"Are
you in earnest, my dear?" she asked with a tinge of severity in her
tone. "This is a very serious question, but, if you really mean it, I
will lend you my Prayer Book."

Evadne smiled drearily. "Oh, yes, I am terribly in earnest. My father
said I was to make it the business of my life."

"Oh, ah, yes, to be sure," said the lady a trifle absently. "That is
very proper. Christianity should be the great purpose of our life."

"I do not want Christianity," said Evadne impatiently, "I want Christ."

"My dear, you shock me! The eternal verities of our holy religion must
ever be--"

"Do you believe in him?" asked Evadne, interrupting her.

"Believe in him? whom do you mean?"

"Jesus Christ."

Aghast, the Bishop's lady crossed herself and began repeating the
Apostles' Creed.

"That makes him seem so far away," said Evadne sadly. "I do not want him
in heaven if I have to live upon earth. Have _you_ found him?" she asked
eagerly. "Are you on intimate terms with him? Is he your friend?"

The Bishop's lady gasped for breath. That she, a member of the Church of
the Holy Communion of All Saints should be interrogated in such a
fashion as this! "I think you do not quite understand," she said coldly.
"I will lend you a treatise on Church Doctrine. You had better study
that."

"Charlotte," said her husband when she reached her stateroom, "I have
arrived at an important decision this afternoon. I have finally
concluded to take the Socinian Heresy as my theme for the noon lectures.
The subject will admit of elaborate treatment and afford ample scope for
scholarship."

"Heresy!" echoed his wife, who had not yet recovered her equanimity;
"why, Bertram, I have just been talking to a young person who asked me
if I was on intimate terms with Jesus Christ!"

"Ah, yes," said the Bishop absently, "the radical tendencies of the
present day are to be deplored. Have you seen that my vestments are in
order, Charlotte? I shall hold Divine service on board to-morrow."

In a neighboring stateroom a lonely soul, bewildered and despairing,
struggled through the darkness towards the light.

* * * * *

The last snow of the winter lay in soft beauty upon the streets of
Marlborough as Evadne's train drew into the railway station. Instantly
all was bustle and confusion throughout the cars. Evadne shrank back in
her seat and waited. Instinctively she felt that for her there would be
no joyous welcome. Ine