d it at first."

"Yes, I'm going. I've just had a talk with the Bishop, and that was
what kept me late."

"What did he say?"

"Oh, he doesn't mind. I'm too small a fish for him to worry about. He
was so busy all the afternoon that I was kept waiting until the
eleventh hour, and accordingly was favoured with only a few minutes."

Garton detected the note of bitterness in his companion's voice, and
did not question him any further just then. When at length within the
house, and taken possession of by the Garton "kids"--two boys and a
girl--Douglas became entirely changed. There was a lively romp first
of all, and it was with difficulty that Mrs. Garton could induce the
children to release their victim long enough to come to dinner. Then,
at the table there was a contest as to who should sit next to the guest.

It was a happy family into which Douglas had entered. This was the one
home in the whole city where he could feel perfectly at his ease, for
he knew that he was sincerely welcome. Ever since his coming to St.
Margaret's, Charles Garton had been his firm friend. Notwithstanding
his big legal practice, this brilliant lawyer was always ready and
willing to assist the young curate, and Douglas found it a great
comfort to go to him for advice.

"I am afraid that I am a great intruder to-night," he told Mrs. Garton.
"But you must blame your husband this time."

"I shall absolve him from all his past sins for bringing you," was the
smiling reply. "We were afraid that you were going to leave the city
without coming to bid us good-bye."

"I hope I am not so ungrateful as that, after all your kindness to me."

"We shall miss you very much, Mr. Stanton. I hardly know how the
children will get along without you."

"Oh, I shall drop in on you one of these days when you're least
expecting me."

"Are you going far away?"

"Merely to Rixton."

"Rixton!" Mr. Garton exclaimed.

"Yes, why not? Some one must go there."

"Do you know anything about the place?"

"Very little. I have been told that it is a hard parish, and that the
last rector was forced to leave."

"I should say it is. Why, they've killed several men there already,
and do you want to be added to the number?"

"Killed them! did you say?" Douglas asked in surprise. "I never heard
it was as bad as that."

"Oh, well, they didn't actually kill them, but they tried to do so, it
appears, and you know what the Bible says about having murde