Alice looked so perplexed that Sylvia felt herself bound to explain.

’She says he’s either a soldier or a sailor, and a long way off at some place named in t’ Bible.’

‘Philip Hepburn led away to be a soldier!’ said she, ’who had once been a Quaker?’

’Yes, and a very brave one too, and one that it would do my heart good to look upon,’ exclaimed Mrs. Kinraid.  ’He’s been saving my husband’s life in the Holy Land, where Jerusalem is, you know.’

‘Nay!’ said Alice, a little scornfully.  ’I can forgive Sylvia for not being over keen to credit thy news.  Her man of peace becoming a man of war; and suffered to enter Jerusalem, which is a heavenly and a typical city at this time; while me, as is one of the elect, is obliged to go on dwelling in Monkshaven, just like any other body.’

‘Nay, but,’ said Mrs. Kinraid, gently, seeing she was touching on delicate ground, ’I did not say he had gone to Jerusalem, but my husband saw him in those parts, and he was doing his duty like a brave, good man; ay, and more than his duty; and, you may take my word for it, he’ll be at home some day soon, and all I beg is that you’ll let the captain and me know, for I’m sure if we can, we’ll both come and pay our respects to him.  And I’m very glad I’ve seen you,’ said she, rising to go, and putting out her hand to shake that of Sylvia; ’for, besides being Hepburn’s wife, I’m pretty sure I’ve heard the captain speak of you; and if ever you come to Bristol I hope you’ll come and see us on Clifton Downs.’

She went away, leaving Sylvia almost stunned by the new ideas presented to her.  Philip a soldier!  Philip in a battle, risking his life.  Most strange of all, Charley and Philip once more meeting together, not as rivals or as foes, but as saviour and saved!  Add to all this the conviction, strengthened by every word that happy, loving wife had uttered, that Kinraid’s old, passionate love for herself had faded away and vanished utterly:  its very existence apparently blotted out of his memory.  She had torn up her love for him by the roots, but she felt as if she could never forget that it had been.

Hester brought back Bella to her mother.  She had not liked to interrupt the conversation with the strange lady before; and now she found her mother in an obvious state of excitement; Sylvia quieter than usual.

‘That was Kinraid’s wife, Hester!  Him that was th’ specksioneer as made such a noise about t’ place at the time of Darley’s death.  He’s now a captain—­a navy captain, according to what she says.  And she’d fain have us believe that Philip is abiding in all manner of Scripture places; places as has been long done away with, but the similitude whereof is in the heavens, where the elect shall one day see them.  And she says Philip is there, and a soldier, and that he saved her husband’s life, and is coming home soon.  I wonder what John and Jeremiah ’ll say to his soldiering then?  It’ll noane be to their taste, I’m thinking.’