He told her by all means to go to Deasely Woods, but that he had work which could not be neglected. To be in the woods again with Gwen satisfied a longing of Rachel's heart. They left the dullness and dirt of Trowsby behind them, and wandered among the trees, treading on the soft carpet of fallen leaves and inhaling the scent of the damp earth. "How delicious," Rachel exclaimed. "Do you often come here?" asked Gwen. She knew what the answer would be. "No, Luke can't afford the time. You see the calls on his time are endless in such a parish." "Bother the parish!" said Gwen. "No, no, you must not say that. I don't think you quite realise that a clergyman's life is quite different to that of other people. You would not approve of a doctor neglecting his patients for pleasure. Well a clergyman is a physician of souls. And after all souls are more important than bodies." "I don't know anything about souls," said Gwen. "Of course you do, don't talk nonsense." "No, I don't. I don't think I am sure that we have souls. But I am not peculiar in this. The papers and books are full of doubts of all sorts." "But my dear child, why do you read such books? We want to build ourselves up in our most holy faith, and not to read all the views on the other side. How do you see these books?" "I find them in the library. Sometimes I wish I had not read them, but you know I read everything I can get hold of." Rachel made up her mind to ask Luke to have a talk with Gwen. She was very distressed at what she told her. "Luke says that we must not be surprised at all the doubts and strange theories that are about just now, as he believes we are living in the last days and must expect the devil to be extra busy. I am sure he is right." "Don't let us talk of the last days," said Gwen, "but enjoy the country while we have a chance. You must pine for it in that horrid place." "I am too busy to think much about it," said Rachel, and she added, "when I do I turn my thoughts to Luke, and feel how much I have to be thankful for in having him." Gwen laughed a little unbelievingly; and on returning to Trowsby, she felt she could not endure more than a few days in it although her favourite sister lived there. Of course she helped Rachel with the household work, and made fun of it; but she hated it for all that, and could not understand how Rachel could endure it after her life at home. She studied Luke attentively and critically; nothing escaped her, and a day or two before she left, he heard a knock at his study door and on opening it found Gwen facing him. "I want to talk about something very important," she said. Luke was in the midst of writing a paper to be read at a clerical meeting, and was sorry to be interrupted; but he invited her in with a smile and drew up a chair for her. She seated herself and then looked up at him gravely. He wondered what was coming. Gwen's expression of face was severe. "I suppose you know how unwell Rachel is," she began.