" May I sit with you if I do ?sx " .sx Perhaps I put a little too much ardour into my tones .sx Anyhow , her face changed like magic .sx " I don't say that , " she replied .sx " Besides , there are pews set apart for the Grammar School masters , and it would not be fitting if you went into the Hall pew , leaving your own place vacant .sx But what about a compromise ?sx " and she laughed again .sx " I am on my way to church now ; Pendarsick , " she added , " is just behind the hill yonder - and if I don't waste any more time , I shall be in time for the beginning of the service .sx That being the case , you can , if you like , walk with me to the churchyard gates .sx " " Is that all ?sx " I asked , laughingly .sx " It is all I dare , " she half whispered .sx Shall we make a bargain of it ?sx " .sx " I'll go as far as the churchyard gates , anyhow , " I replied , and turning , I walked with her .sx " What were you telling me about the young Methodist minister you were going to hear to-night ?sx " she asked , after we had gone a few steps .sx " Only that I met him yesterday , and I liked him , " I replied .sx " For that matter , I can't understand his coming to St. Budock .sx " " Why not ?sx " .sx " Well , when the best is said about it , " I replied , " it is only a little out of the way hole , and why such a fellow as he should become a minister here is beyond my comprehension .sx " " But why ?sx Is he anything out of the ordinary ?sx " and I thought I caught a tone of more than mere curiosity in her voice .sx " He is the brainiest fellow I have met with for a long time , " I replied .sx " He has taken an Arts degree in the -University , and is also a Bachelor of Divinity in the - " .sx " Bachelor of Divinity !sx " she interrupted .sx " I don't know much about such things , but doesn't that mean a lot ?sx " .sx " If it is gained by examinations ; it does mean a lot , " I replied .sx " Of course , the old Universities give an honorary degree of D.D. to men when they are appointed deans or bishops , but there are only a comparatively few who obtain a Divinity degree by examinations .sx You see , it means a dickens of a lot .sx " " What does it mean ?sx " she asked , and this time there was no attempt to suppress the eagerness in her voice .sx " Well , take languages , for one thing , " I replied .sx " I can't speak with absolute certainty , but I am practically sure that it means a working knowledge of Hebrew , and Sanscrit , and Arabic , and Aramic , as well as Greek and Latin .sx " " Good lor' !sx " cried the girl .sx " And this Mr. Tremaine , as I think you called him , possesses a B.D. degree ?sx " I never called him anything , " I replied .sx " I simply said I met a Methodist minister .sx " She blushed violently .sx " How did you know his name ?sx " I went on .sx " Have you met him somewhere ?sx " .sx She gave a quick glance around her , and then looking at me almost apologetically , she answered :sx " I think I met him last week here in the town , and someone told me he was the new Methodist minister .sx " " Well , how did he strike you ?sx " I asked .sx She did not answer my question .sx Perhaps it was because we were nearing the lych gates of the old church-yard at that time , and saw a man and a woman making their way to the church to whom she bowed cordially .sx " How did Tremaine strike you ?sx " I persisted .sx Why I asked her the question a second time I was not sure ; but something impelled me to do so .sx Again she refrained from answering , but led the way down the churchyard path .sx " Don't I feel virtuous !sx " she said , as we neared the old church porch .sx " Why ?sx How ?sx " " Haven't I rescued a worldling from his wicked ways ?sx " she laughed .sx " And haven't I brought that same worldling to church this morning ?sx Surely I shall have my reward , Mr. Vyvian ?sx " .sx " I'll tell you when I have heard the Rector preach , " I replied .sx " If I suffer too much , I shan't forgive you easily .sx " " Don't expect too much , " she replied .sx " He can't preach for toffee , and - and I expect my father will do his best to get rid of him .sx " " Why ?sx " I asked .sx " He is terribly ritualistic , and would like to introduce incense , and the confessional , and all that sort of thing .sx He would do it , too , but for father .sx As one of the chapel people said to me the other day , our rector believes in salvation by millinery .sx Good morning , Mr. Vyvian , and .sx be sure to get on good terms with my father .sx We might meet again if you do !sx " and with a mischievous laugh she left me , and made her way from the church porch , by which I was standing , to a side door which led to what was called the Hall pew .sx There were not many people in the church that morning .sx Possibly about fifty or sixty , and very little interest was manifested in what took place .sx The Rector , as I was told afterwards , who had only been to one of the small church colleges , was anxious to pass among the villagers as a 'Varsity man , and had , accordingly , adopted what he called the ` Oxford manner .sx ' This , however , was so badly done that I could not help laughing .sx His idea of the ` Oxford manner' seeming to be to pronounce English in an ununderstandable drawl , and to read the Prayer Book as though it were written in a foreign language .sx Still , the choir boys had musical voices , and as I caught something of the quiet restfulness of the building itself , I was not sorry I had yielded to Miss Abigail's blandishments , and found my way to the church that morning .sx That was until the sermon time .sx Then , for nearly twenty minutes , the Rector insulted the intelligence of any intelligent person who might have been there .sx I will not , however , enlarge upon this .sx I might become a little blasphemous if I did .sx On leaving the church , I looked out for Abigail Pendarsick again , but could not see her anywhere .sx Assuming , therefore , that she was delayed by her father , I made my way to Mrs. Polsue's cottage , thinking a good deal about my meeting with the squire's daughter .sx When four o'clock came I , according to the arrangement I had made with Mr. John Bunyan on the previous night , made my way to his house .sx He had insisted , according to the hospitality so common in the county , on my coming there in time for tea ; and then , just after the clock had struck six , we left the house , and made our way towards the Methodist chapel .sx I do not know why it should have been so , but a strange feeling possessed me as I made my way down the village street by Mr. Bunyan's side .sx As I have said , although more than twenty-one years of age , I had never yet entered a Methodist chapel .sx As I have mentioned , moreover , church-going had but little attraction for me .sx Therefore , to find my way to a Methodist chapel , or , indeed , to a .sx Nonconformist building of any sort , was something entirely out of accord with what I had been accustomed to .sx But that was not all .sx The thought of hearing Tremaine preach had a kind of peculiar fascination for me , and almost excited me .sx Not that I expected him to say anything startling , or that his message would , in any way , affect me out of the ordinary .sx And yet , as presently I turned down a little side street which led to the chapel , I found my heart beating more rapidly than was its wont .sx " My pew is the back one on the right-hand side in the centre , " Mr. Bunyan whispered to me as we made our way along the lane which led to the chapel .sx As I entered the chapel everything appeared to be dark .sx The sky , which in the morning had been bright and sunny , had become overclouded ; while the geographical position of the building made brightness almost impossible .sx Added to this , the lamps which were supposed to illumine the building were out of order .sx Three of them smoked badly ; while the remaining ones gave only a flickering light .sx Indeed , I was in the chapel for nearly a minute before I could gain a clear outline either of its shape or dimensions .sx I saw , however , that a number of people had already gathered .sx The light was too poor for me to see who they were , but I judged , although it was ten minutes before service time , that the place was nearly full .sx " It would seem as though Tremaine is popular , " I reflected , as I watched the dim outlines of the people filling up the pews .sx " There must be considerably more people here now than were to be found in the parish church this morning .sx " I did not know then , however , that it was the habit of many Nonconformists to absent themselves from places of worship in the morning and to come out in larger numbers in the evening .sx Anyhow , by the time the clock chimed half-past six , the little building was practically full .sx As I have already intimated , Mr. Bunyan's pew was situated at the back of the chapel , and in the middle of the building .sx But he himself was not there .sx Being what was known as the " leading man , " I imagined that he would be in the vestry with the minister .sx As a consequence , I had the pew to myself .sx Just as the clock chimed the half-hour I saw Tremaine enter the chapel from a doorway close to the pulpit steps , followed by Mr. Bunyan , who made his way to the pew where I was sitting .sx Before he reached me , however , something happened .sx Two women entered the chapel close beside me , and were looking around them in evident doubt as to what they ought to do .sx As I have said , there was scarcely any light , especially in the back part of the building , and I could not discern their faces .sx But this was not all .sx Both of them were so closely veiled that even had the light been ordinary , it would have been impossible to discern their features .sx Both of them looked around them , as I thought , fearfully , and seemed on the point of rushing out of the building .sx Why it was I did not know , but acting on impulse , I leaned forward and whispered to them :sx " Come in here , " and a few seconds later they had passed before me into the pew .sx Strangers as they might be to the chapel , they were evidently accustomed to the modes of worship in church buildings , for they immediately knelt down and hid their faces .sx " Who have you got there ?sx " asked Mr. Bunyan , who had by this time reached the pew .sx I shook my head .sx " I don't know , " I replied .sx " Visitors , I expect , " he whispered .sx " There are a good many here to-night , " and he looked around the chapel with evident gratification .sx Looking towards the pulpit , I saw that Tremaine was standing erect , and looking around on the congregation .sx Moreover , he appealed to me as a striking figure .sx As I have said earlier in these pages , when I had met him first he had struck me as a man out of the ordinary .sx While not handsome , his features suggested strength and virility ; and his broad forehead and penetrating eyes suggested a man of more than ordinary acumen .sx By some means or another , too , the lamps in the pulpit had been so manipulated that the light which they shed around them was much superior to that in the rest of the building .sx Where I sat , indeed , was , as I have said , in deep gloom , as was a great part of the rest of the building ; but in the pulpit the light was so clear as to reveal not only Tremaine's features , but also his stalwart form .sx " I don't like it !sx I don't like it !sx Never has such a thing been known in St. Budock the Great before , " I heard Mr. Bunyan mutter .sx " What ?sx " I asked .sx " Don't you see ?sx He is actually wearing a gown ; while that coloured thing on his back is his divinity hood .sx "