"But you will continue your mission?" she replied earnestly.

"Alas, I can hardly see how the mission can be continued. There seems to
be no opening."

Mrs. Gwynne apparently lost interest. "Good-bye," she said simply,
shaking hands with them both, and without further words left the room
with her boy. For some distance they walked together along the dark road
in silence. Then in an awed voice the boy said:

"How could you do it, mother? You were not a bit afraid."

"Afraid of what, the Rector?"

"No, not the Rector--but to speak up that way before all the people."

"It was hard to speak," said his mother, "very hard, but it was harder
to keep silent. It did not seem right."

The boy's heart swelled with a new pride in his mother. "Oh, mother,"
he said, "you were splendid. You were like a soldier standing there. You
were like the martyrs in my book."

"Oh, no, no, my boy."

"I tell you yes, mother, I was proud of you."

The thrilling passion in the little boy's voice went to his mother's
heart. "Were you, my boy?" she said, her voice faltering. "I am glad you