d tried to be his keeper at Cambridge, you might say so!"
rejoined Dr. Spencer.

"He is so much less impetuous--more consistent--less desultory; I dare
say you understand me," said Mr. Wilmot. "His good qualities do not
entangle one another as they used to do."

"Exactly so. He was far more than I looked for when I came home, though
I might have guessed that such a disposition, backed by such principles
and such--could not but shake off all the dross."

"One thing was," said Mr. Wilmot, smiling, "that a man must take himself
in hand at some time in his life, and Dr. May only began to think
himself responsible for himself when he lost his wife, who was wise for
both. She was an admirable person, but not easy to know well. I think
you knew her at--"

"I say," interrupted Dr. Spencer, "it strikes me that we could not do
better than get up our S. P. G. demonstration on the day of the stone--"

Hitherto the Stoneborough subscribers to the Society for the Propagation
of the Gospel had been few and far between; but, under the new dynasty,
there was a talk of forming an association, and having a meeting to
bring the subject forward. Dr. Spencer's proposal, however, took the
vicar by surprise.

"Never could there be a better time," he argued. "You have naturally
a gathering of clergy--people ought to be liberal on such an occasion,
and, as Cocksmoor is provided for, why not give the benefit to the
missions, in their crying need!"

"True, but there is no time to send for any one to make a speech."

"Husband your resources. What could you have better than young Harry and
his islanders?"

"Harry would never make a speech."

"Let him cram Norman. Young Lake tells me Norman made a great sensation
at the Union at Oxford, and if his heart is in the work, he must not
shrink from the face of his townsmen."

"No doubt he had rather they were savages," said the vicar. "And
yourself--you will tell them of the Indian missions."

"With all my heart," said Dr. Spencer. "When my Brahminhee godson--the
deacon I told you of, comes to pay me his promised visit, what doings we
shall have! Seriously, I have just had letters from him and from others,
that speak of such need, that I could feel every moment wasted that is
not spent on their behalf."

Mr. Wilmot was drawn into Dr. Spencer's house, and heard the letters,
till his heart burned within him.

The meeting was at once decided upon, though Ethel could not see why
people could