thought I had heard that he had been ailing for some time."
A quiver passed through the lad at these words, he began to shift his feet uneasily and twirled his fur cap round and round in his hands like a wheel.
"It's rather late in the evening you know, and the state of the roads is very bad," continued the Provst calmly. "But in consideration of the gravity of the case I will not refuse—well, what is it? have you anything else on your mind? I suppose the roads are passable now. Are the lanes dug out?"
"Yes; but—"
"Are they cleared down under the ridge?"
"The snow clearers are out.…"
"Good! go out to your horses and wait, I shall be ready directly."
With these words the Provst waved his hands again and returned to the sitting-room—without paying any attention to a pair of distracted, wide opened eyes, with which the boy followed him out of the room.
When the Provst re-entered the sitting-room and his eye fell upon the curate, who at the same moment came in from the dining-room, a smile suddenly lighted up his face.
"Listen, I have an idea," he exclaimed gaily, "I daresay you heard, Mr Hansted, that there was a message from a sick man in the parish, who wishes to receive the Holy Communion.
