strove to feel 'in charity with all men' on that blessed day. She
thought once or twice of a sermon Rowland had preached that day
twelvemonth, which riveted the attention of his large congregation, and
made her wonder whence he had received the gift, by half-an-hour's plain
eloquent preaching, of opening the heart to receive truths hitherto more
understood than felt. Rowland had become to her, and many, the type of a
preacher and minister of the Gospel, and to him she owed, under God, the
fuller enlightenment and enlargement of her own mind.

After the service was over she went into the vicarage. Here, again, she
was at home. She had much to tell Mrs Prothero of the kindness of Sir
Philip Payne Perry and his wife to her, and many messages to deliver
from them. She had also to hear Mr and Mrs Jonathan's opinion of Netta,
and of the approaching wedding. She avoided any word that could recall
Howel.

'I hope you are not displeased with the match?' said Freda.

'By no means,' was Mrs Jonathan's reply. 'I always thought Gladys very
superior, and her turning out to be Mr Jones' niece removes our only
objection. It is quite a romance!'

'She is a clever young woman,' said Mr Jonathan. 'I was surprised the
other day to find how much history she knew. As to Wales, she has it by
heart, and is not wholly unacquainted with the antiquities of the
country. It was quite a pleasure for me, Miss Gwynne, I assure you, to
meet with any one who took so much interest in ancient lore. And now she
is to be one of the family she is so much more at her ease. Actually
asked me, of her own accord, of the fossils in the Park quarry, and a
very acute question concerning the lords of the marches. She even knew
that her name, Gladys, meant Claudia, and that the original Gladys is,
probably, the very Claudia mentioned by St Paul.'

'We shall all be thrown into the shade now, Mrs Prothero,' said Freda,
laughing. 'Gladys will evidently be the favourite.'

'I am afraid I must break up your conversation, my love,' interrupted
Lady Mary. 'You can drive or ride over to finish it when you like.'

On their way home her ladyship remarked,--

'I suppose this unfortunate discovery concerning Mr Howel Jenkins will
quite ruin Mr. Rowland Prothero's position in London society?'

'He is scarcely in what is called "society;" but his friends are not
likely to be changed by the conduct of his brother-in-in-law. He is far
too highly esteemed and admired to be