the church during service time, but he has always shrunk away when any
of the brethren attempted to speak to him.

I am sure he wishes to be a Christian.

I may, perhaps, find a chance of speaking to him, and a few words may
reach his heart. He knows my brother's family, and has once or twice
joined them in expeditions in the woods, and even entered their gates.
His must be a lonely life at home; there are no other children, but
from time to time hoary warriors, upon whose souls lies, I fear, the
guilt of much innocent blood, find a home there.

November 2d.--

This morning we said the office and mass for the dead, as usual on All
Souls' Day. My brother Elfwyn and his children were, of course,
present. That boy, Bertric, with all his boyish spirit and brightness,
is very pious. It was a sight which I thought might gladden their
guardian angels to see him and his sister kneeling with clasped hands
at their uncle Elfric's tomb, and when service was over, they made me
tell them the old old story about the first Elfric, the brother of my
father, and how my father rescued him when the old castle was
burnt {iii}.

When I had told them the story, I saw my brother was anxious to say a
few words to me.

"Cuthbert," he said, "have you seen the young Dane, Alfgar, lately?"

"Not very long since," I replied; "he was at mass yesterday."