our ancient
English churches that embody in baptism, marriage and burial the hopes,
the desires, and the fears of unnumbered generations?

For remember, that in a majority of instances, long before the Cross
rose above these sites, they had been the sacred places of faith after
faith. Sun-worshippers, Nature-worshippers, Druids, votaries of Jove
and Venus, servants of Odin, Thor and Friga, early Christians who were
half one thing and half another, all have here bowed their brows to
earth in adoration of God as they understood Him, and in these hallowed
spots lies mingled the dust of every one of them.

So Godfrey felt in that hour and the same influences impinged upon and
affected even the girl's bold, denying soul. She acknowledged them to
herself, and after a woman's way, turned and almost fiercely laid the
blame upon her companion.

"You have infected me with your silly superstitions," she said,
stamping her foot as they shut and locked the door of the church. "I
feel afraid of something, I don't know what, and I was never afraid of
anything before."

"What superstitions?" he asked, apologetically. "I don't remember
mentioning any."

"There is no need for you to mention them, they ooze out of you. As
though I could not read your mind! There's no need for you to talk to
tell me what you are thinking of, death--and separations which are as
bad, and unknown things to come, and all sorts of horrors."

"That's odd," he remarked, still without emotion, for he was used to
these attacks from Isobel which, as he knew, when she was upset, always
meant anything but what she said, "for as a matter of fact I was
thinking of a separation. I am going away, Isobel, or rather, my father
is sending me away."

He turned, and pointing to the stormy western sky where the day died in
splendour, added simply in the poetic imagery that so often springs to
the lips of youth:

"There sets our sun; at least it is the last we shall look upon
together for a whole year. You go to London to-morrow, don't you?
Before you come back I shall be gone."

"Gone! Why? Where? Oh! what's the use of asking? I knew something of
the sort was coming. I felt it in that horrible old church. And after
all, why should I mind? What does it matter if you go away for a year
or ten years--except that you are the only friend I have--especially as
no doubt you are glad to get out of this dreadful hole? Don't stand
there looking at me like a moon-calf, whatev