eart was full of
joy and light, because the peace that passeth understanding was his, he
longed that his father should share the same happy experience.

"If father were only a Christian, like your father, Bert, I would be the
happiest boy in all the world," said he, one day. "Oh, Bert, what can I
do to make him interested in religion?"

"Why don't you ask Dr. Chrystal to go and talk with him?" inquired Bert.

"It wouldn't be a bit of use. He won't go to church to hear Dr.
Chrystal, nor any other minister, and he wouldn't listen to them if they
came to see him. He says he has no faith in parsons, anyway."

"Well, do you think he would listen to father?" suggested Bert.

Frank's face lighted up. He had been thinking of this himself.

"Perhaps he would, Bert," he said, eagerly. "I know he thinks a great
deal of your father. I've heard him say that he practised better than
many of the parsons preached."

Bert flushed with pleasure at this frank compliment to his father.

"Then suppose we ask him to speak to your father about religion," he
said.

"Oh, yes; let us," assented Frank. Accordingly, that evening the two
boys brought the matter before Mr. Lloyd, who listened to them very
attentively. Then he asked a question or two.

"Are you quite sure, Frank, that I am the very best person to speak to
your father on this important subject?"

"Yes, Mr. Lloyd; I'm quite sure you are."

"Well, do you know, Frank, I don't agree with you. I think I know of
somebody that can do it much better than I can," said Mr. Lloyd, with a
meaning smile.

Frank's face fell. He had set his heart upon having Mr. Lloyd do it, and
could not believe that anybody else would do as well. After a little
pause, he asked:

"Who is this somebody else, Mr. Lloyd?"

"He's not very far away from us now, Frank," answered Mr. Lloyd, still
with that curious smile.

"You don't mean Bert, do you?" cried Frank, looking a little bewildered.

"No; I don't mean Bert," responded Mr. Lloyd.

"Then----." He stopped short, a deep blush spread over his features; he
caught his breath, and then, as if hoping that the answer would be in
the negative, exclaimed:

"Do you mean _me_?"

"Yes, I do mean just you; and nobody else, Frank."

Frank threw himself back in his chair with a despairing gesture, saying:

"Oh, I could never do it, Mr. Lloyd. I know I never could."

Mr. Lloyd looked at him with tender sympathy, and laying his hand upon
his knee, said