"I declare, John Henry," she said, in her energetic way, "I hope you never will preach another such sermon as long as _I_ live! I couldn't make neither head nor tail to it." And she gathered up her Sunday things, which she had taken off in the parlour, with an air of offended piety that occasioned a general smile. Pendlam smiled with the rest. "Well, Horatio, you next,--what did you think of my sermon?" "I liked it." "Good! but give your reason." "Because you said nothing about the theatre. I was mortally afraid you would; for, d'ye see, you had a distinguished theatrical personage in your audience." "Indeed! I was not aware; who?" "Miss Kellerton herself!" "Is it possible?" Pendlam looked surprised, Susan interested, Mrs. D---- (with her Sunday things on her arm) amazed. "She told me she was going to hear you, to show you that she could be quite as tolerant as yourself. She expects you to return the compliment, and go to her benefit." Poor Pendlam hardly knew what to say in his confusion. Susan spoke up,-- "Why didn't you point her out to me? I have such a curiosity to see her." "It was to her I took off my hat, coming away from the church door." "To her!" broke forth Mrs. D----, "to an actress! Horatio, I'm ashamed of you. You wouldn't have caught me walking with you, if I had known!" She shook her Sunday things indignantly; and there was another general smile, as she took these representatives of her piety abruptly out of the room. "Ail this is very interesting," said Pendlam, recovering his equanimity. "I wonder what sort of a sermon I shall preach next Sabbath?" We were invited to stay to luncheon. Horatio consented; but I declined, and took my leave, much to the gratification of Susan's mother, no doubt. Some months passed before I again saw Pendlam. Our next meeting was in the street. I observed him coming towards me with the peculiarly abstracted and intense expression which his face assumed under excitement. "What now?" I asked. "A little difficulty with my people," he said, with a forced smile. "I have just come from a church meeting; it was terribly hot there!" "No serious trouble, I hope?" "O, no,--only, you will hardly be surprised to hear, my preaching has been somewhat too liberal for them." "Why, sir," I cried, "if I remember right, you were for restoring the more rigorous and stringent forms of religion; drawing the rein and tightening the girth." "Most certainly! and do you not see? Step by step I worked back to the primitive and central principle, the soul of all religion. You know what that is. It is Love! This I have preached," said Pendlam, his features suffused, his eyes glistening bright; "and this I shall continue to preach, while life lasts. Persecution cannot influence me. I know my duty, and I shall perform it, at all risks. You see where I am," added Pendlam.