s you, Grace?" cried the astonished Kate. "Have
you lost your senses? I was congratulating myself coming home on the
good time we would have again to-night."

"I anticipated it so vividly this morning I could hardly wait, but
really, Kate, I feel ugly, and perhaps it would be as well not to talk
to me. I will go out for a little walk, while you get the tea," and she
went forthwith.

A tumult raged within her that she had not conquered. One moment filled
with the most exhilarating sense of freedom and joy, the next the direst
disgust with herself and her failings; one moment clearly understanding
the many problems that had come up for solution the past week, and the
next with no ability to reason about anything. This had been going on
all day. She had even felt unreasonably irritable because Kate had so
quickly overcome her prejudices. What right had she to give away her own
for some one else's opinions so easily?

Grace gave her glove an impatient twitch as she thought of it, but the
next instant she wished she, too, might be as childlike and receptive as
her companion.

To Kate the Bible was final, unquestioned authority; to Grace it was a
corroboration, not a foundation. It was more interesting, she must
confess, than ever before, but then she must have better reasons than
had yet appeared for taking it as Kate did.

After all, perhaps this religion was but another mirage that had come
into her moral vision, as many another had come in all the years she had
been seeking truth and happiness. Happiness! Had she forgotten that for
two years that word had been dropped from her vocabulary? That she had
resolved to live on the best intellectual food the world could offer,
without tasting its heart viands? She walked on with an unwonted
energy. No, she would not be deceived; the best and sweetest in life was
not for her, but she ought at least, to help poor little Kate.

It was a calm, quiet evening. The sun was just disappearing over the
distant hills. The sky was radiant with delicate pink and blue tints.
She was walking toward the east, when, glancing at the scene in front of
her, she saw what seemed to be a brilliant fire, not only in one place
but in many. Somewhat startled, she looked more closely and discovered
every window ablaze with the sun's reflected glory. Like a flash it
came: "I am walking away from the glory of Truth. Oh! how shall I turn
my face to God?" she cried, with unspeakable yearning.

An agon