orrows that
stretched along in dreary perspective before her? Would they also, all
of them, hold nothing but those same two persons? Nothing but an
endless vista of butter-making and pork-killing on one hand, and
hair-oil scented with cloves on the other? It would be better far to
die, if she could die; but Diana knew she could not.

"Well!" said the voice of the minister suddenly beside her, "what do
you think of the prospect?"

Diana's eyes, as they were lifted to his face, were full of so blank a
life-prospect, that his own face changed, and a cloud came over its
brightness.

"We can't get away," he said. "Not at present, unless we were gulls;
and gulls never fly in these regions. Do you mind waiting?"

"I do not mind it at all," said Diana; "except for you. I am sorry for
you to have to stay here with me."

"There isn't anybody I would rather stay with," said the minister, half
humourously. "Now, can you return the compliment?"

"Yes indeed!" said Diana earnestly. "There isn't anybody else I would
half as lieve stay with."

"Apparently you have some confidence in me," he said in the same tone.

"I have confidence in nobody else," said Diana sadly. "I know you would
help me if you could."

They were silent a few minutes after that, and when Mr. Masters began
to speak again, it was in a different tone; a gentle, grave tone of
business.

"I have been doing some hard thinking," he said, "while I have been
walking yonder; and I have come to the conclusion that the present is
an exceptional case and an exceptional time. Ordinarily I do not let
business--private business--come into Sunday. But we are brought here
together, and detained here, and I have come to the conclusion that
this is the business I ought to do. I have only one parishioner on my
hands to-day," he went on with a slight smile, "and I may as well
attend to her. I am going to tell you my plan. I shall not startle you?
Just now you allowed that you had confidence in me?"

"Yes. I will try to do whatever you say I ought to do."

"That I cannot tell," said he gravely, "but I will unfold to you my
plan. You have trust in me. So have I in you, Diana; but I have more.
So much more, that it would make me happy to go through my life with
you. I know,"--he said as he met her startled look up to him,--"I know
you do not love me, I know that; but you trust me; and I have love
enough for two. That has been true a great while. Suppose you come to
me and