Ruth. I own the
world is hard and persecuting to such as he." He paused to think
of the true comfort for this sting. He went on. "The world is not
everything, Ruth; nor is the want of men's good opinion and esteem
the highest need which man has. Teach Leonard this. You would not
wish his life to be one summer's day. You dared not make it so, if
you had the power. Teach him to bid a noble, Christian welcome to
the trials which God sends--and this is one of them. Teach him not
to look on a life of struggle, and perhaps of disappointment and
incompleteness, as a sad and mournful end, but as the means permitted
to the heroes and warriors in the army of Christ, by which to show
their faithful following. Tell him of the hard and thorny path which
was trodden once by the bleeding feet of One. Ruth! think of the
Saviour's life and cruel death, and of His divine faithfulness. Oh,
Ruth!" exclaimed he, "when I look and see what you may be--what you
_must_ be to that boy, I cannot think how you could be coward enough,
for a moment, to shrink from your work! But we have all been cowards
hitherto," he added, in bitter self-accusation. "God help us to be so
no longer!"

Ruth sat very quiet. Her eyes were fixed on the ground, and she
seemed lost in thought. At length she rose up.

"Mr Benson!" said she, standing before him, and propping herself by
the table, as she was trembling sadly from weakness, "I mean to try
very, very hard, to do my duty to Leonard--and to God," she added,
reverently. "I am only afraid my faith may sometimes fail about
Leonard--"

"Ask, and it shall be given unto you. That is no vain or untried
promise, Ruth!"

She sat down again, unable longer to stand. There was another long
silence.

"I must never go to Mr Bradshaw's again," she said at last, as if
thinking aloud.

"No, Ruth, you shall not," he answered.

"But I shall earn no money!" added she, quickly, for she thought that
he did not perceive the difficulty that was troubling her.

"You surely know, Ruth, that while Faith and I have a roof to shelter
us, or bread to eat, you and Leonard share it with us."

"I know--I know your most tender goodness," said she, "but it ought
not to be."

"It must be at present," he said, in a decided manner. "Perhaps
before long you may have some employment; perhaps it may be some time
before an opportunity occurs."

"Hush," said Ruth; "Leonard is moving about in the parlour. I must go
to him."

But when sh