rown eyes were radiating kindness. "My child," he said
tenderly, "I will not be wise to tell you these things, but----" he
hesitated a moment and a tenderer light came over his face; his voice
sank to a whisper--"but if you would be having the _vision_, the vision
of Calvary; if you would be seeing how the Lord Jesus put away His life
for us, you would be knowing then that His work is all and these other
things will be just nothing."

Jessie's bright head drooped, her eyes filled with tears. She was
looking at her half-hearted, worldly interest in the work of the Master
in comparison with Duncan Polite's devotion. The old man's words were
not all; piety creates its surrounding atmosphere, stronger than any
verbal expression of it, and Duncan's manner said far more than his
tongue. He saw her emotion and with his usual tact changed the
conversation to lighter subjects. Jessie's face grew brighter after
that, and she chatted away unreservedly until it was time for her to
leave. Just before she rose, Duncan lifted his old leather-bound Bible
from the table and glanced at her timidly. "Would you be minding if I
would read jist a word?" he inquired eagerly.

"Oh, I should like it so much," said the girl gently.

Duncan opened the Book reverently, his face glowing; then he paused and
looked at her again. "Oh, but it is you will be the fine reader, and
my eyes will not be so good, indeed, since this cold, and maybe you
would jist be reading this now, and I would be much obliged, whatever."

Jessie took the Bible, and read where he had indicated. It was the
sweet story of Mary, who sat at the Master's feet. She had read it
many times before, but it had never seemed quite the same, for, when
she finished, Duncan Polite said softly, "Yes, that will be it, oh yes,
indeed, jist to sit at His feet and learn of Him."

That was the first of many visits the girl paid the old man. Duncan
never left his own house, though his sister begged him to spend the
winter with her. But the watchman must not leave his post, he felt,
and his loneliness was more than compensated for by Jessie's visits.
Through his long, weary convalescence the girl came regularly two or
three times a week, with the dainties her mother was in the habit of
lavishing upon the sick. At first her sisters teased her about her
sudden change of mind regarding visiting Duncan Polite. Maggie
declared she liked to go because she had to pass the McNabbs' and wo