he hour and
filling up that poor innocent with lies. And the eyes of him!'
(she stamped her foot): 'I could whip his father and mother for
having no more sense than to let him start. Doctor, you'll have to
help.'"

"I rode down to Eucalyptus again next morning and found the Bishop
seated and talking with Miss Montmorency in the gaudy little parlour.

"'We were just going out for a walk together,' he explained, as we
shook hands.

"'And now you'll just have to walk out with the Doctor instead; and
serve you right for talking foolishness.' She moved towards the
door.

"'Doctor,' he said, 'I wish you would make her listen. I feel much
better to-day--altogether a different man. If this improvement
continues, I shall start in a week at the farthest. And I was trying
to tell her--Doctor, you can have no notion of her goodness.
'I was a stranger and she took me in'--'

"Miss Montmorency, with her hand on the door, turned sharply round at
this, and shot a queer sort of look at me. I thought she was going
to speak; but she didn't.

"'Excuse me,' I said to the Bishop, as the door closed, 'but that's
your Bible, I take it, on the table yonder. May I have it for a
moment?'

"I picked it up and followed Miss Montmorency, whom I found just
outside on the landing.

"'What's the meaning of it?' she demanded, very low and fierce.

"'I guessed that text had jerked you a bit. No, I haven't given you
away. He was talking out of the Bible.' I found the place for her.
'You'd better take it to your room and read the whole passage,' said
I, and went back to the parlour.

"'I have lent your Bible to Miss Montmorency,' I said.

"The Bishop seemed lost in thought, but made no remark until we were
outside the house and starting for our short walk. Then he laid a
hand on my arm. 'Forgive me,' he said; 'I had no idea you were
earnest in these matters.'

"I was for putting in a disclaimer, but he went on:

"'She has a soul to save--a very precious soul. Mark you, if works
could save a soul, hers would be secure. And I have thought
sometimes God cannot judge her harshly; for consider of how much
value the life of one such woman must be in such a community as this!
You should observe how the men respect her. And yet we have the
divine assurance that works without grace are naught; and her
carelessness on sacred matters is appalling. If, when I am gone'--
and it struck me sharply that not only the western mountains