k changes in
this world."

"Well, if it must be--"

"It must be, Tom; and it shall be for the best."

"It had been better I had wist nought thereof. They shall be sure to
question me."

Mrs Collenwood looked with a smile of pitying contempt on the man who
was weaker than herself. The contempt predominated at first: then it
passed into pity.

"Thou shalt know nought more than now, Tom," she said quietly. "Go thou
up, and get thee a-bed, but leave the key of the wicket-gate on this
table."

"I would like to have heard you had gat safe away," said poor Mr
Roberts, feeling in his pockets for the key.

"You would speedily hear if we did not," was the answer.

Mr Roberts sighed heavily as he laid down the key.

"Well, I did hope to keep me out of this mess. I had thought, by
outward conforming, and divers rich gifts to the priest, and so forth--
'Tis hard a man cannot be at peace in his own house."

"'Tis far harder when he is not at peace in his own soul."

"Ah!" The tone of the exclamation said that was quite too good to
expect, at any rate for the speaker.

Mrs Collenwood laid her hand on her brother's shoulder.

"Tom, we are parting for a long season--it may be for all time. Suffer
me speak one word with thee, for the sake of our loving mother, and for
her saintly sake that sleepeth in All Saints' churchyard, whose head lay
on my bosom when her spirit passed to God. There will come a day, good
brother, when thou shalt stand before an higher tribunal than that of my
Lord Cardinal, to hear a sentence whence there shall be none appeal.
What wouldst thou in that day that thou hadst done in this? As thou
wilt wish thou hadst done then, do now."

"I--can't," faltered the unhappy waverer.

"I would as lief be scalded and have done with it, Tom, as live in such
endless terror of hot water coming nigh me. Depend on it, it should be
the lesser suffering in the end."

"There's Gertrude," he suggested in the same tone.

"Leave Gertrude be. They'll not touch her. Gertrude shall be of that
religion which is the fashion, to the end of her days--without the Lord
turn her--and folks of that mettle need fear no persecution. Nay, Tom,
'tis not Gertrude that holdeth thee back from coming out on the Lord's
side. God's side is ever the safest in the end. It is thine own weak
heart and weak faith, wherein thou restest, and wilt not seek the
strength that can do all things, which God is ready to grant thee but