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She flung herself on her knees in a passion of thanksgiving to God for having made her the means of saving a soul from hellyes； for the time being。
And then she began to think what she should do in order that that soul should be saved forever。
It was time for her to dress for dinner before she had finished working out that great question； possibly the greatest question that ever engrossed the attention of a young woman： how to save the soul of a man； not temporarily； but eternally。
And all the time that she was in her room alone she had not a single thought regarding the scene through which she had passed with the Rev。 George Holland。 She had utterly forgotten him and his wickednesshis vain sophistries。 She had forgotten all that he had said to herhis monstrous calumny leveled against her dearest friend； she even forgot her unjust treatment of George Holland and her rudenessher unparalleled rudeness toward him。 She was thinking over something very much more important。 What was a question of mere etiquette compared to the question of saving a man's soul alive？
But when she dined opposite to her father it was to the visit of George Holland she referred rather than to the visit of Herbert Courtland。
〃What had George Holland got to say that was calculated to interest you？〃 her father inquired。 The peaches were on the table and the servant had； of course； left the room。
〃He had nothing to say of interest to me；〃 she replied。
〃Nothing； except； of course； that his respectful aspiration to marry you〃 suggested Mr。 Ayrton。
〃You need not put the 'except' before that； my papa；〃 said she。
〃And yet I have for some years been under the impression that even when a man whom she recoils from marrying talks to a young woman about his aspirations in the direction of marriage； she is more interested than she would be when the man whom she wishes to marry talks on some other topic。〃
〃At any rate； George Holland didn't interest me so long as he talked of his aspirations。 Then he talked ofwell； of something else； and I'm afraid that I was rude to him。 I don't think that he will come here again。 I know that I shall never go to St。 Chad's again。〃
〃Heavens above！ This is a pretty story to tell a father。 How were you rude to him？ I should like to have a story of your rudeness； merely to hold up against you for a future emergency。〃
〃I pointed to the door in the attitude of the heroine of one of the old plays； and when he didn't leave at once； I left the room。〃
〃You mean to say that you left him standing in the middle of the room while you went away？〃
〃I told you that I was rude。〃
〃Rude； yes； but it's one thing to omit to leave cards upon a hostess； and quite another to stare her in the face when she bows to you in the street。 It's one thing to omit sending a man a piece of your bridescake； and quite another to knock off his hat in the street。 Rude； oh； my dear Phyllis！〃
〃If you knew what he said aboutabout someone whom I loveif you knew how angry I was； you would not say that I acted so atrociously； after all。〃
〃Oh！ Did he say something more about Ruth？〃
〃He said too muchfar too much； I cannot tell you。 If any other man said so much I would treat him in the same way。 You must not ask me anything further； please。〃
〃Rude and unrepentant； shocking and not ashamed。 This is terrible。 But perhaps it's better that you should be rude when you're young and beautiful； later on； when you're no longer young； it will not be permitted in you。 I'll question you no further。 Only how about Sunday？〃
〃I have promised Ella to go with her party to The Mooring for a week。〃
〃That will get over the matter of the church； but only for one Sunday。 How about the next Sundaysuntil the prorogation？ Now； don't say the obvious 'sufficient unto the Sunday is the sermon thereof。' 〃
〃I certainly will not。 I have done forever with St。 Chad's； unless the bishop interferes and we get a new rector。〃
〃Then that's settled。 And so we can drink our coffee in the drawing room with easy minds。 Rude！ Great Heavens！〃
CHAPTER XXVII。
THAT'S WHY WOMEN DO NOT MAKE GOOD PHILOSOPHERS。
She had prayed to God that he might be kept away from her； but immediately afterward； as has already been stated； when she began to think over the situation of the hour； she came to the conclusion that she had been a little too precipitate in her petition。 She felt that she would like to ask him how it had come about that he had played that contemptible part。 Such a contemptible part！ Was it on record； she wondered； that any man had ever played that contemptible part？ To run away！ And she had designed and worn that wonderful toilet； such a toilet as Helen might have worn （she thought）； such a toilet as Cleopatra might have worn （she fancied）； such a toilet asas Sarah Bernhardt （she was certain） would wear when impersonating a woman who had lost her soul for the love of a man。 Oh； had ever woman been so humiliated！ She thought of the way Sarah Bernhardt would act the part of one of those women if her lover had run away from her outstretched arms；and such a toilet；only it was not on record that the lover of any one of them had ever run away。 The lovers had been only too faithful； they had remained to be hacked to pieces with a mediaeval knife sparkling with jewels； or to swallow some curious poison out of a Byzantine goblet。 She would have a word or two to say to Herbert Courtland when he returned。 She would create the part of the woman whose lover has humiliated her。
This was her thought until her husband told her that he had sent that letter to Herbert Courtland； and he would most likely dine with them on the evening of his return。
Then it was it occurred to her that Herbert Courtland might by some curious mischancemischances occurred in many of Sarah Bernhardt's playshave come to hear that she had paid that rather singular visit to Phyllis Ayrton； just at the hour that she had named in that letter which she had written to him。 What difference did that make in regard to his unparalleled flight？ He was actually aboard the yacht /Water Nymph/ before she had rung for her brougham to take her to Phyllis'。 He had been the first to fly。
Then she began to think； as she had thought once before； of her husband's sudden return；the return of a husband at the exact hour named in the letter to a lover was by no means an unknown incident in a play of Sarah Bernhardt's；and before she had continued upon this course of thought for many minutes； she had come to the conclusion that she would not be too hard on Herbert Courtland。
She was not too hard on him。
He had an interview with Mr。 Linton at the city offices of the great Taragonda Creek Mine。 （The mine had； as has already been stated； been discovered by Herbert Courtland during his early explorations in Australia； and he had acquired out of his somewhat slender resources he had been poor in those daysabout a square mile of the wretched country where it was situated； and had then communicated his discovery to Stephen Linton； who understood the science and arts necessary for utilizing such a discovery； the result being that in two years everyone connected with the Taragonda Mine was rich。 The sweepings of the crushing rooms were worth twenty thousand pounds a year： and Herbert Courtland had spent about ten thousand poundsa fourth of his year's incomein the quest of the meteor…bird to make a feather fan for Ella Linton。） And when the business for which he had been summoned to London had been set /en train/； he had paid a visit to his publishers。 （They wondered could he give them a novel on New Guinea。 If he introduced plenty of dialect and it was sufficiently unintelligible it might thrust the kail yard out of the market； but the novel must be in dialect； they assured him。） After promising to give the matter his attention； he paid his visit to Phyllis； and then went to his rooms to dress； for when Stephen Linton had said：
〃Of course you'll dine with us to…night： I told Ella you would come。〃
He had said； 〃Thanks； I shall be very pleased。〃
〃Come early； eight sharp；〃 Mr。 Linton had added。
And thus it was that at five minutes to eight o'clock Herbert found himself face to face alone with the woman whom he had so grossly humiliated。
Perhaps she was hard on him after all： she addressed him as Mr。 Courtland。 She felt that she； at any rate； had returned to the straight path of duty when she had done that。 （It was Herbert Courtland who had talked to Phyllis of the modern philosophera political philosopher or a philosophical politicianwho； writing against compromise； became the leading exponent of that science； and had hoped to solve the question of a Deity by using a small g in spelling God。 On the same principle Ella had called Herbert 〃Mr。 Courtland。〃）
He felt uneasy。 Was he ashamed of himself； she wondered？
〃Stephen will be down in a moment； Mr。 Courtland；〃 she said。
He was glad to hear it。
〃How warm it has been all day！〃 she added。 〃I thought of you toiling away over figures in the city； when you might have been breathing the lovely air of the sea。 It was too bad of Stephen to bring you back。〃
〃I assure you I was glad to get his letter at Leith；〃 said he。 〃I was thinking for the two