"No doubt, so there are in the Mainbridge church, though it may be we shall find them most among the poor people." "But what is it you want me to do, Basil?" "Show them what a life lived for Christ is. We will both show them; but in my case people lay it off largely on the bond of my profession. Then, when we have shown them for awhile what it is, we can speak of it with some hope of being understood." "Has anything special come to the Dominie?" Mrs. Starling asked that evening, when after prayers the minister had gone to his study. "Why, mother?" "He seems to have a great deal of thanksgiving on his mind!" "That's nothing very uncommon in him," said Diana, smiling. "What's happened to _you?_" inquired her mother next, eyeing her daughter with curious eyes. "Why do you ask?" "I don't do things commonly without a reason. When folks roll their words out like butter, I like to know what's to pay." "I cannot imagine what manner of speech that can be," said Diana, amused. "Well--it was your'n just now. And it was your husband's half an hour ago." "I suppose," said Diana, gravely now, "that when people feel happy, it makes their speech flow smoothly." "And you feel happy?" said Mrs. Starling with a look as sharp as an arrow. "Yes, mother. I do." "What about?" Diana hesitated, and then answered with a kind of sweet solemnity,--"All earth, and all heaven." Mrs. Starling was silenced for a minute. "By 'all earth' I suppose you mean me to understand things in the future?" "And things in the past. Everything that ever happened to me, mother, has turned out for good." Mrs. Starling looked at her daughter, and saw that she meant it. "The ways o' the world," she muttered scornfully, "are too queer for anything!" But Diana let the imputation lie.