would
come to be openly said, which was already a whisper, that the Bank
Manager _drank_.

His thoughts came back to Reggie with a start. Reggie had asked him to
give up strong drink!

"Reggie!" he said hoarsely, passing by all else that had been said,
"you don't know what you are asking!"

"Yes, I do!" said Reggie firmly, "and you'll want outside help."

"Ah!" said the manager sadly, "I have thought sometimes, that if we'd
had a child, Elaine and I, it would have made it easier. I might have
done it for the child's sake."

"Suppose that God did not dare to risk the child in your hands," said
Reggie solemnly, "suppose, if He sent a child, then you had not the
strength to give up the drink?"

And as the words fell from Reggie's lips there came a sound from the
outer office that made both the men start.

"Father!" said a little treble voice which rang through the Bank.
"Father! father! let me do it."

The manager raised himself so that he could see over the frosted glass
in the door which gave on to the front premises, but Reggie had no
need to look. He recognised the clear child's voice. He seemed to see
little Cyril Mackenzie's round, rosy face lifted confidingly to his
father's as he had seen it only last night. And Mr. Gray saw the
bright little lad, and he sat down again in his seat with a groan, and
hid his face in his hands.

"Suppose--" he said, "suppose I haven't the strength to give it up
_now_."

"It was the help of Jesus Christ, our Saviour, that I meant. He will
give you the strength if you will let Him, and I will help you all I
can, if you will let me," answered Reggie earnestly.

CHAPTER XIV.

AN UNWELCOME GUEST.

Denys had undertaken, at the earnest request of the woman at the
Landslip Cottage, to take care of Harry as far as to Mixham Junction,
where his uncle would meet him.

She was on her way to the Landslip cottage to make sure that the
arrangements for meeting Harry at the station the following day were
all complete, a duty which had obliged her to give up a two hours'
drive with Mrs. Henchman, Audrey and Gertrude, who had all gone with a
friend of Mrs. Henchman's.

Denys had, however, scarcely entered the Landslip road when she
encountered little Harry and his kind friend, and being thus saved
more than an hour's walk, she arrived back at Mrs. Henchman's house
much sooner than she had expected.

Mary opened the door for her, and Denys was struck by her woebegone,
wea