There was a moment's silence when he had finished.

At last Mrs.Dale said violently, "Well!" and again, "Well!" After that she rose, and brushing the clippings of paper from her black silk apron, she said, "We will go and talk this over in the parlor, Archibald." The rector followed her, miserably.

Though he had a clear conscience, in that he had treated the ridiculous affair with the utmost severity, and had done all he could to make Helen return to her husband, he yet trembled as he thought how his sister would reproach him.

("Though I can't help it!" he said to himself.

"Heaven knows I used every argument short of force.