ardour was pursuing a masterly course; that to
find herself furtively followed everywhere, and
hovered about for a look, is apt to soothe womanly
pride, and stir womanly pity, and to keep the
female heart in a flutter of curiosity and emotion,
two porters that open the heart's great gate to
love.

Dr. Sampson dined with the Hardies, and
happened to mention the " Dodds" among his
old patients: for he had lived at Barkington.

"The Dodds of Albion Villa?" inquired Miss
Hardie, to her brother's no little surprise.

"Albyn fiddlestick!" said the polished doctor.
"No! they live by the water-side; used to; but
now they have left the town, I hear. He is a
sea-captain and a fine lad, and Mrs. Dodd is just
the best-bred woman I ever prescribed for,
except Mrs. Sampson."

"It is the Dodds of Albion Villa," said Miss
Hardie. "They have two children; a son; his
name is Edward; and a daughter, Julia; she is
rather good-looking; a Gentlemen's Beauty."

Alfred stared at his sister. Was she blind?
with her " rather good-looking."

Sampson was quite pleased at the information.
"N' listen me! I saved that girl's life when she
was a year old."

"Then she is ill now, doctor," said Alfred,
hastily. " Do go and see her! Hum! The
fact is, her brother is a great favourite of mine."
He then told him how to find Albion Villa.
"Jenny, dear," said he, when Sampson was gone,
"you never told me you knew her."

"Knew who, dear?"

"Whom? Why, Dodd's sister."

"Oh, she is a new acquaintance, and not one
to interest you. We only meet in the Lord; I
do not visit Albion Villa; her mother is an
amiable worldling."

"Unpardonable combination!" said Alfred,
with a slight sneer. " So you and Miss Dodd
meet only at church?"

"At church? hardly. She goes to St. Anne's:
sits under a preacher, who starves his flock with
moral discourses, and holds out the sacraments
of the Church as the means of grace."

Alfred shook his head good humouredly.
"Now, Jenny, that is a challenge; and you know
we both got into a fury the last time we were
betrayed into that miserable waste of time and
temper, Theological discussion. No, no:

            Let sects delight to bark and bite,
            For 'tis their nature to:
            Let gown and surplice growl and fight,
            For Satan makes them so.

But let you and I cut High Church and Low
Church, and be brother and sister. Do tell me
in English where you meet Julia Dodd; that's a
dear; for young ladies 'meeting in the Lord'
conveys no positive idea to my mind."

Jane Hardie sighed at this confession. " We
meet in the cottages of the poor and the sick,
whom He loved and pitied when on earth; and
we, His unworthy servants, try to soothe their
distress, and lead them to Him, who can heal the
soul as well as the body, and wipe away all the
tears of all His people."

"Then it does you infinite credit, Jane," said
Alfred, warmly. " Now, that is the voice of true
religion; and not the whine of this sect, nor the
snarl of that. And so she joins you in this good
work? I am not surprised."

"We meet in it now and then, dear; but she
can hardly be said to have joined me: I have
a district, you know; but poor Mrs. Dodd will
not allow Julia to enlist in the service. She
visits independently, and by fits and starts; and
I am afraid she thinks more of comforting their
perishable bodies than of feeding their souls. It
was but the other day she confessed to me her
backwardness to speak in the way of instruction
to women as old as her mother. She finds it so
much easier to let them run on about their earthly
troubles: and of course it is much easier. Ah,
the world holds her still in some of its subtle
meshes."

The speaker uttered this sadly; but presently,
brightening up, said, with considerable
bonhomie, and almost a sprightly air: " But she is
a dear girl, and the Lord will yet light her candle."

Alfred pulled a face, as of one that drinketh
verjuice unawares: but let it pass: hypercriticism
was not his cue just then. " Well,
Jenny," said he, " I have a favour to ask you.
Introduce me to your friend Miss Dodd! Will
you?"

Miss Hardie coloured faintly. "I would
rather not, dear Alfred."

"Nonsense; why not?"

"Because the introduction could not be for
her eternal good. Julia's soul is in a very ticklish state;
she wavers as yet between this world
and the other world; and it won't do; it won't
do; there is no middle path. You would very
likely turn the scale, and then I should have fought
against her everlasting welfare—my friend's."

"What, am I an infidel?" inquired Alfred,
angrily.

Jane looked distressed. " Oh no, Alfred. But
you are a worldling."

Alfred, smothering a strong sense of irritation,
besought her to hear reason; these big words
were out of place here. "It is Dodd's sister;
and he will introduce me at a word, worldling as I
am."

"Then why urge me to do it, against my
conscience?" asked the young lady, as sharply as if
she had been a woman of the world. "You cannot
be in love with her, as you do not know her."

Alfred did not reply to this unlucky thrust,
but made a last effort to soften her. " Can you
call yourself my sister, and refuse me this trifling
service, which her brother, who loves her and
esteems her ten times more sincerely than you
do, would not think of refusing me if he was at
home?"

"Why should he? He is in the flesh,
himself; let the carnal introduce one another. I
really must decline; but I am very, very sorry
that you feel hurt about it."