“And so thou shalt, my beloved, for alone I should be sorely let and hindered.  Anthony shall be our guest and kinsman—­soon to be our brother; for he is without home, and his brother in Dorset is a man of fierce temper, and has sent him a violently accusing letter on hearing what has happened in Oxford, which has cut him to the quick.  He will be in sore need of comfort and repose; and if there be others in like case with him, whose friends will only persecute and revile them, then let them come to us also.  Ours shall be a house of refuge for the distressed and oppressed.

“Thou wilt not refuse to aid me in that task, Magda?  I know that thy heart yearns always over all who suffer from sorrow and pain, even though they may in some sort have brought this upon themselves.”

“I should love such a task,” answered the girl earnestly; “I would ask nothing better myself than to tend and comfort those who have suffered in such a cause.  But thou, Arthur—­how hast thou come to think of such a thing?  Thou hast never been one of the brethren; thou hast never been touched by heresy; thou hast ever deplored the rashness of those who have committed themselves to such courses; and yet thou art showing thyself now the friend of all.”

He looked straight before him with a thoughtful smile.

“These men will be ‘purged from heresy,’ as it is called, ere I offer them the shelter of my house,” he answered.  “I am risking nothing by so doing.  And in truth, sweetheart, if there were somewhat to risk, methinks I would be willing to do the same, if thou didst not shrink from the task.  Whether we study the Scriptures for ourselves, or whether we let the church expound them, one lesson we always learn if we listen and read aright, and that is the lesson of charity.  We are brethren in Christ, if we are bound by no closer tie—­no tie of our own making.  Christ was ever merciful to the sick, the afflicted, the erring, the desolate, and we are bidden to follow in His steps.  He did not shut Himself up behind walls to live the life of meditation; He walked amongst men, and bid men come to Him.  In lesser measure we may surely do the same; and this is what I would fain attempt in these days of trouble for so many—­bind up the broken heart, give medicine to the sick, rest to the weary, cheering and comfort to those who are cast down in spirit.  It may be little we can accomplish, but let us do that little with all our might.  I trust and hope that God will give us His blessing, and grant us power to be a blessing to others.”

Dr. Langton heard Arthur’s proposal with great satisfaction.  He had grown somewhat weary of his life in Oxford, and was desirous of taking a long journey into foreign countries, to pursue there some studies which would require the assistance of foreign libraries.  Moreover, the frequent outbreaks of sickness now sweeping over Oxford, and especially during the summer months, had aroused his concern, and made him anxious to remove his daughters into some more healthy place.  Latterly this matter had appeared likely to arrange itself, with the betrothal of the girls respectively to Anthony Dalaber and Arthur Cole.  Still there might be a lapse of several years between betrothal and marriage, and he was seriously meditating the best course to pursue, when Arthur’s proposition came as a solution of the problem.