care_ for those people?"

"I think I do," said the minister very quietly.

"I suppose you do!" said Diana, in a sort of admiration. "But how can
you?"

"Easy to tell," was the answer. "God made them, and God loves them; I
love all that my Father loves. And Christ died for them; and I seek the
lost whom my Master came to save. And there is not one of them but has
in him the possibility of glory; and I see that possibility, and when I
see it, Diana, it seems to me a small thing to give my life, if need
be, that it may be realized."

"I am not good enough to be your wife!" said Diana, sinking her head.
And her secret self-abasement was very deep.

"Does that mean, that you object to the cutting short of our holiday?"
the minister asked, in his former tone of dry humourous suggestion.

"I?" said Diana, looking up and meeting his eyes. "No, certainly. I am
ready for whatever you wish, and whenever you wish."

"I don't wish it at all," said the minister, giving a somewhat longing
look at the green wilderness before them, of which the lovely hilly
outlines were all that the gathering twilight left distinct. "But the
thing is, Di, I cannot play when I ought to be working."

It made little difference to Diana. Indeed, she had a hope that in her
new home she would find, as she always had found in her old home,
engrossing duties that would make her part easier to get through, and
in some measure put a check to the rush of thought and feeling. So with
her full consent the very next day they set out upon their journey
home. It was not a great journey, indeed; a long day's drive would do
it; their horse was fresh, and they had time for a comfortable rest and
dinner at mid-day. The afternoon was very fair, and as they began to
get among the hills overlooking Pleasant Valley, something in air or
light reminded Diana of the time, two years ago, when she had gone up
the brook with Evan. She began to talk to get rid of her thoughts.

"What a nice, comfortable little carriage this is, Basil! Where did it
come from?"

"From Boston."

"From Boston! I thought there was nothing like it in Pleasant Valley,
that ever I saw. But how did you get it from Boston?"

"Where's the difficulty?" said the minister, sitting at ease sideways
on the front seat and looking in at her. He had put Diana on the back
seat, that she might take a more resting position than there was room
for beside him.

"Why, it's so far."

"Railway comes to Manch