rigid than sunlight--or than the wings of
angels. Yet both sun and angels 'always do his commandment' who made
them both."

"Oh people can't be sunlight--nor angels neither, in this world. You're
Utopian! That's what I said."

"They can be 'burning and shining lights,'" said Mr. Linden. "Miss
Essie, will you gainsay the Bible? Why can they not?"

"They _can_ be--but I suppose they aren't obliged to be; or what is to
become of us all?" said Miss Essie, half seriously half defiantly.

"That will depend upon whom we follow," he answered gravely.

"Well now, Mr. Linden, how many people in the world are 'followers' in
the way you have described them?--and are all the rest going to
destruction? Take the people in this room now, for instance,--boys and
all here's twenty of us perhaps. How many do you suppose are here of
your way of 'following'? You're one--who's another? Stand off there,
and see whom you can get to join you!"

"Stand off and say with Moses--'who is on the Lord's side?'--there
would be several, Miss Essie."

"Well count up," said Miss Essie. "I suppose they have no objection to
shew themselves. You are one--who's another?"

"I am another," said Faith, rising and setting down her ice cream.

"You!"--said Miss Essie turning the black eyes upon her,--"you look
like it, child!"

"You must put the 'rigid' out of your head," Mr. Linden said, with a
smile which changed as he spoke.

"Well who else?" said Miss Essie, for some reason or other in an
impatient temper. "Tell them your definition, will you, and ask who'll
stand by you. Mrs. Stoutenburgh!--make them all stop and attend."

"If I ask them you may think they come to please me."

"No, no, you know how to say it. Mr. Stoutenburgh!--boys!--listen. I
want to know how many there are here of a particular kind of
people--Mr. Linden will tell you what kind."

He spoke then--as Faith had once or twice heard him speak, sending his
voice through the room almost without raising it.

"Miss Essie de Staff wishes to know how many there are here of a
particular kind of people--those that 'have sworn unto the Lord, and
will not go back.' Whoever is of that number will please come over to
this side."

There was a little astonished pause. Mr. and Mrs. Stoutenburgh, just
then at the further end of the room, had moved at Miss Essie's summons,
but stopped short at the first sound of Mr. Linden's voice, and looked
in a sort of maze,--_he_ clearly was not jesting,