them a searching look. Then bending back his long neck, he uttered a
dissatisfied chatter with his snapping beak, and taking wing, sought a
sequestered part of the stream, remote from the intruders.

"The stork would not thus have shunned natives. He must have found out
that we are foreigners and heretics" said Mrs. Shortridge.

"It is this arch-heretic, Moodie, that he shuns," said Lady
Mabel. "His presence would drive away a whole congregation of storks,
who are almost as good churchmen as the monks themselves."

"Perhaps quite as good," said Moodie. "My arch-heresy consists in
protesting now and always against idolatrous Rome. Some here are not
quite as good Protestants as I am."

"I never called myself a Protestant," said L'Isle.

"Do you not, sir?" exclaimed Moodie. "Pray what are you then?"

"I never called myself a Protestant in defining my faith."

"And why not, sir," asked Moodie, adding in an under tone. "Now he
will show the cloven foot."

"Because mine is a positive creed, not to be expressed by negation. In
defining it, I can admit no term not expressing some essential
point. I would not mistake the accident for the essence. That God has
given his revealed word to man, is an essential point in my
belief. That Rome has misconstrued that word, may be true, but comes
not within the scope of my creed. I believe that Christ by his