Bergan hesitated. He had no reasonable excuse; yet his uncle had not seconded the invitation. As if suddenly cognizant of the omission, Mr. Bergan now spoke. "Come, by all means," said he, with more kindness than he had yet shown,--for he could not bring himself to give a half-hearted invitation to his sister's son,--"I have still a great deal to ask about your mother." "And I," said his aunt, laughing, "have still a great deal to ask about yourself. Good night." They stood on the piazza watching him, until he was out of sight. Then Carice turned to her father. "Did he say anything about--yesterday?" she asked, gravely. "Not a word. I should have liked him better if he had offered some explanation." "Perhaps he did not recognize us," suggested Carice. "How could he help it?" "I don't know,--only--you were angry and I was frightened; probably our faces did not wear their natural expression. Besides, he was doubtless a little bewildered by his fall, and--" "What or whom are you talking about?" here broke in the amazed Mrs. Bergan. "About my nephew, the mad cavalier who so nearly came into collision with Carice yesterday," replied her husband. Mrs. Bergan threw up her hands. "And you let me invite him to dinner!" she exclaimed, in a tone of deep injury. "How could I help it, my dear? Besides, he is my sister's son." Meanwhile, Bergan found his way back to the village through the darkness, wondering what had become of the lightness of heart and cheerfulness of hope with which he had set out--he looked at his watch--only two hours before! II. STRENGTHENED OUT OF ZION. St. Paul's Church, Berganton, was a small, plain structure of brick and stone, rather prettily situated on the bank of the aforesaid creek, which flowed through the midst of the town. Its sole claim to exterior beauty must have rested on the thick vines which covered its walls, framed its windows, and climbed to the roof of its low, square tower; doing their best to atone for its many architectural deficiencies, its failure to present to the eye a certain material "beauty of holiness," in harmony with the spiritual loveliness of the unseen temple, of which it was the faint type. Toward this church, on the morning after his visit to Oakstead, Bergan directed his steps. Meeting his uncle in the vestibule, he was soon seated in the square family pew, and had a few moments to look about him, before service. In its small way, the church was almost as much a memorial of the House of Bergan as the old Hall itself. Sir Harry had been a fair sample of the average English Churchman of his day, with whom a certain amount of religious observance was deemed necessary and becoming, both by way of seemly garmenting for one's self, and good example for one's neighbors. If it did not reach very deep into the heart, it at least imparted a certain completeness and dignity to the outward life.