ons so jar Marion? It had been one of her
weak points to quote them aptly, and with stinging sarcasm. Perhaps
that was one reason why she so keenly felt their impropriety now; she
had been so long among the "called," and so very recently among the
"chosen."

The possibility of having spent a lifetime without ever becoming one of
those "chosen" ones, seemed so fearful to her, and she felt that she had
so narrowly escaped that end, that she shivered and drew her little
shawl around her as she glanced up quickly at Prof. Easton.

He was a Christian man, a member of the First Church--would he have any
reply to make to this irreverent application of solemn truth? No, he had
only a laugh for reply; it might have been at Miss Banks' rueful face
that he laughed; but Marion would have liked him better if he had looked
_grave_. Miss Banks at that moment caught a glimpse of Marion's grave
face.

"Miss Wilbur," she said, quickly, "what on earth can have happened to
you during vacation? I never in my life saw you look so solemn. Didn't I
hear something about your going to the woods to camp-meeting? How was
that? I verily believe you spent your time on the anxious-seat, and have
caught the expression. Did you find anyone to say to you, 'Come unto
me?' I'm sure you 'labor' hard enough, and look 'heavy laden,' doesn't
she, Prof. Easton? I really think we shall have to start a
prayer-meeting over her."

Marion threw down the paper she was correcting with a nervous start, and
her voice sounded sharper than she meant.

"How is it possible, Miss Banks, that you can repeat those words in such
a shockingly irreverent way? Surely you profess to have at least a
_nominal_ respect for the One who first uttered them!"

"Really!" said Miss Banks, with an embarrassed laugh, astonishment and
confusion struggling for the mastery on her flushed face. "'Is Saul also
among the prophets?' There! I declare, I am quoting again. Is that
wicked, too? Prof. Easton, how is that? Miss Wilbur has been to
camp-meeting, and is not responsible for her words, but you ought to be
good authority. Is it wicked for me to quote Scripture? Haven't I as
good a right to Bible verses as any of you? Here has Miss Wilbur been
giving us lessons in that art for the last two years, and she suddenly
deserts and takes to preaching at us. Is that fair, now? If it were not
wicked I might say to her, 'Physician, heal thyself.'"

Marion bestowed a quick, searching, almost plead