full of tears; his heart ached with love and pity
for Rhoda in her sorrow and desolation, that he could do nothing to
relieve--nothing, because her infatuation so extravagantly required.

Rhoda braced her heart for its work, reached to the latch, and stood face
to face with Lois. The trial began with the meeting of their eyes; Rhoda
stood it bravely, yielding no ground.

'Is he dead?' muttered Lois.

'None can tell us.' She faltered, and began to tremble, for the eyes of
Lois were dreadful to bear; dreadful too was her voice, hoarse and
imperfect.

'Is he worse than dead?'

'No! Never--never think it.'

Lois forbore awhile with wonderful stoicism. She set Rhoda in her own
chair; the turf-covered embers she broke into a blaze to be prodigal of
warmth; there was skilly waiting hot; there was water. She drew off
Rhoda's shoes, and bathed her feet, swollen and sore; she enforced food.

Though she would not yet ask further, the sight of her face, grey and
stony indeed, the touch of her hands, trembling over much, were
imperative to Rhoda's heart, demanding what final truth she could give.

'Child, if you need sleep, I can bear to wait.'

'I could not,' said Rhoda. 'No.'

She looked up into the tearless, sleepless eyes; she clasped the poor
shaking hands; and her heart rose in worship of the virtues of that
stern, patient soul.

As the tale began they were face to face; but before long Rhoda had
slipped from her seat, to speak with her head against his mother's knees.

'I will tell you all now. I must, for I think I am no longer bound to
silence, and, indeed, I could not bear it longer--I alone.'

'And you promised, if I would let you go unquestioned away.'

'I did, thinking I went to fathom a mystery. Ah, no! so deep and dark I
find it to be, the wit of man, I think, will never sound it. But your
faith and love can wing above it. Mine have--and yours, oh!--can, will,
must.'

'Ah, Christian! Child, where is my Christian? His face would tell me
briefly all I most would know.'

'You have listened to an ugly tale. I know--I know--I have seen Philip.
You must not consider it yet, till you have heard all. I own it not out
of accord with the rest, that reason just shudders and fails at; but
through all the dark of this unfathomable mystery my eyes can discern the
passing of our Christian white and blameless.'

'Your eyes!' moaned Lois.

Rhoda understood. She hid her face and could not speak. In her heart she