"Well, children," he said, "no doubt you have always been taught to go and say good-morning to your father, and give him a kiss, haven't you? And you generally do it, though it doesn't do you any particular good, nor, for the matter of that, very much to him. But he likes it, and you always ought to go. Maybe sometimes you don't want to go; sometimes you're busy playing, or you're hungry for your breakfast, or you're a little lazy. But if you always give up your play, or put off your breakfast, or get over being lazy, and go, no doubt you have done right, and he is pleased with you. Now, going to church is a service, a thing to be done, to be offered to God; it isn't that we may be better, or learn something, or get any good, that we go. It is to pay an honor to our Heavenly Father; it is something to give to Him, an offering. I think we should be glad, don't you? There are so few things we can give Him." Gabrielle was not convinced, and offered objections manifold, but Jay said "All right, he'd go next time without crying, if Goneril didn't brush his hair so hard." "You mustn't get her into an argument, then," said Missy. "The faster she talks, the harder she brushes." "You won't be here another Sunday, Jay," said Gabby. "You'll have your own nurse, and maybe she'll brush easy." The children were soon sent to bed, and then St. John went away. "I have something to tell you, Missy," said her mother. "Come to my room before you go to bed." Missy's heart beat faster. Now she should know the explanation of her mother's tears, and St. John's long silences. "Well," said Missy, sitting down by her mother's sofa, before the fire which blazed uncertainly. She knew from the clear shining of her mother's eyes, and from the faint flush on her cheek, that it was no trifling news she was to hear, and that before that pine log burned away, they should have gone very deep. She felt a jealous determination to oppose. "You don't know how to begin, I see," she said, with a bitter little laugh. "I wish I could help you." "Oh," said her mother, "it is not very difficult. St. John says you told him never to talk to you about going away; and so it was best not to talk about it till everything was settled." "Certainly; he has only kept his promise. I did not want to be stirred up with all his fluctuations of purpose." "I do not think, Missy, you can justly say he has fluctuated in purpose. I think he came here almost under protest, giving up his will in the matter to please us--to please you. In truth, I think he has had but one purpose, that has been strengthening slowly day by day." Missy lifted her head. "I don't understand exactly. I know he has been getting restless." "I don't think he has been getting restless." "Well, at any rate it looks so, going from one parish to another in six months." "But, he is not going from one parish to another." Missy started. "What do you mean, mamma? I hope he isn't--isn't giving up the ministry."