'He'll be back in England in a few weeks.' 'But when he comes again!' 'He shall not come again. We will go over to see him ourselves next year.' 'That is a very good thought,' said Mrs. Dallas. And, comforted by this thought and the plans she presently began to weave in with it, she looked now with much more equanimity than Betty herself towards the end of Pitt's visit. Mrs. Dallas, however, was not to get off without another shock to her nerves. It was early in September, and the weather of that sultry, hot, and moist character which we have learned to look for in connection with the first half of that month. Miss Frere's embroidery went languidly; possibly there might have been more reasons than one for the slow and spiritless movement of her fingers, which was quite contrary to their normal habit. Mrs. Dallas, sitting at a little distance on the verandah, was near enough to hear and observe what went on when Pitt came upon the scene, and far enough to be separated from the conversation unless she chose to mix in it. By and by he came, looking thoughtful, as Betty saw, though she hardly seemed to notice his approach. There was no token in her quiet manner of the quickened pulses of which she was immediately conscious. Something like a tremulous thrill ran through her nerves; it vexed her to be so little mistress of them, yet the pleasure of the thrill at the moment was more than the pain. Pitt threw himself into a chair near her, and for a few moments watched the play of her needle. Betty's eyelashes never stirred. But the silence lasted too long. Nerves would not bear it. 'What can you find to do in this weather, Mr. Pitt?' she asked languidly. 'It is good weather,' he answered absently. 'Do you ever read the Bible?' Miss Betty's fine eyes were lifted now with an expression of some amusement. They were very fine eyes; Mrs. Dallas thought they could not fail of their effect. 'The Bible?' she repeated. 'I read the lessons in the Prayer-book; that is the same.' 'Is it the same? Is the whole Bible contained in the lessons?' 'I don't know, I am sure,' she answered doubtfully. 'I think so. There is a great deal of it.' 'But you read it piecemeal so.' 'You must read it piecemeal any way,' returned the young lady. 'You can read only a little each day; a portion.' 'You could read consecutively, though, or you could choose for yourself.' 'I like to have the choice made for me. It saves time; and then one is sure one has got hold of the right portion, you know. I like the lessons.' 'And then,' remarked Mrs. Dallas, 'you know other people and your friends are reading that same portion at the same time, and the feeling is very sacred and sweet.' 'But if the Bible was intended to be read in such a way, how comes it that we have no instruction to that end?' 'Instruction was given,' said Mrs. Dallas. 'The Church has ordered it.' 'The Church' said Pitt thoughtfully. 'Who is the Church?'