basket from her hand.

"Yes," she answered, sighing. "Oh, Gifford, how dreadful it all is,--the
things these people say, and really believe!" Then she told him of Elder
Dean, and a little of her talk with Mrs. Davis. Gifford listened, his
face growing very grave.

"And that is their idea of God?" he said, as she finished. "Well, it is
mine of the devil. But I can't help feeling sorry you spoke as you did to
the elder."

"Why?" she asked.

"Well," he said, "to assert your opinion of the doctrine of eternal
damnation as you did, considering your position, Helen, was scarcely
wise."

"Do you mean because I am the preacher's wife?" she remonstrated,
smiling. "I must have my convictions, if I am; and I could not listen to
such a thing in silence. You don't know John, if you think he would
object to the expression of opinion." Gifford dared not say that John
would object to the opinion itself. "But perhaps I spoke too forcibly;
I should be sorry to be unkind, even to Elder Dean."

"Well," Gifford said doubtfully, "I only hope he may not feel called upon
to 'deal with you.'"

They laughed, but the young man added, "After all, when you come to
think of it, Helen, there is no bigotry or narrowness which does not
spring from a truth, and nothing is truer than that sin is punished