He permitted me to love you so I could be tried and proved." He looked at her fondly, and she could see striving and trembling in his eyes a great desire to crush her in his arms, yet he fought it down, and continued more calmly.
"But indeed I must be favoured more than common, to deserve that so great a hurt be put upon me, and I shall not be found wanting.

I shall never wed any woman but you, though, dear.

If not you, never any other." He stood up.
"I must go in to them now.

There must be work to do against the start to-morrow." "Joel!" "May the Lord deafen my ears to you, darling!" and squaring his shoulders resolutely away from her, he left her on the seat and went in.
The old man looked up from his Bible as his son entered.
"It's sore sad, laddie, we can't have the temple for your sealing-vows." "Prudence will not be sealed to me, father." He spoke dazedly, as if another like the morning's blow had been dealt him.

"I--I am already sealed to the Spirit for time and eternity." "Was it Prudence's doings ?" asked his mother, quickly.
"Yes; she has left the church with her people." The long-faced, narrow-browed old man raised one hand solemnly.
"Then let her be banished from Israel and not numbered in the books of the offspring of Abraham! And let her be delivered over to the buffetings of Satan in the flesh!".