"Of course not."

She threw him a quick, bright, happy look, then
glanced again at the chair in which Mrs. Fear had
sat. "Joe," she said, "last night I heard the people
singing in the houses, the old Sunday-evening
way. It `took me back so'!"

"Yes, it would. And something else: there's
one hymn they sing more than any other; it's Canaan's
favorite. Do you know what it is?"

"Is it `Rescue the Perishing'?"

"That's it. `Rescue the Perishing'!" he cried,
and repeating the words again, gave forth a peal
of laughter so hearty that it brought tears to his
eyes. "`RESCUE THE PERISHING'!"

At first she did not understand his laughter,
but, after a moment, she did, and joined her own
to it, though with a certain tremulousness.

"It IS funny, isn't it?" said Joe, wiping the
moisture from his eyes. Then all trace of mirth
left him. "Is it really YOU, sitting here and laughing
with me, Ariel?"

"It seems to be," she answered, in a low voice.