Another surprise therefore awaited Mary. On reaching the church entrance they met face to face Old Doctor Halford, supported on one side by the arm of his son, and on the other by a tall handsome girl, apparently about eighteen years of age. Mary did not at first notice another younger girl, dressed in exactly the same manner, who walked behind Dr. Halford and his supporters, with a boy nearly as tall as herself. The usual formal courtesies passed between them as they met; but the sudden shock at seeing, as she thought, a strange young lady on such friendly terms with the doctor and his son, deprived Mary for a moment of self-possession. Recovering herself with an effort she returned the notice of the gentlemen, and hurried on to join her mother with an aching at her heart. Cousin Sarah had seen the fair face turn white even to the lips, and she drew Mr. Armstrong forward, leaving Mary with her mother and Jack. "Who is that very pleasing looking young man, Edward?" was her first question. "What young man?" was the half-irritated reply. "I am speaking of the gentleman we met just now, who was supporting, I suppose, his aged father; Edward, he reminded me of dear uncle." Edward Armstrong winced. The good and intelligent old yeoman, his own father, was in position and education far inferior to Dr. Halford, and yet he despised the latter because he was a schoolmaster and poor. He at last replied with an effort,--"Father and son are schoolmasters, and the son is going to be a parson." "But they are as much gentlemen as your wife is a lady, Edward; I can tell by your manner that you dislike them, but why?" "Why?" he asked impetuously, "because they are poor, and the son had the audacity to ask me for Mary." "And you refused him." "Of course I did; do you suppose I was fool enough to give up to him the money I have worked so hard for, as my daughter's marriage portion? and no doubt that was all he wanted." "Does Mary know of this?" "Unfortunately she does, although I kept it from her as long as I could; but it slipped out in some way." "Ah! then now I can understand what has changed her so much," said cousin Sarah, quietly. With a startled expression Mr. Armstrong turned and looked at the speaker. "What!" he exclaimed, but, before she could reply, Mrs. Armstrong, Mary, and Jack joined them. Cousin Sarah noticed at a glance that Mary had recovered her colour, but there was a quivering of the lip very painful to see. On reaching home Mary hastily escaped to her room. She stood for a moment, with her hands clasped and her eyes uplifted, asking for help and strength; realising Montgomery's description of prayer:-- "The upward glancing of the eye, When none but God is near."