cheeks.

"But not in everything, I reckon?"

"In everything I know," said Diana steadily, while a considerable
breeze of laughter went round the room. Mrs. Flandin was getting the
worst of it.

"Then it'll be the worse for him!" she remarked with a jerk at her
sewing. Diana was silent now, but Mrs. Boddington took it up.

"Do you mean to say, Mis' Flandin, you approve of quarrels between man
and wife? and quarrels in high places, too?"

"High places!" echoed Mrs. Flandin. "When it says that a minister is to
be the servant of all!"

"And ain't he?" said Mrs. Carpenter. "Is there a place or a thing our
minister don't go to if he's wanted? and does he mind whether it's
night or day, or rough or smooth? and does he care how fur it is, or
how long he goes without his victuals? I will say, I never did see a no
more self-forgetful man than is Mr. Masters; and I've a good right to
know, and I say it with feelin's of gratitude."

"That's jes' so," said Miss Barry, her eyes glistening over her
knitting, which they did not need to watch. And there was a hum of
assent through the room.

"I'm not sayin' nothin' agin _him_," said Mrs. Flandin in an injured
manner; "but what I was hintin', I warn't _sayin'_ nothin', is that
he's married a"--

"A beauty"--said Mrs. Boddington.

"I don't set no count on beauty," said the other. "I allays think, ef a
minister is a servant of the Lord, and I hope Mr. Masters is, it's a
pity his wife shouldn't be too. That's all."

"But I am, Mrs. Flandin," said Diana quietly.

"What?"

"A servant of the Lord."

"Since when?" demanded the other incredulously.

"Does it matter, since when?" said Diana, with a calm gentleness which
spoke for her. "I was not always so, but I am now."

"Hev' _you_ met with a change?" the other asked, again judicially, and
critically.

"Yes."

"Ain't that good news, now!" said Miss Barry, dropping her knitting and
fairly wiping her eyes.

"I hope your evidence is clear," said the other lady.

"Do you want to hear what they are?" said Diana. "I have come to know
the Lord Jesus--I have come to believe in him--I have given myself to
be his servant. As truly his servant, though not so good a one, as my
husband is. But what he bids me, I'll do."

The little assembly was silent, silent all round. Both the news and the
manner of the teller of it were imposing. Decided, clear, calm, sweet,
Diana's grey eyes as well as her lips gave her testimony; they did