ded Hiram. The last recommendation did not seem specially
to take with him. Still his eyes glistened at the recital. He could not
resist asking several questions about the young lady, but Mr. Bennett
was firm, and would not communicate further till Hiram's decision was
made.

Thus conversing, they fell into a pleasant mood, and so the evening wore
away. When Hiram rose to leave, he found it was nearly midnight. His
cousin insisted he should remain with him, and Hiram was glad to accept
the invitation. He did not feel like returning to his solitary room with
his mind unsettled and his feelings discomposed.

In a most confidential mood the two walked up stairs together, and Mr.
Bennett bade Hiram good night in a tone so cheerful that the latter
entered his room quite reassured. He proceeded, as was his habit, to
read a chapter in the Bible, but his teeth chattered when, on opening
the volume, he discovered it to be--the prayer book!--something he had
been accustomed to hold in utter abomination. He controlled his feelings
sufficiently to glance through the book, and at last, selecting a
chapter from the Psalter, he perused it and retired. He dreamed that he
was married to the rich girl, and had the two hundred thousand dollars
safe in his possession. And so real did this seem that he woke in the
morning greatly disappointed to find himself minus so respectable a sum.

'I must not lose the chance,' said Hiram to himself, as he jumped out of
bed. 'With that amount in cash I would teach all South street a lesson.
I wonder if this is the true church after all;' and he took up the
prayer book this time without fear, as if determined to find out.

He spent some time in reading the prayers, and confessed to himself that
they were quite unobjectionable. Mr. Bennett's warning that there was no
certainty of salvation, out of the _church_ (i.e. his church) was not
without its effect. As Hiram sought religion for the purpose of security
on the other side, you can readily suppose any question of the validity
of his title would make him very nervous; once convinced of his mistake,
he would hasten to another church, just as he would change his insurance
policies, when satisfied of the insolvency of the company which had
taken his risks.

After breakfast Hiram renewed the subject of the last night's
conversation, and Mr. Bennett was pleased to find that his views were
already undergoing a decided change.

'Now, Hiram,' he exclaimed