"Rhoda always seems to me to be rather phlegmatic; very gentle and pretty, of course. But, do you know, I should not be afraid of her breaking her heart." There was a hard tone in Minnie's voice, and a hard expression about her mouth, which hurt and disappointed the preacher. He had expected some warmth of sympathy, some word of affection for Rhoda. "You do not know her," he said sadly. "And then, Mr. Powell, Algernon Errington----you know, I suppose, that Mr. Errington is a great friend of mine?" "I will not willingly say aught to offend you, nor to offend against Christian courtesy. But there are higher duties--more solemn promptings--that must not be resisted." "Oh, I am not offended. But, let me ask you, what right have we to assume that Mr. Errington has ever deceived Rhoda, or has ever thought of her otherwise than as the friend and playmate of his childhood?" "I am convinced that he has led her to believe he means, some day, to marry her. I cannot resist that conviction." "Marry her! Why, Mr. Powell, the thing is absurd on the face of it. A boy of nineteen, and in Algernon's position!--why, any person of common sense would understand that such an idea could not be looked at seriously." Powell made himself some silent reproaches for his want of faith. This lady might not be soft and sweet; but she had evidently the clear judgment which he sought for to help Rhoda. And yet he had been discouraged, and had almost distrusted his "leading," because of a little coldness of manner. He answered Minnie eagerly: "It is true! I well know that what you say is true; but will you tell Rhoda this? Will you plentifully declare to her the thing as it is?" "Rhoda has her father to advise her, if she needs advice." "Nay; her father is no adviser for her in this matter. He is an ignorant man. He does not understand the ways of the world--at least, not of that world in which the Erringtons hold a place--and he is prejudiced and stiff-necked." There was a short silence. Then Minnie said: "I do not see how I can interfere. I should, in fact, be taking an unjustifiable liberty, and--Mr. Errington is going away. They will both forget all about this boy-and-girl nonsense, if people have the wisdom to let it alone." "Rhoda will not forget; she will brood silently over her secret feelings, and her thoughts will be diverted from higher things. She will fall away into outer darkness. Oh think, a word in season, how good it is! Consider that you may save a perishing soul by speaking that word. I have prayed that I might leave behind me in this place the assurance that this lamb should not be utterly lost out of the fold."