d Eleanor.

"What is it?"

"My mind is not at rest," said Eleanor, laying her hands in her lap,
and looking off again towards the ruins with their green and grey
silent reminders,--"about religious subjects."

"Ah?" said Dr. Cairnes. "How is that, Miss Eleanor? Be a little more
explicit with me, will you not."

"I will. Dr. Cairnes, I am young now, but by and by decay must come to
me, as it has come to that old pile yonder--as it comes to everything.
I want security for my head and heart when earthly security fails."

Eleanor spoke slowly, looking out as she spoke all the while.

"Security!" said the doctor. "But my dear Miss Eleanor, you know the
articles of our holy religion?"

"Yes,--" she said without stirring her position.

"Security is given by them, most amply and abundantly, to every sincere
applicant. Your life has been a sheltered one, Miss Eleanor, and a kind
one; you can have no very grievous sins to charge yourself with."

"I would like to get rid of such as I have," answered Eleanor without
moving.

"You were baptized in infancy?"

"Yes, sir."

"You have never been confirmed?"

"No, sir."

"Every baptized child of the Church, Miss Eleanor, owes it to God, to
herself, and the Church, upon arriving at a proper age, to come forward
and openly take upon herself--or himself--but I am talking of you,--the
vows made for her in her infancy, at her baptism, by her sponsors. Upon
doing this, she is received into full membership with the Church and
entitled to all its privileges; and undoubtedly security is one of
them. That is what you want to do, Miss Eleanor; and I am truly
rejoiced that your mind is setting itself to the contemplation of its
duties--and responsibilities. In the station you are preparing to
occupy, the head of all this neighbourhood--Wiglands and Rythdale
both--it is most important, most important, that your example should be
altogether blameless and your influence thrown altogether on the right
side. That influence, my dear Miss Eleanor, is very great."

"Dr. Cairnes, my one single present desire, is to do right and feel
safe, myself."

"Precisely. And to do right, is the way to feel safe. I will give you a
little work, preparatory to the ordinance of confirmation, Miss
Eleanor, which I entreat you to study and prayerfully follow. That will
relieve all your difficulties, I have no fear. There it is, Miss
Eleanor."

"Will this rite--will this ordinance," said Eleanor closing