me with all your heart.'--'If
thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for
understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as
for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and
_find the knowledge of God_.'"

Diana sat still awhile and neither of them spoke; then she said,
speaking more lightly:

"I think you have preached a beautiful sermon, Mr. Masters."

"It's a beautiful sermon," assented the minister; "but how much effect
will it have?"

"I don't know," said Diana. "I don't seem to have energy enough to take
hold of anything." Then after a little she added--"But if anybody can
help me I am sure it is you."

"We will stand by one another, then," said he, "and do the best we can."

Diana did not make any denial of this conclusion; and they sat still
without more words, for some time, each busied with his own separate
train of musings. Then Diana felt a little shiver of cold beginning to
creep over her; and Mr. Masters roused himself.

"This is getting serious!" said he, looking at his watch. "What o'clock
do you think it is? One, and after. Am I to make up the fires again? We
cannot stir at present."

Neither, it was found, could he make up the fires. For the coal bin was
in the cellar or underground vault, to which the entrance was from the
outside; and looking from the window, Mr. Masters saw that the snow had
drifted on that side to the height of a man, covering the low door
entirely. Hours of labour would be required to clear away the snow
enough to give access to the coal; and the minister had not even a
shovel. At the same time, the fires were going down, and the room was
beginning to get chilly under the power of the searching wind, which
found its way in by many entrances. The only resource was to walk. Mr.
Masters gave Diana his arm, and she accepted it, and together they
paced up and down the aisle. It was a strange walk to Diana; her
companion was rather silent, speaking only a few words now and then;
and it occurred to her to wonder whether this, her first walk with him,
was to be a likeness of the whole; a progress through chilly and empty
space. Diana was not what may be called an imaginative person, but a
thought of this kind came over her. It did not make her change her mind
at all respecting the agreement she had entered into; if it were to be
so, better she should find herself at his side, she thought, than
anywhere else. She was even g