Page:Lippincotts Monthly Magazine-40.djvu/28

18 clear, and artless, as well as Stella's reverent face, might well have helped to bear the lesson home.

Perhaps the two strangers had felt that there was a message in the exalted loveliness of that serene summer Sunday, and it may be they better understood now that this message was, "Lift up your hearts."

A few voices had joined in with Stella's, but they were mostly the low, muffled tones of men, who were too timid to go any further than necessary to show that they were obeying Stella's frequent urgent request that they would "try;" and they seemed no more than a subdued accompaniment to the girl's thrilling tones.

When the service was over, and the greater part of the congregation had gone outside, Dr. Gray opened the Sunday-school with a short prayer, and then, leaving the catechising of the children to Stella, he went out to welcome the visitors, who were Mr. Bertrand and Mr. Hobart.

They were in their flannels and long stockings, as usual, and were half inclined to apologize for not dressing,—a necessity which had not occurred to them beforehand,—and half ashamed to explain to Dr. Gray the object of their mission. It seemed they had been on their way to his house, when some one had told them that he would be found at the school-house, a little nearer at hand, and so they had come here, not, in reality, to attend service, but to see Dr. Gray, the object of their visit being to ask him for some further medical advice concerning their partner, Mr. Bell. They were obliged to act surreptitiously, or they might be forbidden to act at all, Unc. was so autocratic. He had improved rapidly, it seemed, under Dr. Gray's treatment, and they were most anxious that it should he continued. All this was explained by Bertrand, while his friend stood by in silence; but, now that he had finished, Hobart, who had had time to contemplate and master his amazement in recognizing Stella, said, simply,—

"I have just been telling my friend that Miss Gray, your daughter, proves to he an old acquaintance, whom I have been indescribably astonished to see in this unexpected way. I met her, several years ago, ar Mrs. Lacy's house in New York, and I hope she may not have forgotten me."

"Forgotten you! I dare say she remembers you well enough, and will be glad to find you out in the person of a new neighbor. Well, we may get used to most other things, but the strange meetings that come about in this life of ours will give us food for surprise as long as we live, I suppose' Stella will be done with the children presently, and will find it a plea-ant surprise to encounter an old friend outside."

Aquaintance' she will probably call it," answered Hobart; "but