He thought to leave the trio who were in complete accord of sentiment to talk longer over the persecution which Finney endured, but on the little brick path between the flower-beds the evangelist came up with him.
Ephraim was but half pleased.

It was in this brief evening hour that he set his thoughts free, like children at playtime.

Like other students forced to live in invalidish habits, he had established a rule of thought more strict than men of active callings need.

At certain hours he would study his country's social, political needs; at others he would help in his father's farm management; at others he would study some exact science.

But when the measured hours of his day were over, and before he lit his student's lamp, for a while he turned his fancies loose, and they ran all too surely to play about Susannah's charms, about the circumstances of her life.