do _you_ stay,
for you are for ever gadding," he said sharply to May.

"I will remain at home, Uncle Stillinghast," said Helen, quickly; "do
_you_ go, May."

"Do _you_ go, miss, and let her stay at home; d'ye hear me?" he
exclaimed.

"Indeed, sir, I wish to remain at home. I have no desire at all to go
this morning," expostulated Helen.

"Ar'n't you a papist?" he inquired, turning suddenly, and confronting
her.

"I am a Catholic, sir, but--but," she stammered.

"But _what_?" he asked, sharply.

"I do not care so much about going to church as May does," she replied,
lifting her handsome brown eyes to his angry countenance.

"Oh, Helen!" exclaimed May, with an imploring look.

"This is quite my affair," said Helen, with a haughty air.

"You've got more sense than I gave you credit for," said Mr.
Stillinghast, with a low, peculiar laugh. "Don't go any more unless
you choose."

"No, sir."

"Oh, uncle!" cried May, losing all dread of her uncle's displeasure,
and laying her hand on his arm; "you are tampering with her soul!
Helen! Helen, you are trampling under foot your birthright in the
Church of Christ!"

"Fool!" exclaimed Mr. Stillinghast, shaking her off. "Be silent. Go
your ways, but dare not interfere with her."

"I can only pray, sir, for _you_ and for her," said May, after her
first wild and indignant emotions had subsided.

Another low mocking laugh sounded in her ears, then she found herself
alone. "This is dreadful, and hard to bear," she murmured, as she went
out; "but Father Fabian says, that _trials_ are divine and royal gifts!
If I lived only for _this_ life I would never--I could _not_ bear it,
but living for eternity, I cannot afford to lose a single lesson of the
rudiments of perfection."

"That girl," thought Mr. Stillinghast, "is a mystery. She is either a
profound hypocrite, or an honest Christian. This scene, however, has
fixed my resolves. That Helen may be a fool, but she's not much of a
papist. Odds, it will hardly require the temptation of a handsome
husband, and a splendid settlement, to make her forswear her creed. I
will see Jerrold this very day." When he arrived at his
counting-house, he went directly to his desk, and penned a note, which
he directed and sealed, then handed it to his porter to take to Mr.
Jerrold. Then he perched himself on his high writing-stool, and
opening his books, attempted to go on as usual with the business of the
day. But there was