e
church or its doctrines or its history. I'll not argue over them. Let
them go for whatever you may think they are worth. I will only put to
you one question and no more. If you answer it against me, I will go
away, and never annoy you again. You say the idea of the resurrection is
shocking to you. Can you, without feeling still more shocked, think of a
future existence where you will not meet once more father or mother,
husband or children? surely the natural instincts of your sex must save
you from such a creed!"

"Ah!" cried Esther, almost fiercely, and blushing crimson, as though
Hazard this time had pierced the last restraint on her self-control:
"Why must the church always appeal to my weakness and never to my
strength! I ask for spiritual life and you send me back to my flesh and
blood as though I were a tigress you were sending back to her cubs. What
is the use of appealing to my sex? the atheists at least show me respect
enough not to do that!"

At this moment the door opened and Strong entered. It was high time. The
scene threatened to become almost violent. As Strong came in, Esther
was standing by the fire-place, all her restless features flashing with
the excitement of her last speech. Hazard, with his back to the window,
was looking at her across the room, his face dark with displeasure. As
Strong stepped between them, a momentary silence followed, when not a
sound was heard except the low thunder of the falling waters. One would
have said that storm was in the air. Suddenly Hazard turned on the
unlucky professor and hurled at him the lightning.

"You are the cause of all this! what is your motive?"

Strong looked at him with surprise, but understood in a moment what had
happened. Seeing himself destined in any case to be the victim of the
coming wrath, he quietly made up his mind to bear the lot of all
mediators and inter-meddlers.

"I am afraid you are half right," he answered. "My stupidity may have
made matters a little worse."

"What was your motive?" repeated Hazard sternly.

"My motive was to fight your battle for you," replied Strong unruffled;
"and I did it clumsily, that's all! I might have known it beforehand."

"Have you been trying to supplant me in order to get yourself in my
place?" demanded Hazard, still in the tone of a master.

"No!" replied Strong, half inclined to laugh.

"You will never find happiness there!" continued Hazard, turning to
Esther, and pointing with a sweep o