Blantyre started. "Oh, I didn't know it was as bad as that," he said. "Is it imminent?" "A matter of twenty hours I should say," the doctor replied; "I bring you a message from her." Blantyre's face lighted up. Great tenderness came over it as he heard that the woman who had injured him and sought to harm the Church had sent him a message. "Poor woman," he said; "what is it--God bless her!" "She has asked for you and the other clergy to come to her. She wishes me to bring you and such other members of the congregation as will come. She wishes to make a profession of Faith." "But when, how--" the vicar asked, bewildered. The doctor explained. "The Hamlyns are with her; she is frightened by them, but not only that, she bitterly repents what she has done. Poor soul! Blantyre, she is very penitent, she remembers the Faith. She asks--" He drew the vicar aside. Lucy could hear no more. But she saw deep sympathy come out upon her brother's face. The three men--Stephens had remained with the doctor--came near her again. "My motor is outside," the doctor said hurriedly. "How long would it take?" asked the vicar. "----if the Bishop is in--back in an hour and a half----" The vicar took Stephens aside and spoke earnestly with him for a few moments. The young man listened gravely and then hurried away. Before the vicar and the doctor joined Lucy again--they stood in private talk a moment--she heard the "toot" of the motor-car hum on the other side of the garden wall. Wondering what all this might mean, she was about to cross the lawn towards the two men, when she saw Father King and Mr. Carr coming out of the house. These two joined the vicar and Dr. Hibbert. The four men stood in a ring. Blantyre seemed to be explaining something to the new-comers. Now and then the doctor broke in with a burst of rapid explanation. Lucy began to be full of wonder. She felt ignored, she tried not to feel that. Something was afoot that she did not quite understand. In the middle of her wonder the men came towards her. Bernard took her arm. "Mavourneen," he said, "will you come with us to poor Miss Pritchett? She's been asking if you'll come and forgive her and part good friends. She may die to-night, the doctor says. You'll come?" "Of course I'll come, dear." "She has repented of her hostility to the Church, and desires to make a public statement of her faith before she dies. And she has asked for the Sacrament of Unction.... Stephens has gone to the Bishop of Stepney on the doctor's motor-car. In an hour we will go to Malakoff." The doctor took King by the arm and led him away. They talked earnestly together. Blantyre turned to Carr. "Will ye come with us all to the poor soul's bedside?" he asked.