hat is your address?"

Mr. Harman gave it. Then, after a pause, he added--

"I seek you as a minister."

"And I come to you as a servant of God," replied the curate, now fixing
his eyes on his companion.

Mr. Harman's gaze did not quail before that steady look. With an
unutterable sadness he returned it fully. Then he said,

"I came here on Sunday."

"I saw you," answered Home.

"Ah! can it be possible that you preached to me?"

"To you, if you think so. I spoke to every sinner in the congregation."

"You spoke of a land where God is not; you described the terrible
country well."

"An arid land?" answered Home.

"Ay, a thirsty land."

"Those that find it so generally find also that they are being led back
to a land where God is."

"You believe, then, in the forgiveness of sin?"

"If I did not I should go mad."

"My good sir, you are not much of a sinner."

"I am a sinner, sir; and if I were not--if I dared to lift up my eyes to
a holy, a righteous God, and say, 'I am pure'--I yet, if I did not
believe as fully as I am now sitting by your side in the perfect
forgiveness of sin, I yet should go mad; for I have seen other men's
sins and other men's despair; I should lose my reason for their sakes,
if not for my own."

"Should you, indeed? You see now before you a despairing man and a dying
man."

"And a sinner?" questioned Home.

"Ay, ay, God knows, a sinner."

"Then I see also before me a man whose despair can be changed to peace,
and his sin forgiven. What hour shall I call upon you this evening?"

Mr. Harman named the hour. Then he rose feebly; Home gave him his arm
and conducted him to his carriage; afterwards he re-entered the church
to pray.

CHAPTER LII.

A HIDDEN SIN.

Nine o' clock in the evening was the hour named by Mr. Harman, and
punctually at that hour Home arrived at Prince's Gate. He was a man who
had never been known to be late for an appointment; for in little things
even, this singular man was faithful to the very letter of the trust.
This nice observance of his passed word, in a great measure counteracted
his otherwise unpractical nature. Home was known by all his
acquaintances to be a most dependable man.

Mr. Harman had told Charlotte that he was expecting a friend to visit
him. He said he should like to see that friend alone; but, contrary to
his wont, he did not mention his name. This cannot be wondered at, for
Mr. Harman knew of no connection between the H