This time he did not look away.
He saw a faint interest, a slight pity, a background of nonchalance.
His cheeks flushed, and the fire of revolt leaped through his veins. He
shut up the Bible and abandoned his carefully prepared discourse, in
which was a mention of hellfire and many gloomy warnings, which would
have brought joy to the heart of Gideon Strong, and to each of which he
would slowly and approvingly have nodded his head. He delivered
instead, with many pauses, but in picturesque and even vivid language, a
long and close account of the miracle with which his text was concerned.
In the midst of it there came from outside the tinkling of many bicycle
bells--the rest of the party had returned in search of their host and
his companion. The Earl looked up with alacrity. He was nicely rested
now, and wanted a cigarette.
"Shall we go?" he whispered.
She nodded and rose. At the door she turned for a moment and looked
backwards. The preacher was in the midst of an elaborate and
painstaking sifting of evidence as to the season of the year during
which this particular miracle might be supposed to have taken place.
Again their eyes met for a moment, and she went out into the sunlight
with a faint smile upon her lips, for she was a woman who loved to feel
herself an influence, and she was swift to understand.
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