going
towards the kitchen, when he placed himself between her and the door.

'Lois,' said he, 'the time is going by, and I cannot wait much longer.
The visions come thick upon me, and my sight grows clearer and clearer.
Only this last night, camping out in the woods, I saw in my soul,
between sleeping and waking, the spirit come and offer thee two lots,
and the colour of the one was white, like a bride's, and the other was
black and red, which is, being interpreted, a violent death. And when
thou didst choose the latter the spirit said unto me, 'Come!' and I
came, and did as I was bidden. I put it on thee with mine own hands, as
it is preordained, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice and be my
wife. And when the black and red dress fell to the ground, thou wert
even as a corpse three days old. Now, be advised, Lois, in time. Lois,
my cousin, I have seen it in a vision, and my soul cleaveth unto
thee--I would fain spare thee.'

He was really in earnest--in passionate earnest; whatever his visions,
as he called them, might be, he believed in them, and this belief gave
something of unselfishness to his love for Lois. This she felt at this
moment, if she had never done so before, and it seemed like a contrast
to the repulse she had just met with from his sister. He had drawn near
her, and now he took hold of her hand, repeating in his wild, pathetic,
dreamy way:

'And the voice said unto me, "Marry Lois!"' And Lois was more inclined
to soothe and reason with him than she had ever been before, since the
first time of his speaking to her on the subject,--when Grace
Hickson--and Prudence entered the room from the passage. They had
returned from the prayer meeting by the back way, which had prevented
the sound of their approach from being heard.

But Manasseh did not stir or look round; he kept his eyes fixed on
Lois, as if to note the effect of his words. Grace came hastily
forwards, and lifting up her strong right arm, smote their joined hands
in twain, in spite of the fervour of Manasseh's grasp.

'What means this?' said she, addressing herself more to Lois than to
her son, anger flashing out of her deep-set eyes.

Lois waited for Manasseh to speak. He seemed, but a few minutes before,
to be more gentle and less threatening than he had been of late on this
subject, and she did not wish to irritate him. But he did not speak,
and her aunt stood angrily waiting for an answer.

'At any rate,' thought Lois, 'it will p