the
laughter swelled to a perfect roar around her. It was hard to feel that
not "six months" only, but a dozen years of intelligent life, were gone
from her, and she had not even taught a dog to dance a jig! That was the
very way she put it in her humility; and I do not say that she placed it
too low, because really I don't know that Flossy Shipley had _ever had_
even so settled a purpose in life as that! She had simply fluttered
around the edge of this solemn business that we call living.

But along with the sober thought glowed the earnest purpose: given
another dozen years to my young lady's life and they will bear a
different record; and whatever they bear, Dr. Hurlburt will be in a
sense responsible for, though he never saw her and probably never will.
Verily this living is a complicated bewildering thing Well for us that
_all_ the weight of the responsibility is not ours to bear.

There was still another story, and over it Flossy's lips parted, and her
eyes glowed with feeling. That wonderful machine that the most skillful
workmen tried in vain to repair, that was useless and worthless, until
the name of the owner was found on it, and he was sent for, then indeed
it found the master-hand, the only one who could right it; she did not
need Dr. Hurlbut's glowing application. "So He who made us, and engraved
his name, his image, on our bodies, can alone take our hearts and make
them right."

Flossy listened to this and the sentences that followed, thrilling her
heart with their power and beauty--thrilling as they would not have done
one week ago, for did she not know by actual experience just how blessed
a worker the great Maker was? Had she not carried her heart to him, and
had he not left his indelible impression there? Oh, this was a wonderful
meeting to Flossy--one that she will never forget--one that many others
will have reason to remember, because of the way in which she listened.
But was it not strange, the way in which her education was being cared
for?

After tea she stood at the entrance of the tent, looking out for the
girls--looking out, also, on the cool, quiet sunset and the glory spread
everywhere, for there had been sunshine that day, part of the time, and
there was a clear sun setting. Under her arm she held the treasure which
she had in the morning determined to possess--a good, plain, large-print
Bible, not at all like the velvet-covered one that lay on her
toilet-stand at home, but such as the