are but just in time," said Mr. Rockharrt, as he led his
party into the building.

The polite sexton conducted the strangers up the center aisle and put
them into a good pew. The church was not full, but was filling rapidly.
Our party bowed their heads for the preliminary private prayer, and so
did not see the great preacher as he entered and stood at the reading
desk. He was an English dean of great celebrity as a pulpit orator, now
on a visit to the United States, and preaching in turn in every pulpit
of his denomination as he passed. He was a man of about sixty-five,
tall, thin, with a bald head, a narrow face, an aquiline nose, blue eyes
and a gray beard. He began to read the opening texts of the service.

"'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is
not in us.'"

At the sound of his voice Rose Stillwater started violently, looked up
and grew ghastly white. She dropped her face in her hands on the
cushioned edge of the pew before her, and so sat trembling through the
reading of the texts and the exhortations. Afterward followed the
ritualistic general confession and prayer, during which all knelt.

When at the close all arose Mrs. Stillwater was gone from her seat. Mr.
Rockharrt looked around him and then stared at Cora, who very slightly
shook her head, as if to say:

"No; I know no more about it than you."

How swiftly and silently Rose Stillwater had left the pew and slipped
out of the church while all the congregation were bowed in prayer!

Old Aaron Rockharrt looked puzzled and troubled, but the minister was
pronouncing the general absolution that followed the general confession,
and such a severe martinet and disciplinarian as old Aaron Rockharrt
would on no account fail in attention to the speaker.

Nor did he change countenance again during the long morning service.

At its close he drew Cora's arm within his own and led her out of the
church.

As they walked down Broadway he inquired:

"Why did Mrs. Stillwater leave the church?"

"I do not know," answered his granddaughter.

"Was she ill?"

"I really do not know."

"When did she go?"

"I do not know that either, except that she must have slipped out while
we were at prayers."

"You seem to be a perfect know-nothing, Cora."

"On this subject I certainly am. I did not perceive Mrs. Stillwater's
absence until we rose from our knees."

"Well, we shall find her at the hotel, I suppose, and then we shall know
a