whispered.

But Harry would not stir. "My father must not pray thus," he said, loud
enough for any one to hear.

Master Drury and the rest slowly rose from their knees.

"Harry, my boy, you are ill," said the gentleman, in a tone of
compassion.

"Prithee, now tell me where you have been racing all the day, to get
your head so disordered," said Mistress Mabel; and she despatched Mary
to her store closet for some herb tea for Harry to take at once.

"I don't want the herb tea, aunt," said Harry, in a clear, calm voice.
"I am quite well; the sun has not affected my head, and I know quite
well what I am about."

Aunt Mabel looked incredulous; but his father, losing the fear of
illness, sat down in his chair, a dim feeling of a sorer trouble than
this coming over him as he looked at Harry. "Sit down," he said, in a
tone of command to the rest, who stood just as they had risen from their
knees--"sit down and listen to the reason my son has to give for
interrupting our godly exercise this evening." And he looked towards
Harry as if waiting for his answer.

The young man instinctively drew a step nearer to Maud, as if mutely
asking her sympathy and support; but she was looking down upon the oaken
floor, utterly unable to comprehend what Harry could mean by this
strange proceeding.

Harry seemed to feel that he had acted unwisely in yielding to his
impulse; and he said, slowly, "Prithee, father, let me tell it to
yourself alone."

"By my faith, that cannot be now, Harry," said Master Drury,
energetically. "We have all been hindered in our devotions by your
froward speech, and each has an equal right to hear your reason for it."

The men and maid-servants gathered at the end of the room pitied poor
Harry in his confusion, and would have retreated, trusting to have their
curiosity gratified afterwards by the tell-tale tongue of Bessie or
Bertram; but Mistress Mabel's eye was upon them, and they knew they
dared not go away.

Harry's face changed from an ashy whiteness to crimson as his father
spoke, and then he went pale again as he said, "My father, do not force
me to speak out now; let me go to your study, and I will tell you all
that has been passing in my mind of late."

But Master Drury was inexorable when once he had made up his mind. "My
son, we are waiting," was all he said in reply to Harry's entreaty.

Harry drew himself up, and casting a hasty glance at Maud's bowed
figure, he said, "Father, I have reso