That _was_ a
barrier, a while ago; but it is not now. There is no need for either of
us to overcome it or try to overcome it, for it does not exist. Lois,
do you hear me? It does not exist."

"I do not understand," she said, in a dazed kind of way, turning
towards him. "What does not exist?"

"That barrier--or any barrier--between you and me."

"Yes, it does. It _is_ a barrier. I promised my dear grandmother--and
if I had not promised her, it would be just the same, for I have
promised to obey God; and he forbids it."

"Forbids what?"

"Forbids me, a Christian, to have anything to do with you, who are not
a Christian. I mean, in that way."

"But, Lois--I am a Christian too."

"You?" she said, turning towards him.

"Yes."

"What sort of a one?"

Philip could not help laughing at the naive question, which, however,
he perfectly understood.

"Not an old one," he said; "and not a good one; and yet, Lois, truly an
honest one. As you mean the word. One whose King Christ is, as he is
yours; and who trusts in him with the whole heart, as you do."

"You a Christian!" exclaimed Lois now, in the greatest astonishment.
"When did it happen?"

He laughed again. "A fair question. Well, it came about last summer.
You recollect our talk one Sunday in the rain?"

"O yes!"--

"That set me to thinking; and the more I saw of you,--yes, and of Mrs.
Armadale,--and the more I heard of you from Mrs. Barclay, the more the
conviction forced itself upon my mind, that I was living, and had
always lived, a fool's life. That was a conclusion easily reached; but
how to become wise was another matter. I resolved to give myself to the
study till I had found the answer; and that I might do it
uninterruptedly, I betook myself to the wilds of Canada, with not much
baggage beside my gun and my Bible. I hunted and fished; but I studied
more than I did either. I took time for it too. I was longing to see
you; but I resolved this subject should be disposed of first. And I
gave myself to it, until it was all clear to me. And then I made open
profession of my belief, and took service as one of Christ's declared
servants. That was in Montreal."

"In Montreal!"

"Yes."

"Why did you never say anything about it, then?"

"I am not accustomed to talking on the subject, you know. But, really,
I had a reason. I did not want to seem to propitiate your favour by any
such means; I wished to try my chances with you on my own merits; and
that wa