eadful to you? I remember so well when
it did to me. It was only because I knew nothing about it.'

'I don't think I have that excuse,' said the other. 'Alfred is
constantly explaining. But, Adela--'

She paused, not quite daring to speak her thoughts. Adela smiled an
encouragement.

'I was going to say--I'm sure you won't be offended. But you still go to
church?'

'Oh yes, I go to church. You mustn't think that everything Alfred
insists upon belongs to Socialism. I believe that all Christians ought
to be Socialists; I think it is part of our religion, if only we carry
it out faithfully.'

'But does Mr. Wyvern think so?'

'Yes, he does; he does indeed. I talk with Mr. Wyvern frequently, and I
never knew, before he showed me, how necessary it is for a Christian to
be a Socialist.'

'You surprise me, Adela. Yet he doesn't confess himself a Socialist.'

'Indeed, he does. When did you hear Mr. Wyvern preach a sermon without
insisting on justice and unselfishness and love of our neighbour? If we
try to be just and unselfish, and to love our neighbour as ourself, we
help the cause of Socialism. Mr. Wyvern doesn't deal with politics--it
is not necessary he should. That is for men like my husband, who give
their lives to the practical work. Mr. Wyvern confines himself to
spiritual teaching. He would injure his usefulness if he went beyond
that.'

Letty was awed by the exceeding change which showed itself not only in
Adela's ways of thought, but in her very voice and manner of speaking.
The tone was so authoritative, so free from the diffidence which had
formerly kept Adela from asserting strongly even her cherished faiths.
She felt, too, that with the maiden hesitancy something else had gone,
at all events in a great degree; something that it troubled her to
miss; namely, that winning persuasiveness which had been one of the
characteristics that made Adela so entirely lovable. At present
Mrs. Mutimer scarcely sought to persuade; she uttered her beliefs as
indubitable. A competent observer might now and then have surmised that
she felt it needful to remind herself of the creed she had accepted.

'You were smiling when I first caught sight of you,' Letty said, after
reflecting for a moment. 'Was it something in the book?'

Adela again smiled.

'No, something in myself,' she replied with an air of confidence.

'Because you are happy, Adela?'

'Yes, because I am happy.'

'How glad I am to hear that, dear!' Letty