But it will trouble her,--it will trouble her." John had dallied with temptation so long, that it had grown bold, and did not always hide under the plea of wisdom, but openly dared him to inflict the pain of grieving his wife upon himself.

He still delayed, yet there were moments when he knew himself a coward, and had to summon every argument of the past to his defense.

But before he reached the parsonage door he had lapsed into such tender thoughts of Helen that he said again, "Not quite yet; it seems to annoy her so to argue upon such things.

I must leave it until I win her to truth by the force of its own constraining beauty.

Little by little I will draw her attention to it.
And I must gradually make my sermons more emphatic." Helen met him at the door, and drew him into the house.