A Sin Not To Be Forgiven

fCONCLUDED.] A lecture by the Rev. Robert Collyer struck him as most iikely to be popular. It abounded in incidents of country boys coming to high positions by unremitting toil and determination. He read the lecture weU, with much of the hearty manner in which it was originally delivered, for he was a capital actor in amateur theatricals, and wa3 aecustomed to amuse nis friends by giving "personations" of the different public men with whom he was familiar. While in the full flight of successful oratory, while he feit that every eye in the houss was flxed upon him, and that perhaps no one present had ever heard more effective speaking, his eye which ran before his tongue, discovered a danger in the path. Mr. Collyer spoke of his own early experiences, of the cottage in Yorkshire with its floor so white that you might have eaten your dinner from it, with no hann to anything but the floor; and Halsey in his anxiety to escape this trap feil into a worae one, for skipping the description of his English childhood, he launched inconsiderately into particulars of his thirst for study and reading as a youth, how "The Pilgrim's Progress" and one or two other books were the constant companions of the forge. Halsey's white and shapely hands hardly carried out the assertion that he had been trained to a blacksmith's trade; but his hearers did not stop to consider this. They accepted what he said as true, and listeded to the brave earnest words with kindling enthusiasm. Halsey flnished his sermón in an agony of apprehension. He wiped away the beads of perspiration from his forehead, and during the singing of the last hymn regarded the congregation furtiveiy from behind his handkerchief, expecting in some faces at least to read scorn and denunciation. Instead of this there was a look of pleased surprise and admiration on every countenance. He turned slowly to the right, where the choir sat. There, too, an open eyed and open mouthed delight was ererywhere displayed. There was one face, however, which he could not see, though he would have given much to have known its expression. The doctor's niece sat at the cabinet organ, with her back toward him- a lithe, willowy figure, using the pedáis with vigor and the stops with a freedom and grace which betokened more skill than was usual with the organist of a country choir. Her auburn hair was knotted in a loóse, abundant mass on her delicate neck. Her bonnet was a dainty creation, with a decidedly Parisian air, and her hands, though ringless, were exquisitely modeled. "Take her to the city," Halsey thought, "and no one would detect her country training." Then camo a swift eonviction that this was no rural maiden; everything combined to indicate the influence of the city. Yes, he was in danger of detection, and it was from this quarter that he must guard against it. After the close of service the superintendent of the Sabbath school was introduced, and Halsey was invited to take the Bible class. He found himself Ironted by three seats full of whispering and giggling young misses, who relapsed into apparently awe struck silence upon his introduction. Prominent among them were the two Misses Pearce, and Halsey remarked inconsiderately : "I have brought your lantern, as you suggested. It is behind the outer door." His announcement was greeted by a violent blush on the part of the older Miss Pearce, and a giggle from her sister, which started a subdued titter throughout the entire class. Halsey dimly perceived that Miss Pearce looked upon his attendance upon her the night before as a romantic secret, which his too public return of the lantern had thoughtlessly divulged. After the opening hymn the doctor's niece left the organ and took her seat before him. The look of surprise and shy appreciation which he had thought he had discoTered in her face the night before, had given place to a puzzled doubt, a grave wonder which showed , that something in the morning's sermón had troubled her. Halsey's glance feil before her earnest one- he could not confront those questioning, truth loving eyes. The lesson of the day told of the early inhabitants of Canaan. As they read the text he asked himself what he knew or could teil them of the Girgashites, the Amalekites, the Perizzites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hi vites and the Jebusites. At the close oí the readiug the doctor's nicce asked a question: "The BibleDictionary says that the desoendants of these tribes are the Bedouin Arabs. Will you teil us something of your experience among them?" "Who told you that I have had any sueh experience:;'" he asked, siniling, while afear of detectio-i seemed to numb all lus faculties. "In your very interesting talk at prayer meeting last evening you described the Jericho road, and incidentally referred to the Bedouins in a way only possible to ono who had seen both." Halsey breathed more freely. He thought he could explain al) satisfaetorily, though it was certainly unfortunato that he had given Mr. Beecher's descriptiou of the Jericho road in the words of an eyo wituess. "My Palestine torwas a rery meager one," he apologized. "It was uiiiy una ui tooKS vacación tickets. 1 caunot presume to any deep knowledge of the manners and customs of the Orientáis," and then as he had recently read Bayard Taylor's "Land of the Saracen" and Warner's "In the Levant," he proceeded to give interesting descriptions of imaginary adventures among the Arabs. The superintendente bell sounded as he was describing a bazar at Damascus, and to his confusión he found that he had not touched upon the lesson, or given any ethnological information concerning the Jebusites and the Girgashites. Nevertheless, the fact remained that the class had been vastly entertained. He had ascertained, too, by a roundabout questioning, of whieh he was heartily ashamed, that however conversant the doctor's niece might be with other cities, she had never been in New York, except to pass trom the urand Central to the Jersey City depot, and had nevar heard any of the New York ministers. In the aftemoon Halsey walkod over to the parsonage, hoping to have a chat with Oriënt. Instead of this the doctor I ceived him in his study and talked divinity until Halsey was in a cold perspiration. It ; was only by the sharpest exweise of his I nltie and by constant deference to hls senior's opinions upon all points of dogma that he escaped suspicion. After an hour oí this ordeal Halsey issued from the study, feeling that he had undergone the horrors of the inquisition. All sport had vanished from the situation; he was a guilty criminal who had baffled his detectives momentarily, but who would be surely dragged down sooner or late, and that without meruy. He caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror in the hall hatrack and was startled by its haggard expression. He had taken his walking stick, when a burst of song floated out from the drawing room. It was "Jesus, Lover of My Soul," sung to Abt's sweetest of melodies. The doctor laid a detaining hand upon his arm. "It is our family custom to spend the Sabbath afternoon in a service of song; will you not join us?" "I do not sing," Halsey replied, "bnt it would be a privilege to listen." He took a seat near the door; his entrance was so íess tnat wie young girl seated at the piano did not heed it. She sang on, hymn af ter hymn, and a great healing balm swept oyer his tortured nerves. "Flee like a bird to the mountain," brought the sharp tears to his eyes, for was he not "weary of sin," weary of this miserable subterfuge and refuge of his? Had they been alone, he could have risen and tbrowing himself upon her mercy, have confessed everything; but the good doctor sat there, beueficent and unsuspecting; and when his niec8 rose at the close of the hymn and regarded him for the first time, he could only thank her in a choked voice. 'I am a wretch," he said to himself, as he strode along the country road, a little later, striking vindictively at the tall mullein stalks with his cañe. "No punishment is too bad for me, and I have brought upon myself the sharpest retribution that man can suffer - that of turning away from the woman he loves, without making an effort to win her." The deacon met him at a little distance Irom hts o wn gate. He had evidently walked out to meet him. "You have made a tremendous hit," he said, rubbing his hands gleef ully ; ' 'there'll be an outpouring to-night, such as Ramoth Gilead has never known.' The peoplo are beginning to gather already. The shed is e'en almost full of vehieles (he pronounced the word "ve-hir-Wi nnr) er, she's anxious as can be for fear you won't get a good cup of tea before preaching time. Brother Slocumbe and I have decided to cali a business meeting of the parish for to-morrow morning, so that you can have our decisión before you go. There's a train that lea ves in the afternoon, and you must stay over for that." "I don't think I can," Halsey replied. "I had planued to leave by the early moi-nine one." "That won't do at all," replied the deacon. "Folks are set on coming to-morrow and bringing their lunches, and having a real fellowship meeting, and hearing you once again, and you mustn't disappoint them. There's that limb of a Job Johnson ringing that bell for service, and it lacks a minute and a half of the time, and you haven't e't but one waffle." Halsey rose from the table, hurried to his room, and turned over his notebook. Here was Rev. Joseph Cook's conversión of German metaphysics into Christian apologetics. No one would umierstand this but the Misses Pearce who had been to Concord. They would expect him to wait upon them at their home after service, and discuss philosophy with them, and if there was one thing which he was more determined upon to escape than another, it was this knight erran try of the smoky lantern. He turned over the leaves of his note books rapidly. Here were sermons by Chancellor Crosby and Bishop Coxe, by the incumbent of the "Little Church round the Corner" and by Andrew Jackson Davis. Here was one preached by Evangelist Moody in Madison Square Garden, and others by young Mr. Spurgeon at the Academy of Music, and Rabbi Gottheil at the synagogue. "I cannot bear to please them any further," he said to himself. "This larce must end at once, and I will end it with my own hand." He deliberately selected a sermón by the Rev. R. Heber Newton, which had drawn upon that gentleman the anathemas of his brother clergymen. "There," he thought, "I shall now be denounced as heretical both by the doctor and his niece. I have had the grace to cut my own throat." It was characteristic of the troubled state of his mind that he had come to consider his own interests at stake and had quite forgotten how those of his friend Steele would be affected by his action. The deacon and his wife had left. The bell had ceased tolling, and aware that he was late, Halsey hurried along the now deserted road. He had nearly reaehed the church when he overtook Oriënt, who was walking rapidly alone, without a hat, but with a shawl of China crepe thrown over her head and shoulders in a way that reminded him of the graceful draperies of the Greeks or the veils of eastern women. They were both surpriaed, but she recovered first. "Uncle feit ill after supper," she said, "and I walked over alone." "lam glad I overtook you," he replied; "you must let me see you home after service." "It is not far, and I am not afraid, but I'm glad that I happened to meet you, for I have not had an opportunity to teil you how much I have enjoyed your sermón. When I think that you were a blacksmith's apprentice, and then consider what you have made of yourself, I cannot help admiring your genius. Yes, you must let me cali it so. That description which you gave us last night of the Jericho road was nothing less. Únele said so as we rode home. He said it was fully equal to soine thiiigs of Mr. Beecher's, and I ajn suro that it is a great compliment fora youug man. Then what opportunities you havo had ! I was born in Smyrna, while my parents were spending a year abroad, but they brought me homo a baby with only my name as a souvenir of my Old World birth. But I have always been wild to return to live in some one of those Eastern countries which you have visited. I hope you will teil us more about thein to-night." "Oriënt," said Halsey, in his desperation, for the first time venturing to use her name, "I am a wreteh, unworthy to speafc to you, and too eowardly to coufess the whole truth, for if I did you would spurn me, and I could not bear that.'' They had ï-eaohed the church door. Oriënt could not reply, but she gave him her hand with a look whieh said, "I believe in you, in spite of yourself." Halsey hardly knsw what he read; he spoke vehemently, crushing bis own heart and taking n sa vage delight in the iilea that he was destroying his prospecta. It wus only a poor atonement, but it was something. He strode down the aisle after service, hardly recogniziug thoso who pressed forward to speak to him. He informed the deacon mendaciously that there was a matter upon which it was necessary for him to sieak with the doctor that night, and brushmg by the eider Miss Pearce, who was holding her lantern with a meek air of expectation, he waited Blnong the young men who were grouped by the steps for the appearanceof Oriënt. The lamplight was reflected from her silken shawl, and it seemed to him with a radiance liko that from au angel's wing. The youn men made way for her to pass, and Halsey drew her arm within hia owu. "I shall hear mycondemnation f rom herlips," he thought, and he braced himself mentally to endure it, with the assurance that whatever her blam it would bo less than his desert. He was silent and she did not speak uutil they had left all companions and turned into the lane leadingto tho parsonage; thenshesaid: "I understand what you said to me before churcb now, and I honor the man who has the courage to stand by his own conviction, even in the face of certain rejection and tho ruin of his worldly prospecta. It was grand to sea you standing there and avowing views whioh could not agree with those of your congregation. You reminded me of the young confessors before the Roman tribunals in the time of the first persecutions. And I want you to know that whatever may be the action of the church upon the morrow, I admire you and respect you with all my heart." Halsey's heart gave a bound. This young girl loved him; he was sure of it, and everything else went for nothing. What was the part he had playedi Nothing. And before he realized what he was doing he had told her that her good opinión was more to him than that of all the world beside; that with her love he could face contumely and scorn, let it come from whafrever quarter, and it seemed to hira as he spoke that he was really a martyr for the truth, instoad of the poltroon which he had called himself a few moments before. If she would only respond with a like assurance he could make a clean breast of everything. But Oriënt only replied reassuringly that there would be no contumely, and that even if Ramoth Gilead did not give hira a cali, her j father's opinión of him would not be lessened. 1 "He has a great deal of influonce with the board," she added, "and he has some nice appointment in view for you. He wanted me to come up here on purpose to hear you preaoh, and he was very curious for me to give him my opinión of you. He seemed to think that you were still an invalid, and he will be glad to know that you are so strong. I suppose it was your sea voyage and foreign travel that benefited you." A deadly certainty grew upon Halsey's mind. He had never heard Orient's family name mentioned, but he was sure now that this was Dr. Corcoran's daughter, and that he had supplanted his friend. He was not prepared for this, and he tried to put the convietion from him- to believe that it was nnf ar. "Oriënt," he said, as the clock struck, "can you believo that we have actually been acquainted only twenty-flve hours and about the same number of minutes f" "Oh, it eannot be possible," she exclaimed; "what an imprudently short acquaintance to become engaged upon. But I know your whole life from the time you were a blacksmith's boy to the present, and all your wanderings in Palestine." Halsey winced, but did not interrupt her. "And father knows you so thoroughly and respecte you so highly , and both he and mother have talked to me so much about you. When I came back to my room it was full of reminders of your presence. That explanation of the unpardonable sin which you left on my desk was a masterly piece of reasoning. And all the notes which you made in my books were intercsting to me, though I confess that I was indignant enough at first to think that you had read my silly jottings. I was not so prim as I seemed to be when I declined corresponding with you, for I was secretly pleased that you had learned to care for me in such an odd way. Oh! indeed I assure you that I would never have fallen in love with you in thu disgracefully precipítate way without that long mental preparation." Ciearly it was no time now for Halsey to explain that he had no connection with the past she treasured. He accepted the situation recklessly, with all the advantages which it conferred upoa him. "So the actual does not come up to your ideal?" he asked. "You are very different," she replied, musingly, "not a bit as I had imagined you. You are very worldly looking. I never would have thought you a minister if I had met you anywhere else; but then you are handsomer than I expeeted, and so luliy tatented. I am proud to think you should care for little me. And I, no doubt, am very different from what you imagined. Are you greatly disappointed?" Of course Halsey protested that he was not, and he parted from her at the parsonage gate with many assurances of his devotion; and, however false their relations to each other, these at least were genuiue. III. Halsey sat thinking deeply f ar into the night. He reviewed every possible plan for avoiding confession and for keeping up his assumed character, but he saw that this was impossible. Oriënt had told him that she was to return home upon the morrow, and he had agreed to accompany her. On the journey the explanation must be made. Every moment of delay made it more difficult, and he bitterly regretted that he had not been more honest with her. However, to have firmly made up his mind to throw off the mask was something of a relief and heawoko the next morning with a hopeful foeling, and his usual confidenco that some way thiugs would come out right. As he was not to lay asido his role during the morning, ho determined to deepeu the good impression which ho hart made upon Oriënt, and to select the sermón whieh he was to preach before the fellowship meeting solely with reference to her testes. He hesitated some time between "Buddha and his Philosophy of Despair," a discourso of Dr. Newman's, and "The Parables of tha Talmud," by tho Rev. Charles Eaton, but flually settled upon the first as more eomplimentary to her intellect. He was a little disturbed to notice, on taking his placo in the pulpit, that Oriënt was not in the choir, the eldest Miss Pearce oecupying her place at the organ. All through the sermón he kept his eyes fixed upon tho door, hoping to see her enter, but only to bo disappointed. Ho knew, too, from tho strong stare with which his hearers eonfronted him, that liisaudience did not care a penny for Buddha or the religión of India. Only Miss Pearce seemed ia in the least interested, for she had just read "Mr. Isaacs," and had, beside, her ï-eputation as a philosopher at stake. The business meeting was cal led immediately af ter the sermón, and Halsey, lea ving it to its deliberations as to his eligibility, hurried over to the age. ae was intormed by the servaiit that Miss Corcoi-au had left towu on the noon train. Ho was struck with suddon appreheusion. "I understood that she was goi:ig on the afternoon train." The servant believed that she did intond to do so, but had changed her mind. Halsey next asked after the doctor. He had driven his niece over to the station and liad not yet returned; he vrauld come sooa; would not the gentleman wait? Halsey concluded that he would do so and was shown into the doctor's study. A volume of sermons by Henry Ward Beecher lay upon the desk, open to the very one whieh he had abridged for his prayer meoting talk. The doctor had evidently looked it up f rom a haunting suspieion that its resemblance to Beecher's style was not entirely accidental. Onent's sudden leave taking was explained; she had found this, and it was enough. She did not wish to seo him again. He rose quickly and left the house, not caring to face the doctor now. He walked across the flelds to the deacon's house. It was deserted, for the discussiou over his cas was very warm and the meeting not ye I " - orer. He sat down and wrote an impassioned to Oriënt, making a clean breast of evervthing and begging her merey. As he sealed it he noticed that the congregation were dispersing, and the deaeon soon after entered the room. "I'm powerful sorry," he said, "but there was a good deal of feelin', and the motion to give you a cali was lost. You see your sermon yesterday evenin' wasn't considered quite orthodox." Halsey wrote the doctor an explanation for the sake of nis friend's good name, but he did not feel obligod to confess to the deaeon, who conveyed him to the station, and was profuse in his regret over the vote of the church. At the station he mailed his letter to Oriënt, and returned to his friend Steele, whom he found in a much more hopeful state. The fever had been broken, but he was very weak. "You must help us keep his mind in a cheerful, caira condition," the local doctor said to Halsey, before he went up to his room. When Andrew Steele inquired about his friend's experience at Ramoth Gilead, Halsey told him that he had explained the state of affairs to the pastor and had simply read throo uions, mat or course under the circumstances there could be ao cali to the pastorate, nor did he see how his interests could be affected very much even though Dr. Corcoran raust anderstand that his health was not in so favorable a state as he could wish. "I made the best of everything," Halsey assured his friend; "it is only a little longer waiting, and they will be willing enough to do that." "Thank you," Andrew Steels murmured, and closing his eyes he slept as peaceful as a child. When he awoke his mother handed him a letter. "You look as if you were able to read fc," sha said, "and I suspect it is from your friends, the Corcorans." It was from Oriënt; the young raan recognized the graceful script at once, tcaA. he had only recived one letter from tW He opened it with trembling eagerness. But what diditmean' She had always imagined him the sole of hoaor. She had lored him for his goodness and unworldliness; it was hard to give up her ideal of him, but now everything was changed. No explanation on either side was necessary, he must understand, and she could not fore-iv "Believe me," sha wrote, "that my own unhappiness is greater than any you can suffer. To have cherished an ideal as I havs done and allowing to cluster about it all that was hotiest and tenderest in my thought is not a sligot thing. The discovery that I have been utterly mistaken has given me a shock from which I shall never recover. I have been in a dream and the awakening has been cruel. I only hope that I shall never hear of you again as oocnpyiug the saered desk. Por me at least and against love you have committed the unpardonable sin. " Andren Steele lay dazed. His mind was in too weak a ïudition for him to connect his friend's readliigs at Ramoth Gilead with this letter. It was as if he had recelved a heavy blow upon the head. He lay stunned a long time, but when Halsey carne in he had arisen from his bed and was preaching wildly to an imaginary congregation on the in that hath never forgiveness. Halsey led hlm to his bed and compelled him to lie down. Theu he noticed the letter, read and concealed it. He saw that it was mailed from a way station and had been written on the train, and therefore before Oriënt had received his letter of confession. Why had he delayed making it when he was with herí All regret was useless now. He laid his hand on his friend's pulse. He had no l&vj, and his hopes rose, but he was wildly delirRJÓs and incoherent, and the mother Beriously alarmed by this new turn in her sou's condition, which had been pronounced as very encouraging when the physician last called. "I think we had better summon Dr. Corcoran," she said at length; "he understands Andrew's case and cured him onc before." Halsoy telegraphed at once, and anxiously awaited the doctor's coming at the country amtiuii. iiM3 wam pausea ana tvvo passengere alighted. That portly gentleman with the gray whiskers he knew must be Dr. Corcoran, and- Oriënt had come with him. He stepped up qnickly, a great delight showing thrötlgh the humiliation which crimsoned his iaee, but Oriënt forestalled any explanation. "So," she exclaimed, a fine fire flashing from her indignant eyes, "this was a piece of deception like the rest, and you are not ill with brain fever. I might have suspcoted as much." She wheeled about and was walking rapidly from him when her father laid his hand ujwn her arm. "Oriënt," he said, "I thought it was Andrew Stet'le who was ill." , "Who, then, is this impostor!" sho asked, goornfully. "Did you not receivc my letter?"' Halsey asked, liumbly. "It is true that you have been deceived, but not by Andrew Steele." And once more he made his miserable confession. Oriënt rpgarded him with keen, merciless eyes. "I do not see wby you should teil me this if it is not true," she said; "it certainly isnot complimentary to yoursolf." She did not speak to him again on their way to the house, and tuey all entered Andrew Steele's room togetüer. He was reading from an open Blble, and looked up vacantly, repeating: "Ijest by any means whpn I have preached to ethers I inyself should be a casta way. " Oricnt stepped firmly to his side, and taking Andrew Steelo's hands in both of hers, Bho said simpl y : "I have made a great mistake. I have learned that I had no cause to write you tho letter whieh pained you. I am Oriënt Corcoran. Can you forgive me?" Andrew Steele regarded her with an uncomprehending, expression less stare. Dr. Corcoron start nl violently, and leading Mrs. Steele aside, said to her: "This is worse than I had imagined. It is not brain fever or j nervous prostration ; it is insanity." The poor troman uttered a sharp cry. "And he cannot be curedí" "I did not say say so. We ill talk it over." And he called his daughter into I otber room for a consultation. "They will stay all night," said Mrs. Steele I to Halsey. "May I ask you to take your I things to neighbor Brown's so that I can I range your room for the young lady?" "Yes," he replied, "if I can be of no assistance." He felt that he was set asido as a useless thing, and crushed and indignant he removed bis effects. "I wül see her In the morning," he said to himselí; "and make ona more appeal for inyself," for now Oriënt was busy with lus f riend talking with him, gently and patiently trying to lead him back to tha actual. Sore of heart and utterly miserable, he retired to his new room speiuiing the greater pnrt of the night in framing excuses and argumenta which might recommend hira to raercy. At last, completely worried out, he fell asleop, and, tired nature osserting her right, it was late tha following morning when he awoke and saw that a traveling wagon stood before the Steeles' door, and I that "his friend" was belng helped into it. I He hurried ncross the flelds and saw that Dr. I Corcorun hold the reins while Andrew Steele, I propped with cushions, occupi&l the back I seat. Oriënt was bidding farewell to Mrs. I Steele at the door of the house. He joined I her, and taking her bag walked with her to I the gate. It was only a short space, but it I was his last opportuaity, for they were j Ing his friend to their own home, intending to drive all the way by easy stages. "Oriënt- Miss Coccoran," he said desperately, the words tumbliug over each other in their oager utterance. "I beg of you nat to walk so fast, and to listen to one word. We have heard a great deal lately about the imperdonable sin; teil me in merey has mine been that?" She looked up at him with eyes that wers full of hope and happiness. "Pather is sure that we will save him," she said; "he is eonfldent that when we get him back to my little room, with everything arranged just as it was during his flrs.t visit, his mind will go back tothat time; his life will start af resh from that point, and all this sad interim be as nothing." They were just behind the lilac bush now, which shielded them from the view of the occupants of the carriage. "Of course I am glad to hear that there is hope for my friend," Halsey said, "but you cannot expect me to be indifferent to my own interests. Is there no space of repentance? Shall you always despise me, always think of me with detestation?" "Oh, no," Oriënt replied, forcing herself w ïduik. oí mm ror a moment, lor, indeed, all her thoughts were centered on her patiënt. "Do not imagine f or a moment that I shall cherish resentment, or remember what has happened very long, for I shall probably never meet you again ; and what do I know of you? Noteven your namel You were only connected with my life by this distressing experience of Mr. Steele's. You are nothing to me." As Halsey saw the train start ho was filled with bitter remorse. He thought he should always consider himself a murderer if bis f riend Steele should not recover his reason. After a few days, however, he plucked up courage to cali on Mrs. Steele. She received him kindly, and lifted a little of the load from his heart by telling him that her son had shown marked improvemeut si nee he arrived at Dr. Corcoran's. Upon Halsey's return to tiie city ho heard from his friend's mother from time to time, and at last, to hls infinite relief, learned that Steele had entirely recovered his r.ja-son, and lis health was otherwise much improved. About a year afterward appeared the anïouncementof the marriage of Steele and ktiss Corcoran, and shortly after this they sailed as missionaries to the east. No notice of the marriage, however, was sent to Halsey. He was simply ignored. But he feit that his punishment was far less than he served. -