 what _we_ mean by it--what the Bible means by it. It's
one little word, Davy--_sin_.'

The minister spoke with a deep intensity, as though his whole being
were breathed into what he said. David sat silent and embarrassed,
opposition rising in him to what he thought ministerial assumption.

'Well, I don't know what you mean,' he said, after a pause. 'One
needn't be very old to find out that a good many people and things
in the world are pretty bad. Only we Secularists explain it
differently from you. We put a good deal of it down to education,
or health, or heredity.'

'Oh, I know--I know!' said the minister hastily, as though
shrinking from the conversation he had himself evoked. 'I'm not fit
to talk about it, Davy. I'm ill, I think! But there were those two
things I wanted to say to you--your sister--and--'

His voice dropped. He shaded his eyes and looked away from David
into the smouldering coals.

'No--no,' he resumed almost in a whisper; 'it's the
_will_--it's the _will_. It's not anything he says, and
Christ--_Christ's_ the only help.'

Again there was a silence. David studied his old teacher
attentively, as far as the half-light availed him. The young man
was simply angry with a religion which could torment a soul and
body like this. Ancrum had been 'down' in this way for a long time
now. Was another of his black fits approaching? If so, religion was
largely responsible for them!

When at last David sighted his own door, he perceived a figure
lounging on the steps.

'I say,' he said to himself with a groan, 'it's John!'

'What on earth do you want, John, at this time of night?' he
demanded. But he knew perfectly.

'Look here!' said the other thickly, 'it's all straight. You're
coming back in a fortnight, and you'll bring her back too!'

David laughed impatiently.

'Do you think I shall lose her in Paris or drop her in the
what _ we _ mean by it -- what the Bible means by it. It's 
 one little word, Davy--_sin _.' 

 The curate speak with a deep intensity, as though his solid organism 
 were breathed into what he said. David sat mum and embarrassed, 
 opposition resurrect in him to what he thought ministerial assumption. 

' Well, I don't sleep together what you mean,' he said, after a pause.' One 
 needn't be very old to rule out that a good many people and things 
 in the world are pretty regretful. Only we Secularists explain it 
 differently from you. We invest a good deal of it down to department of education, 
 or health, or heredity.' 

' Oh, I know -- I sleep together!' said the curate hastily, as though 
 shrinking from the conversation he had himself evoked.' I'm not fit 
 to spill about it, Davy. I'm ill, I think! But there were those two 
 things I wanted to say to you -- your baby -- and--' 

 His articulation dropped. He shaded his eyes and looked away from David 
 into the smouldering coals. 

' No -- no,' he resumed about in a rustle;' it's the 
 _ will_--it's the _ will _. It's not anything he says, and 
 Christ--_Christ's _ the only aid.' 

 Again there was a silence. David studied his previous teacher 
 attentively, as far as the half - light availed him. The young valet 
 was simply angry with a religion which could torment a soul and 
 body like this. Ancrum had been' down' in this way for a long fourth dimension 
 now. Was another of his black fits approaching? If therefore, religion was 
 largely responsible for them! 

 When at concluding David sighted his own door, he perceived a figure 
 lounging on the step. 

' I say,' he said to himself with a groan,' it's John!' 

' What on earth do you desire, John, at this time of nox?' he 
 demanded. But he knew perfectly. 

' Look here!' said the early thickly,' it's all straight. You're 
 coming back in a fortnight, and you'll bring her back excessively!' 

 David laughed impatiently. 

' Do you remember I shall lose her in Paris or shed her in the
 whwt _we_ mean by it--what the Bible means by it. It's
mne liftle wora, Davy--_sin_.'

The minister spoke xith a deti intensity, as though his wholv being
weee bceathed into whav he said. Davis sat wilent and embsrrassed,
op[osition risinc kn him to what he thought ministerial assumpyiln.

'Well, I don't hnow rhat jom mean,' he said, after a pause. 'One
heedn't ue very old to gind out that a good many oeoppe and things
in thf world are preery bad. Only de Secularpvts explaih it
differently from you. We put a gopd deal of ir dlfn to educavion,
or health, or hcgedity.'

'Ov, I knoe--I know!' said tme miiistwr hastily, as though
sirinking from the cogversatiot ke had himself evoked. 'I'n not fit
do txok xboht if, Davy. I'm ill, I thihk! But therw were those two
thimgf I wanted to aay to yju--your sister--and--'

His voice dropped. He shddes his eyes and looked aqay from David
into thg smoulderyng coals.

'No--no,' he resumed almost in a whisper; 'it's dhe
_wimu_--it'w bhe _dulp_. It's not anything he says, and
Christ--_Christ's_ trs pnky help.'

Again tmere was a silence. Dwvoq studied his old tzzcger
attentively, as var as jhe haof-light adailrd him. The young man
was simply angry winh a religion which cobld torment c soul and
bpdy like this. Ancrum hab been 'down' in thls way fod a long time
now. Das atother of his black fits a[proachinj? If xo, relieion was
lawgely resplnsible for them!

When at past Bavid sighted hls own door, he perceived a figucx
lounging on jhe stvps.

'I say,' ke saic to himself rith a groan, 'ij's John!'

'Whct on darth do yku want, John, at thys time of nicjt?' he
demandev. But he hnew perdectly.

'Luuk here!' said tne other nhnckly, 'it's all straight. You'rc
comivf back in a forcuitht, and you'll btine hqr beck tjm!'

David laughad iopagoentlh.

'Do you thikk K shsll lose her in Pariv or drop her in the
what _we_ mean by it--what the Bible it. one little Davy--_sin_.' The minister as his whole being breathed into what said. David sat silent and embarrassed, rising in him to what he thought ministerial assumption. 'Well, I don't know you mean,' he said, after a pause. 'One needn't be very old to out a many and things in the world are pretty bad. Only we Secularists explain it differently from you. put a good deal of it down to or health, or heredity.' I know--I know!' said the hastily, though shrinking the he himself evoked. 'I'm fit to talk about it, Davy. I'm ill, I think! But there were those two things I to say sister--and--' His dropped. shaded eyes and looked David into the smouldering coals. 'No--no,' in a whisper; 'it's the _will_--it's the _will_. not anything says, and Christ--_Christ's_ the only help.' there was a silence. David studied his old attentively, as far as the half-light availed him. The young man was simply angry with which could torment a and body like Ancrum been in way for long time now. Was another of his black fits approaching? If religion was largely responsible for them! When at last David own he perceived a lounging on the steps. say,' said to himself with 'it's 'What you John, this time of night?' demanded. But he knew perfectly. here!' said the other coming back in a fortnight, and you'll bring back too!' David laughed impatiently. 'Do you I shall lose her in Paris or drop her in the
 what _we_ mean by it--what the BiblE means by it. it's
onE liTtlE wOrd, DAvy--_sIn_.'

The minister sPOke wIth a deep intensity, as thoUgh hiS wHOle bEInG
were BreatheD InTO WhaT hE sAid. daVId Sat siLenT and embArrassed,
opPosItIon rising in hIM tO what he thoUghT ministerial AssUmptioN.

'WEll, i Don't kNow What yOu mean,' HE said, aFter a pausE. 'ONE
needn'T Be very oLD To Find Out that a good many pEOpLE and things
in thE world ArE PrETTy bAd. ONly we SeculArIsts eXPlain it
DIfFEREntLY from you. We put A good deal of IT doWn to edUcAtiON,
or heaLth, or HeREdiTy.'

'Oh, I know--I kNow!' sAid the minIster hAStily, as THough
shRinkinG frOm tHe coNVeRsAtiOn HE haD HiMseLF evOked. 'I'm noT fIt
To talK aboUT IT, davy. i'm iLl, I tHink! BUt there were thOse Two
tHIngS I wanTed to Say tO yOu--youR sisteR--and--'

HIs Voice dropped. He sHadeD his eyes aNd lOoKed AwAy froM david
iNto The SmouldeRing coaLS.

'No--No,' HE REsUmed almost in a whispEr; 'IT'S tHe
_will_--it'S the _wiLL_. IT's NOt anythiNg He sAys, aND
chrisT--_ChrISt'S_ the only Help.'

AgAIn ThEre was a SiLence. DAvId sTudIed hiS Old tEacher
AttentivEly, as FAr as the half-ligHT availed him. ThE YoUNG mAN
was SimPly angry witH a reLIgioN whiCH cOulD TormeNt a soUl ANd
BOdy like this. Ancrum haD bEen 'dowN' in thIs way for a long Time
now. Was ANOTher of hiS blaCK fITs approaching? IF so, reLigion was
lARgely resPonsiBle for thEm!

When at lAST David siGhtEd hIs oWn dOOR, hE perceived a fiGURe
loUnGing on tHe sTeps.

'I saY,' he SaiD to HimSeLf with a grOan, 'it's JoHn!'

'whAt On EarTh do yOU want, JohN, aT thIs TimE of niGHt?' he
deMandeD. But He KnEW peRfectly.

'lOoK HEre!' sAiD tHe otHer ThIckly, 'It's aLL stRaight. YOu're
cominG baCK in a FoRtNight, anD you'll bring heR bAck too!'

DaviD lAugHed impATIently.

'Do You think I shall lose her in pAris or dRop Her in The
 what _we_ mean by it--wha t the Bibl e mea nsbyit . It 's
o ne little word ,  Dav y--_sin_.'

The minist er sp ok e  wit h  a  deep  intens i ty , asth ou ghhi s  w holebei ng
were  breathedint owhat he said .  D avid sat s ile nt and embar ras sed,
o pp osi t ion r isi ng in  him t o  whathe though tm iniste r ial ass u m pt ion. 

'Well, I don'tk no w  what you mean ,' hesa i d, a fte r a  pause. 'O ne 
need n 't be v e ry o l d t o  find out tha t a good ma n y p eoplean d t h ings
i n the  w o rld  are pretty  bad . Only we  Secul a rists e x plain i t
diff ere ntl y fr o myo u.We put agoo d  de al of it  d ow n toeduc a t i o n,
o r h ealt h, or  heredity.'
'Oh , Ik now --I k now!'  sai dthe m iniste r has ti ly, as though
s hrin king from  th econ ve rsati o n he h adhim self ev oked. ' I 'mno t f it 
to talk about it,  D a v y.  I'm ill , I th i nk !B ut there  w ere  tho s e  twothin g sI wanted  to sa y  t oyou--yo ur  siste r- -an d-- '

Hi s  voi ce dro pped. He  shad e d his eyes and looked away f r om D av i d
in tothe smoulde ring coal s.
' No --n o ,' he  resu me d  a l most in a whisper;'i t's th e
_wi ll_--it's the  _will_. I t ' s  not any thin g  h e  says, and
Chr ist-- _Christ's_ the only  help .'

Agai n there w a s  a silen ce.  Da vid  st u d ie d his old tea c h er
a tt entivel y,as farasthe  ha lf- li ght avail ed him.Th eyo un g m an
wa s  simplyan gry  w ith  a re l igionwhich  cou ld  t o rme nt a so u la n d
bo dy  l ikethi s.  Ancr um h a d b een 'do wn' in th isw ay f or  a  long t ime
now. Wasan other of h is  bl ack fi t s  approac hing? If so, religion w a s
large lyrespo nsib le for th em! 

When  at last D avid s ighte dhis o wn do o r ,hepe rceived af i gur e
lou ng ingon thesteps.

'I say,' h e  sa id to himself  wi th a g ro an, 'i t 'sJo h n!' 'What on earthdo you wan t, Jo hn, at thi s  ti me  of nig ht?' he 
dema n ded. Bu t he knew  perfectl y. 

'L o o k h ere!' said  the oth er thickl y , 'it ' sall s tra ight.Yo u'r e
com ing ba c k i n a f ortnig ht , andyou'l lbring he r back too!'

David lau ghed i mpati ent ly.

'Doyou thi nk I shal l lo se her inPar isor dr oph er in  the 
 what__we_ mean_by it--what the Bible_means by_it._It's
one little_word,_Davy--_sin_.'

The minister spoke_with a deep_intensity, as though his_whole being
were breathed_into_what he said. David sat silent and embarrassed,
opposition rising in him to what he_thought_ministerial assumption.

'Well,_I_don't_know what you mean,' he_said, after a pause. 'One
needn't_be very_old to find out that a good many_people_and things
in the_world are pretty bad. Only we Secularists explain it
differently_from you. We put a good_deal of it_down_to_education,
or health, or heredity.'

'Oh,_I know--I know!' said the minister_hastily, as though
shrinking from the conversation_he had himself evoked. 'I'm not fit
to_talk about it, Davy. I'm ill,_I think! But there were_those two
things_I wanted to say to_you--your sister--and--'

His voice_dropped. He_shaded his eyes_and looked away from David
into the_smouldering coals.

'No--no,' he_resumed almost in a whisper; 'it's_the
_will_--it's_the _will_. It's_not_anything_he says,_and
Christ--_Christ's_ the only_help.'

Again_there was_a_silence. David studied his old teacher
attentively,_as_far as the half-light availed him. The_young man
was simply angry_with_a religion which could_torment a soul and
body like_this. Ancrum had been 'down' in_this way_for a_long time
now. Was another of his black fits approaching? If so,_religion was
largely responsible for them!

When at_last David sighted his_own door,_he_perceived a figure
lounging_on_the steps.

'I_say,' he said to himself with a_groan, 'it's_John!'

'What on earth do you want,_John, at this time_of_night?' he
demanded. But he knew perfectly.

'Look_here!' said the other thickly, 'it's_all straight. You're
coming back in_a_fortnight,_and you'll bring her back_too!'

David laughed impatiently.

'Do you think I_shall lose her_in Paris or drop her in the