During this address Walter Beal had washed his moist hands in a very agony of agitation. This handsome stranger impressed him greatly. He was sympathetic, moreover, a patient and kindly listener. The young clergyman could have found it in his heart to adore him with a humble and dog-like devotion. But then his own professional dignity must be asserted. So he whipped down his natural and wholesome inclination to hero-worship, and whipped up his rather spavined, ecclesiastical valour; and said, with all the sternness his tremulous voice could command-- "I fear you are not a true Christian, Mr. Rivers, or you would find no room for hesitation where the salvation of a soul is involved." Laurence turned his chair sideways to the dinner-table, crossed his legs, and rested his elbow on the bare, white cloth. Some crumbs remained on it, left over from Walter Beal's breakfast; but happily they were at the far corner. The young man deserved a snub, but he was an innocent creature, a great sincerity in his foolishness. Laurence looked out of window, across to the sunny peaceful churchyard. After all, why be harsh? Why snub anybody? So he smiled again genially enough upon the distracted Beal. "Oh! we must discuss the heights and depths of my Christianity some other time," he said. "The point is to stop this impertinence of which you are the victim. Look here, honestly I don't see my way to making a meeting between you and my uncle at present. But as you can't get the uncle, let me beg you to put up with the nephew. Let it be known that you and I are on excellent terms. Come and see me. Let's see--to-morrow evening I shall be free till half-past nine or ten. Come and dine with me." But Mr. Beal shrunk back and raised his moist, white hands in protest. "Oh, no!" he exclaimed. "That is, I am sure your intentions are most kind, most kind--indeed, indeed, really, I am sure of that. But except professionally, except at the urgent call of duty--and then grace would be given me--I felt that yesterday when I received the summons during the choir practice--I prayed--I was praying when those strings intercepted my passage and caused me to fall--I knew I should be supported--but, except professionally, I could not make up my mind to enter that house--Stoke Rivers. And after dark too! I could not. It would be too dreadful." Laurence stared at him blankly. "Why, my good man," he said, laughing a little, "what on earth is the matter with the house?" "I understand that it contains pictures and statues of an immoral character. It is very frightful to think of a soul, the soul of a scoffer, of one who speaks lightly of holy things, going forth to meet its doom from among such heathenish surroundings.--But it is not that so much which deters me. I ought to cope with that, strong in faith. But from a child, I own it, I have suffered from the fear of the supernatural." Laurence's eyebrows drew together. "The supernatural," he said. "Yes--yes--the supernatural."