What his sensitive nature suffered in that moment no one ever knew, not even his wife, who almost started from her seat, fearing that he was about to faint.

For a moment there was a hesitation about Philip's manner so unusual with him that some thought he was going to leave the church.

But he quickly called on his will to assert its power, and, taking up the regular communion service, he calmly took charge of it as if nothing out of the way had occurred.

He did not even allude to the morning's incident in his prayers.

Whatever else the people might think of Philip, they certainly could find no fault with his self-possession.