to turn the human soul from darkness to
light. Now that he found himself in his own country again, he felt far
behind most men in worldly conversation though very far beyond them, not
only in religious, but in practical, useful, and general knowledge; such
knowledge, I mean, as would be suited to the improvement, not merely of
savages, but of the wild, lawless bushmen, gold diggers, and convicts of
the Australian world. His manners were gentlemanlike but slightly
old-fashioned, and, doubtless, many a young Englander would have found
matter for ridicule in some of his doings and sayings. Not so, however,
the good and cultivated Englishman of the nineteenth century. He would
have found abundance to love and respect in the man who left the luxury,
science, learning and refinement of England, in that most wonderful of
all ages, to labour amongst the refuse of her people in the largest of
her colonies. For Mr Jones had seen but little, during his twenty years
of Australian life, of the better portion of Australian settlers, or the
grandeur of her cities. He had devoted himself to those who had no means
of gaining religious teaching elsewhere and he thanked God that the
years of his ministry had not been without abundance of those fruits in
which the heart of the laborious worker in Christ's vineyard rejoices.

When Mr Jones left the farm the following morning, it was with a promise
to pay it another visit at no very distant period. He took away with him
a letter to Rowland, which was to introduce the brother, clergymen to
each other. As he shook Mr Prothero by the hand, he thanked him warmly
for his hospitality, and then abruptly added, 'Take care of that young
girl Gladys. She will surely prove a blessing to you, and repay you for
any kindness you may bestow upon her,'

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE LADY'S MAID.

Miss HALL and Freda were sitting alone in the morning-room that has
before been alluded to. The former was much more nervous than Freda had
ever seen her. First she took up her work, then her book, then she began
to copy some music. Freda had great pleasure in watching her, and in
remarking that the calm Serena could be excited by the expected
appearance of a lover of twenty years ago; also in observing that she
had a most becoming colour on her cheeks, and looked quite young; also
that she was dressed even with more care than usual, and her hair was
smooth as brush could make it. Freda longed to laugh at he