her back.

A short time before the service began, Brent entered by a side door near
the pulpit and ascended to his place. His entrance caused a marked
sensation. His appearance was impressive. The youthful face was white
and almost rigid in its lines. "Scared to death," was the mental note of
a good many who saw him. But his step was firm. As Elizabeth looked at
him, she felt proud that such a man loved her. He was not handsome. His
features were irregular, but his eyes were clear and fearless. If a
certain cowardice had held him back from this ordeal, it was surely not
because he trembled for himself. The life he had lived and the battles
he had fought had given a compression to his lips that corrected a
natural tendency to weakness in his mouth. His head was set squarely on
his broad shoulders. He was above medium height, but not loosely framed.
He looked the embodiment of strength.

"He ain't a bit like his father," said some one.

"He 's like his father was in his best days," replied another.

"He don't look like he 's over-pleased with the business. They say he
did n't want to come."

"Well, I guess it 's purty resky work gittin' up to speak before all
these people that 's knowed him all his life, an' know where an' what he
come from."

"They say, too, that he 's some pumpkins out at the college."

"I 'ain't much faith in these school-made preachers; but we' ll soon see
what he kin do in the pulpit. We 've heerd preachers, an' we kin
compare."

"That 's so: we 've heerd some preachers in our day. He must toe the
mark. He may be all right at college, but he 's in a pulpit now that has
held preachers fur shore. A pebble 's all right among pebbles, but it
looks mighty small 'longside o' boulders. He 's preachin' before people
now. Why, Brother Simpson himself never would 'a' got a special
dispensation to hold the church all these years, ef it had n't been fur
the people backin' him up an' Conference was afraid they 'd leave the
connection."

"Well, ef this boy is anything, Lord only knows where he gets it, fur
everybody knows--"

"'Sh!"

The buzz which had attended the young speaker's entrance subsided as Mr.
Simpson rose and gave out the hymn. That finished, he ran his eyes over
the front seats of the assembly and then said, "Brother Hastings, lead
us in prayer."

The old man paused for an instant as if surprised, and then got slowly
to his knees. It was a strange selection, but we have seen that this