his heart alone is leading him, and he is the worst slave of us
all."

Then he said aloud: "Things haven't fallen out as I expected, John, and I
am sorry, very sorry. The laws of life and the laws of love don't always
run together--I know that quite well."

John flinched, but made no protest.

"I shall feel as if I were losing your mother a second time when you
leave me, my boy. To tell you the truth, I've been watching you and
thinking of you, though you haven't known it. And you've rather neglected
the old man. I thought you might bring your wife to me some day, and that
I might live to see your children. But that's all over now, and there
seems to be no help for it. They say the most noble and beautiful things
in the world are done in a state of fever, and perhaps this fever of
yours---H'm. As for the money, it is ready for you at any time."

"There can't be much left, uncle. I have gone through most of it."

"No, John, no; the money you spent was my money--your own is still
untouched."

"You are too good, uncle, and if I had once thought you wished to see
more of me----"

"Ah, I know, I know. It was a wise man who said it was hard to love a
woman and do anything else, even to love God himself."

John dropped his head and turned to go.

"But come again before you leave London--if you do leave it--and now
good-bye, and God bless you!"

The news of John Storm's intention to follow Father Damien had touched
and thrilled the heart of London, and the streets and courts about St.
Mary Magdalene's were thronged with people. In their eyes he was about to
fulfil a glorious mission, and ought to be encouraged and sustained.
"Good-bye, Father!" cried one. "God bless you!" cried another. A young
woman with timid eyes stretched out her hand to him, and then everybody
attempted to do the same. He tried to answer cheerfully, but was
conscious that his throat was thick and his voice was husky. Mrs. Pincher
was at the door of the clergy-house, crying openly and wiping her eyes.
"Ain't there lepers enough in London, sir, without goin' to the ends of
the earth for 'em?" He laughed and made an effort to answer her
humorously, but for some reason both words and ideas failed him.

The club-room was crowded, and among the girls and the Sisters there were
several strange faces. Mrs. Callender sat at one end of the little
platform, and she was glowering across at the other end, where the Father
Superior stood in his black cassoc