Oh, I'm of no importance now--Lewis," she broke off, suddenly,
"who has our house this year?"
"Davis; he wants to re-lease it in May."
"He just takes it by the year, doesn't he?" she asked.
He nodded. "Wants a five-years' lease next time."
"Well, don't give it to him!" she said; and added, frowning:
"You ought to go back yourself, you know. It's foolish for you
to be here. Why, it's almost two years!"
"Time flies," he said, smiling.
She laughed and sighed. "Yes--I mean yee--indeed, it does!
I was just thinking, Lewis, we've been married ten years!"
"No, eight years. We were married just eight years,"
he said, soberly.
The color flew into her face. "Oh, yee; we were married eight
years when I came in."
He looked at her with great tenderness. "Athalia, I have to confess
to you that when you came I didn't think it would last with you.
I distrusted the Holy Spirit. And I came, myself, against my will,
as you know. But now I begin to think you were led--and perhaps you
have led me."
Athalia gave a little gasp--"WHAT!"
"I am not sure yet," he said.
"You said Shakerism was unhuman!" Athalia protested, with a thrill
of panic in her voice.
"Ah!" he cried, his voice suddenly kindling, "you know
what Nathan is always saying?--'That's not against it'?
Athalia, its unhumanness, as you call it, is why I think it
may be of God. The human in us must give way to the divine.
'First that which is natural; then that which is spiritual.
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