At the same time she could but imagine some of their ideas wild ones,
for she had never been associated with people who widely overstepped the
conventional ways of doing things; and she had, of late, been much with
Professor Ellis who had a sort of gentlemanly sneer for every phase of
Christian work, and, so far as could be discovered, believed in nothing.
He had not been outspoken, it is true, and herein lay one of the
dangers. He was too skillful to be outspoken; but the subtle poison had
been working, and although Gracie could not help being interested in
those queer boys, she could not help thinking Flossy's whole scheme
exceedingly visionary, and expected it to come to grief. The puzzling
question was, why did Mr. Roberts, being a keen-sighted man, permit it
all! Or was he so much in love with Flossy that he could not bear to
thwart even her wildest flights? It was strange, too, to see a young man
like Alfred Ried so absorbed; his sister must have had wonderful power
over him, Gracie thought. She went back to his sister's influence,
always, in trying to explain the matter, and never gave a thought to
Christ's influence. Meantime she listened to the various plans proposed
for the first Monday evening, and was sufficiently interested to gather
her pretty face in a frown when the distant peal from the door-bell
sounded through the house.

"What a pity to be interrupted by a caller!" she exclaimed. "This room
is so much nicer than the parlor. Flossy, don't you hope it is some one
to see Mr. Roberts on business?"

"No," said Mrs. Roberts, shaking her head, with a smile, "I feel in
special need of Mr. Roberts just now. Evan, I really think we must be
excused to callers for this one evening; there are so many things to
arrange."