
you?"

"The one followeth not the other."

"I cr