Maurice  has  renounced  that  infidelity  of  which  I  was
only  partially  aware,  and  is  now  a  Christian."

The  tears  flowed  silently  from  her  eyes  as  she  took
the  extended  letter.  And  Mr.  Maynard,  divining  her
wish,  left  her  to  her  own  thoughts,  saying  to  himself,
as  he  walked  slowly  home,  —

"  She  certainly  does  love  him.  What  strange  mys-
tery can  have  separated  them  ?  "

Marion  pressed  the  letter  to  her  heart,  and  retiring  to
the  solitude  of  her  chamber,  gave  herself  up  to  un-
controllable emotion.  Every  other  feeling  was  merged
in  the  immeasurable  joy  of  that  unexpected  announce-
ment. And  fervent  was  the  outgushing  gratitude  of
her  soul,  as  she  read  the  following  letter  dated  at
Jerusalem :

"  Could  I  sit  down  beside  you,  my  dear  Brother,  I
might,  perhaps,  give  you  some  idea  of  what  my  pen  is
utterly  inadequate  to  convey.  From  your  letters,  I
have  been  aware  that  you  had  but  little  apprehension
of  my  entire  and  confirmed  scepticism.  Yet  I  ought  to
admit  that,  in  my  discussions  with  a  Christian  friend,
there  occasionally  crossed  my  mind  a  vague  suspicion
of  the  fallacy  of  my  rationalistic  conclusions.  By


OR,   HIGHER   THAN   HAPPINESS.  357

speculation,  I  was  a  settled  infidel,  but  the  voice  of  my
better  nature  harmonized  with  the  utterances  of  truth.
