, where nothing ornamental was
suffered to intrude or encroach upon the space devoted to objects of
usefulness rather than indulgence.

Marian lifted up the latch, entering upon the precincts of this
hallowed abode. She passed on, through the large cold cheerless
apartment generally called the house; turning thence towards a little
chamber, used as an oratory, she heard a loud voice within. She tapped
first upon the door, which she slowly opened, and beheld the good man
with the sacred volume spread out before him. He raised his eyes for
a moment as she entered, but refrained not from his exercise, nor
altered in the least the strenuous tone of his orisons.

"And Ehud put forth his left hand, and took the dagger from his right
thigh, and smote Eglon, the King of Moab, so that he died. Thus perish
the ungodly and the oppressor, even as Abimelech, the son of
Jerubbaal, on whom the Almighty rendered the curse of Jotham his
brother, and all his wickedness that he had committed, and all the
evil of the men of Shechem did God return upon their own heads." Here
he raised his eyes, closing the book with a devout aspiration of
compliance to the will of Heaven. "I have sought counsel," he
continued, "and been much comforted thereby. The wicked shall be
utterly cut off, and the ungodly man shall fall by the sword. We may
not spare, nor have pity, as Saul spared Agag, whom Samuel hewed in
pieces; for the land is cursed for their sakes!"

"Hath Steenie yet returned from vain idols, and the abominations he
hath committed?" inquired the maiden.

"He doth yet hunger after the flesh-pots of Egypt; but my bowels yearn
towards him, even as my first-born. I do sorrow lest he be finally
entangled in the snares of the evil one."

"Knowest thou where he abideth, or if he doth attend the outpouring of
the word hereabout?"

"Verily, nay," said the divine; "but I have heard from Sarah and
Reuben Heathcote that he hath been seen in the house of ungodly
self-seekers, and notorious Papists and malignants, even with our
enemies at Garswood. He hath likewise been found resorting unto that
high place of papistry, Windleshaw, of late; despising--yea,
reviling--the warnings and godly exhortations of the Reverend Master
Haydock, who did purpose within himself to win, peradventure it might
be to afflict with stripes, this lost one from the fold, that he might
bring him back. But he hath sorely buffeted and evil-entreated this
diligent shepherd wit