She looked anxiously at his face when he did not know that her eyes were upon him, and was afraid that she detected a shade of sadness in its expression. Luke, however, was very careful not to let her know by his words how almost unbearable the thought of the country was to him. But when Rachel was not with him he gave way to his miserable thoughts. He had been inexpressibly touched by the warmth of feeling displayed by some of the members of his congregation at Trowsby when they heard that he was leaving them. As is often the case, he learnt then for the first time that which would have immensely encouraged him had he known it before, that he had helped so many of them spiritually. It made leaving them all the harder, though at the same time it warmed his heart to find that he had been used far more than he had imagined for the good of their souls. The last two Sundays at Trowsby, the Church had been full to overflowing, and he had again the wonderful feeling of being able to sway men's minds. As he paced up and down in the moonlight, he lifted his eyes to the starlit sky and cried to God to forgive all his past unsatisfactoriness and to make him once more of use in the world. As for Rachel she was in a dream of happiness. In fact it seemed as if life had suddenly opened to her in all its rich fulness. The presence of her husband, her child, the country air laden with all sorts of perfume; the feeling of rest and quiet after the strain and stress of Trowsby; and the consciousness that she was getting her strength back and had not to be always thinking of ways and means, filled her with thankfulness. Moreover, she had a most faithful nursemaid in Polly who she counted distinctly as one of her blessings. Polly's devotion to Pat showed itself in many ways; and Rachel felt that she could trust the child perfectly to her when she was feeling unable to make any effort on his behalf. For though she knew she was gradually getting stronger she was conscious that her amount of strength was at present very small and that any unnecessary effort was bad for her. "I am going to Trowsby," said Luke one morning. "I am not happy about my mother. Her letters strike me as rather depressed." "I am afraid that she must miss you very much," said Rachel. "I fancy that is what is making her depressed. Anyhow I shall go and find out. I shall rather like to be in Trowsby again," he added. "You mustn't like it so much that you'll want to be back again," said Rachel. Luke laughed. He would have given the world to be back again, but he did not tell her so. Anyhow it would do him good just to have a look at the people. And if he started quite early in the morning, by 7.30, he would have a long day before he need return by the 8 o'clock train.