ehension, comfort.

He turned from her the next moment to meet her mother, and she heard him
speaking in his easy, leisured tones, gaining time for her, making her
path easy, as had ever been his custom.

And again unbidden, unavoidable, there came to her the vision of
Greatheart--Greatheart the valiant--her knight of the golden armour,
going before her, strong to defend,--invincible, unafraid, sure by means
of that sureness which is given only to those who draw upon a Higher
Power than their own, given only to the serving-men of God.

CHAPTER XVI

THE OPEN DOOR

Billy had already departed upon Scott's mount era he and Dinah set forth
to walk to the Court. It was threatening to rain, and the ground beneath
their feet was sodden and heavy.

"It is rather a shame to ask you to walk," said Scott, as they turned up
the muddy road. "They would have sent a car for you if I had thought."

"I would much rather walk," said Dinah. Her face was very pale. She
looked years older than she had looked at Willowmount. After a moment she
added, "We shall pass the church. Perhaps you would like to see it. They
were going to decorate it this morning."

"I should," said Scott.

He limped beside her, and she curbed her pace to his though the fever of
unrest that surged within her urged her forward. They went up the lane
that led to the church in almost unbroken silence.

At the churchyard gate she paused. "I hope there is no one here," she
said uneasily.

"We need not go in unless you wish," he answered.

But when they reached the porch, they found that the church was empty,
and so they entered.

A heavy scent of lilies pervaded the place. There was a wonderful white
arch of flowers at the top of the aisle, and the chancel was decked with
them. The space above the altar was a mass of white, perfumed splendour.
They had been sent down from the Court that morning.

Slowly Scott passed up the nave with the bride-elect by his side,
straight to the chancel-steps, and there he paused. His pale face with
its light eyes was absolutely composed and calm. He looked straight up to
the dim richness of the stained-glass window above him as though he saw
beyond the flowers.

For many seconds Dinah stood beside him, awed, waiting as it were for the
coming of a revelation. Whatever it might be she knew already that she
would not leave that holy place in the state of hopeless turmoil in which
she had entered. Something was coming