On Sunday a strange thing happened. Old Aaron Rockharrt announced at the breakfast table his intention of going to a certain church to hear a celebrated preacher, whose piety, eloquence and enthusiasm was the subject of general discussion; and he invited the two ladies to go with him. Both consented--Cora because she never willingly absented herself from public worship on the Sabbath; Rose because it was her cue to be amiable and to agree to everything that was proposed. "We need not take a carriage. The church is only two blocks off," said Mr. Rockharrt, as he arose from the table. The party was soon ready, and while the bell was still ringing, they set out to walk. As they reached the sacred edifice the bell ceased ringing and the organ pealed forth in a grand voluntary. "You see we are but just in time," said Mr. Rockharrt, as he led his party into the building. The polite sexton conducted the strangers up the center aisle and put them into a good pew. The church was not full, but was filling rapidly. Our party bowed their heads for the preliminary private prayer, and so did not see the great preacher as he entered and stood at the reading desk. He was an English dean of great celebrity as a pulpit orator, now on a visit to the United States, and preaching in turn in every pulpit of his denomination as he passed. He was a man of about sixty-five, tall, thin, with a bald head, a narrow face, an aquiline nose, blue eyes and a gray beard. He began to read the opening texts of the service. "'If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.'" At the sound of his voice Rose Stillwater started violently, looked up and grew ghastly white. She dropped her face in her hands on the cushioned edge of the pew before her, and so sat trembling through the reading of the texts and the exhortations. Afterward followed the ritualistic general confession and prayer, during which all knelt. When at the close all arose Mrs. Stillwater was gone from her seat. Mr. Rockharrt looked around him and then stared at Cora, who very slightly shook her head, as if to say: "No; I know no more about it than you." How swiftly and silently Rose Stillwater had left the pew and slipped out of the church while all the congregation were bowed in prayer! Old Aaron Rockharrt looked puzzled and troubled, but the minister was pronouncing the general absolution that followed the general confession, and such a severe martinet and disciplinarian as old Aaron Rockharrt would on no account fail in attention to the speaker. Nor did he change countenance again during the long morning service. At its close he drew Cora's arm within his own and led her out of the church. As they walked down Broadway he inquired: "Why did Mrs. Stillwater leave the church?" "I do not know," answered his granddaughter. "Was she ill?" "I really do not know." "When did she go?"