ke one of us out there to
keep house for him. Of course, he will be delighted.'

'I am sorry you want to go,' Agatha said slowly.

'Why? Is there any good reason why I should stay at home?'

Agatha was silent, and though the younger girls plied Gwen with
innumerable questions, and were full of excitement about it, she said
nothing, and presently walked out of the room.

Gwen looked after her with a mixture of doubtful perplexity and
annoyance. She and Agatha had always been much together, and she
valued her opinion, though determined not to be swayed by it. She felt
this silence meant disapproval, and was by turns uneasy and indignant
at it. It was not till after Clare and Elfie had retired to bed that
night that Agatha referred to the matter. And Gwen little knew that
she had been kneeling at her bedside praying for guidance in offering
her advice, for more than an hour that evening.

'Well,' said Gwen, with a little laugh, as she reclined in her
favourite wicker chair, and looked up at her sister's grave face, as
she turned from her writing-table to speak, 'what does Madam Prudence
say to my scheme?'

'I think it is too important a step to take hastily,' said Agatha.

'My dear, I have been thinking of it for months; there has been no
haste in the matter. Removal of objection number one! Now for number
two!'

'I think,' said Agatha slowly, 'that you are quite as likely to
unsettle Walter as to settle him. He is not doing very grandly, but he
keeps out of debt; and it seems to me that it is only by steady
perseverance that fortunes are made nowadays. Then you may seriously
inconvenience him by giving him such short notice of your intentions.
A man living by himself on a small farm is not prepared to receive
ladies at a day's notice. He may be away from home when you arrive.
Oh yes, I know you are not going to be influenced by what I say, but I
do ask you to look upon it as a serious matter. And, Gwen, you know I
don't often "preach," as you term it, but I do wish you would practise
the verse old Nannie gave you just before we left London. It is an
important step. Do commit it unto the Lord.'

'I am not religious,' said Gwen, a little lightly.

'Do you never mean to be?'

'I don't know. Every one has a different nature. It is natural for
you to be good. It is natural for you to trust and lean upon religion,
because you have such a humble opinion of your own judgment and powers.
Now I feel--