But Winifred was not happy when she thought of him.  His coming gave her pleasure always, and it was anticipated with a shy new consciousness since the night they had read each other’s hearts more certainly through the tell-tale windows of their eyes.  But though his coming gave her pleasure, it left her always with a disappointment.  Concerning the one thing that had come to be the most vital interest in her life they were not in sympathy.  Sometimes when the beauties in Christ Jesus seemed most patent to her own soul, it seemed that he must surely see them if represented to him.  But the mention of that Name froze upon her lips when met with the usual bantering jest, or indifferent acquiescence, accompanied by a look at his watch or the sudden memory of an engagement.  The conviction could not be denied that a wall as thick as that of a tomb stood between them in matters of the spirit.

“He is dead,” she confessed to herself in honest grief, “as dead as I was before my quickening—­just as it says in the Ephesians.  He makes no more response to spiritual things than would one of the people in their graves in the cemetery if I talked to them.  And what fellowship can life have with death?  But—­but—­I love him!”

The Flesh cried out for the sovereignty of human love, but the Spirit argued for the reign of Christ.  Between the two the Soul stood, a tortured arbiter, and heard the cause.

The Spirit pleaded: 

“O Soul, if to you to live is Christ, why do you bring into your life’s closest fellowship an alien to Him?  Why do you give the supremest place of earthly relationship, pledging life-long loyalty and obedience, to one whose mind is foreign—­even ’enmity’—­to the law of Christ?  Can you follow the course of life he would plan, and still serve Christ?  Can two walk together except they be agreed?”

“You might win him,” the Flesh pleaded.  “A woman’s power is very great.  Remember he loves you.”

“I have no power now,” the Soul ruled.

“You might have eventually,” the Flesh persisted.  “The example of a godly life will win.”

“You cannot live a godly life while you walk with him,” interposed the Spirit. “‘The friendship of the world is enmity with God.’”

Winifred was startled.  “That is a very strong text,” she thought.  “But it probably doesn’t mean that.  Godly women have lived Christian lives with very ungodly husbands.”

“But they did not walk together,” argued a voice.  “They were only in part united.  In the realm of the spirit—­the realm that should lead—­they were divided.”

“There is encouragement held out to believing wives in the Scripture,” suggested one who knows how to quote Scripture for his purpose, “that they may win their unbelieving husbands by their chaste behavior.”

“There is no encouragement given to believing women to marry unbelieving men,” said the Spirit defensively.  “A woman whose faith finds her so united may have hope.  But can you expect the favor of God upon a mission undertaken in disobedience?”