CHAPTER XXX.

"Much have we to support us in our strife
With things that else would crush us

....

None sweeter than are at some seasons known
To those who dwell for many a prosperous day
Under one roof, and have, as they would hope
One purpose for their lives, one aim, one scope—
To labour upward on their path to heaven."

MARGARET's last rejection of Gilbert's offer, had enraged him beyond measure; he could not understand it; possessed with the idea that she had once regarded him favourably, he could not comprehend that it was possible her feelings could have altered. He did not dream that the love which had been crushed as a temptation, had since died out from the utter absence of any earnest truth in himself to keep alive her affection; he had thought that her unaltered coldness and indifference were but affected from a proud wish to conceal her feelings; and flattered himself in that, as he did in all other things, that he had but to ask to be accepted.

Ion learned that Margaret had entirely conquered her regard for Gilbert with deep thankfulness, for he knew what dangerous sophistry passes current in the world for the gold of truth: what plausible arguments in transcendental phrase bewilder the minds of men, asserting that the affections are be

yond control, as if, in reality, they were not equally intended to be kept under discipline as any other passion; or ignoring the possibility that a love which was unblameable in one combination of circumstances, may become grievously wrong and sinful in another, and that the individual who is lauded for his or her constancy to the object of a blighted attachment, may never think how near that so-called constancy may be to the mental commission of deadly sin, when that object becomes united to another.

As to Gilbert, he in his pride was determined that Margaret should not think he was deeply wounded by her rejection, so by way of practically demonstrating the remark he had condescendingly made to her, that he had no objection to her differing religious principles, he took an early opportunity of proposing to Edith Montague, and was instantly accepted.

Mrs. Dudley heard the announcement with a rather doubtful pleasure, but was ultimately reconciled by the consideration that her idolized Gilbert could do no wrong; while Mrs. Montague, although deeply disappointed that, after having so long put up her darling Bella in the matrimonial market to the highest bidder, she had not gone off first, was at any rate well pleased to be relieved of one daughter.

Ion was no sooner informed of this engagement, than he hastened over to the Hall, anxious to learn what would be Mrs. Dudley's future arrangements, and whether they would be such as to leave Margaret free. His sister welcomed him gladly, and from her he heard that Mrs. Dudley and her daughter would still reside with Gilbert after his marriage, and that the former had told Margaret that she was at liberty to leave the Hall or to remain, exactly as she felt inclined.

Margaret was too intensely joyful for words when she looked up and saw Ion's eyes, and heard his eager words, "Then you will come home to me, dearest? Do you know," he resumed, after a short pause, "that Aunt Philippa is joyfully anticipating such a result to my visit this morning; she wants you, though she says that I and the boys are very agreeable companions. But she has taken to work lately for the benefit of our poor people, and has abandoned literature; for, can you believe it? ever since she put away the Encyclopædia' to nurse Clement, it has never seen the light. There has

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even been some talk of putting it in the fire, but Con, once so inimical to its progress, petitioned loudly for its preservation, and I believe it is to be bestowed upon me."

"How I should like to see it, Ion, it must be charmingly original; but it is a shame to laugh at Aunt Philippa, she is so good and charitable. I think there was something so particularly Christianlike in the way she tolerated our opinions before she understood them, or rather, I ought to say, not ours, but Church principles, always thinking so kindly when others were condemning, and always allowing Mr. Bernard's earnestness and good intentions."

"Yes, it was very good of her, and Con, wild boy, used to delight in startling her with the most extreme, and I must say, unheard-of, views; and now you see, we have her quite on our side, and a real gain, as all sincere persons must be."

"I fancy dear old Jack made her think more highly of unintellectual people."

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Yes, I often think of Mr. Bernard's words about his death, 'except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.' And now there is Con, steadied for life I trust, and the life he sa

crificed for Owen, will I believe win both mother and child to his Master's service."

Margaret remained with Mrs. Dudley and Alice until Gilbert and Edith returned from their wedding tour, and then gladly took her departure to Lester Court, although the bride very graciously joined her husband in assuring her that they would be most happy if she would still continue to make their home hers.

But in joining Ion, she found not only a quiet home, but an extended sphere of usefulness beyond it; and as years passed on, and a band of working sisters was established at Illingham, though she did not feel justified in joining it, now that Miss Pellew's energy was somewhat weakened by advancing age, and her own services were required in superintending Ion's domestic arrangements, yet she gladly co-operated in every possible way with the members. Report, as usual busy, said at first that now Margaret would surely be united to Clement, nothing would better please Ion, and her fortune would be quite sufficient to keep them both in competence; but as their usual brotherly and sisterly intercourse went on as before without any such result, it was whispered that Margaret contemplated joining the Sisterhood. When she did neither, expectant curiosity died away from disappointment, and a failure of the imaginative faculties to invent any solution to that strange problem why the object of their speculations did neither of the things they had fancied she would do; for of course the thought that a single life could be sincerely preferred by a lady who had every possible chance of being married, was ut

terly above the comprehension of the curious. And neither Margaret nor Ion were by nature disposed to be communicative on the subject of their inward convictions; but they lived an active example of the possible dignity of the single life both in men and women, as one devoted to the glory of GOD and the unwearied service of His poor and afflicted.