far away from home, straightway thinks of the village church of
his earlier years, . . those years of the best happiness we ever
know on earth, because we enjoy in them the bliss of ignorance,
the glory of youth! A curious stifling sensation began to oppress
Theos's heart as he listened to those bells, . . they reminded him
of such strange things, ... things to which he could not give a
name,--things foolish, yet sweet, . . odd suggestions of fair women
who were wont to pray for those they loved, and who believed, . .
alas, the pity of it!--that their prayers would be heard ... and
granted! What was it that these dear, loving, credulous ones said,
when in the silence of the night they offered up their patient
supplications to an irresponsive Heaven? "LEAD US NOT INTO
TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL!" Yes! ... he remembered,--
those were the words,--the simple-wise words that for positive-
practical minds had neither meaning nor reason,--and that yet were
so infinitely pathetic in their perfect humility and absolute
trust!

"LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION!" ... He murmured the phrase under
his breath as he gazed with straining eyes out into the languorous
beauty of that garden-scene that spread its dewy, emerald glamour
before him,--and--"deliver us from evil!" broke from his lips in a
half-sobbing sigh, as the peal of the chiming bells softened by
degrees into a subdued tunefulness of indistinct and tremulous
semitones, and the clarion-clearness of the cymbals again smote
the still air with forceful and jarring clangor. Then...like a
rainbow-garmented Peri floating easefully out of some far-off
sphere of sky-wonders,--an aerial Maiden-Shape glided into the
full lustre of the varying light,--a dancer, nude save for the
pearly glistening veil that was carelessly cast about her dainty