"Hark, the herald angels sing," a light quiet step sounded in the empty nave; and Mr. Wood, turning to see who was the new comer, faced Edmund Allardyce. The sight was the more welcome as it was unlooked for, no certain intimation of his return having preceded him: although it was pretty well known at Inverranna station that he was to be back at his office there by the new year. Mr. Wood's brow cleared in an instant as he shook hands warmly with his choir-master. When "Just in the very nick of time," he said in a pleased whisper. "So you have managed to find us out. did you come ?" 66 By the 7.10. was to meet, so I just came on to the church. I hope I'm in time to help you a little?" I heard from Mrs. Ross that the choir That was all he said. The men turned and smiled; and Francie Ross nudged his neighbour and grinned. Francie heard a great deal too much gossip and scandal in his own home, being an only child and chiefly in the society of his elders; and it is to be feared curiosity was the prevailing sentiment in his mind with regard to his "herald angel" just then. Perhaps it was only natural that all who knew what had taken place during his absence should feel curious to see "how he would look" on his return. Isie Donald looked too, but with other feelings than of mere curiosity. She had regarded the conduct of Christina, now Mrs. Milne, with mingled astonishment and horror. That any girl, blessed with the regard and affections of Mr. Allardyce, should wilfully reject them and cast them aside for another, was as monstrous as it was inconceivable in her eyes; but that she should have acted in such a false and heartless manner was still more incredible, and filled her with abhorrence. She had thought of it constantly as she had sat day by day engaged upon Christina's wedding outfit; much of the homelier part of which was given to her to make, as it was wanted quickly. Christina was quite unscrupulous as to how much work she thrust upon her poor little neighbour well knowing that when Isie Donald promised anything by a given time, she never disappointed her employer. Isie had thought long and often of Mr. Allardyce, and how disappointed he must be, and how badly : he had been used, and wondered if he would be very angry. And now here he was amongst them all again, just as usual: looking, perhaps, a little paler and graver than common, a little subdued and sad-but taking his place and entering into his work with as much good will as ever. How good it was of him to come there directly and face them all, she thought! It must be painful and disagreeable; and it was entirely voluntary on his part. His character rose higher in her estimation than ever; and her unexpressed but heartfelt pity and sympathy appeared to draw him nearer to her in some strange mysterious way. It was good of him to have come back then, for he need not unless he had chosen have returned till the evening of Christmas Day. Not that he had a holiday-in his country that day is not generally observed as in England; but he had some business in town then, and might have remained at Fordeveran till that day and come home at night. At first he was very much tempted to do so, and to keep his Christmas festival at one of the churches in town; and had really made up his mind to it, when he received a letter from Mr. Wood, speaking despondingly of the state of the choir, and asking if there was any near prospect of his return. Their Christmas service, it said, would be a very poor affair without him, as far as the music was concerned. So he summoned up all his resolution and settled, without making any promises however, to go home the day that he was free. If the tribute of festal thanksgiving could be more meetly rendered with his poor help than without it, it should not be wanting that Christmas: however little disposed he might feel to put himself forward again, and face the curious eyes and tongues of Inverranna. With his But to return to the choir at S. Adamnan's. appearance there the difficulties seemed to vanish. A few quiet words of direction, and then following the lead of the strong true voice, the other singers fell into time and tune, and the hymns went on bravely. And so the Christmas services went well after all: the Evensong especially, when there was choral service, and a large attendance of worshippers, including Dr. and Mrs. Milne. The former, whose religious convictions, whatever they may have been, were never very strong, had nominally "joined the chapel" for the time, and appeared in faultless attire his bride resplendent in a silk dress, and a real sealskin jacket, on the price of which her neighbours wonderingly speculated, as she rustled down into her seat. They had only just returned from their honeymoon trip; and it was rather singular that on almost her first appearance as a bride in her own church Christina should thus confront her old lover on his return. That choral service was a very happy one to Isie Donald. It was her first experience of anything of the kind; and as she was beginning to understand and enter into the spirit of Church teaching and observances, she was able to appreciate, and not merely wonder at, the bright decorations and the festal music, in which latter she had so important a share. She had improved so much with the constant practice at home, that she was now able to play without difficulty; at least without the painful effort to play correctly that it had formerly been to her. The singing was hearty, and, on the whole, tuneful; and she thought the little choir in their clean white surplices looked beautiful in the brightly lighted chancel-quite like the angels of which Francie was so fond of talking. And looking at the grave, handsome young face opposite to her, at the outer end of the stall, she thought involuntarily of the "herald Angel," and that Francie after all was not so very far wrong. Poor Edmund Allardyce, singing his Christmas hymns with such a sore heart, and no very charitable feelings either towards the man and the woman who have wronged him! Not very like a herald Angel certainly, in his own estimation, as kneeling beside the altar he prays only to be able at last to see and feel that his trial is really the chastisement of a Fatherly Hand, and to bear it, as such, patiently and manfully. F |