ts and fears to God, knowing that He was not only willing to
listen, but able to control all Himself, and watch over and protect,
yes, and heal the absent one. I fell asleep, repeating to myself, 'The
steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,' and it brought comfort to
my soul.

Hugh was off the first thing the next morning, but Miss Rayner would
not allow me to go up to town with him, and it seemed the longest day
that I had ever spent. Miss Rayner asked me if I would like to return
to the Forsyths at once, but I shook my head.

'You are not quite strong yet,' I said to her, 'and I do like being
here. I feel as if they will be so full of questions, and will pick my
letter to pieces, if I go back. General Forsyth always imagines the
worst about people. None of them believed it must be illness that
caused his silence, though I felt myself it must be. They all ascribed
the worst motives they could think of for it. And--and sometimes I
feel I can't forgive them for doubting and mistrusting him so.'

'You don't mean that?' Miss Rayner said, looking at me steadily.

'No,' I said, colouring a little, 'I have no ill-feeling really, I
ought not to have harboured it for an instant, but it would come. I
try and look at it from their side, and of course I know that what you
all say is true. A few months ago he was a stranger; oh! Miss Rayner,
tell me, do you fear the worst? If he is dead, I think my heart will
break!'

'Hearts are not so easily broken,' Miss Rayner replied, with a little
sigh; 'my dear, you must have patience and wait. I think most likely
he has only been delayed. You would have heard before now if the worst
had happened.'

Hugh returned about eight o'clock that evening, but he had little news
to give us. Philip's agents had known only quite recently of his
illness, and were expecting to hear of his arrival in England every day.

So there was nothing for me to do but wait patiently. I left Miss
Rayner soon after, for the Forsyths wanted me back.

'I shall miss you, child,' she said, as we were parting, 'and you must
pray for me. I find that the habits of a lifetime are not easily
uprooted; if I get into a tangle, I shall send for my little minister
to put me straight again.'

'No; you don't want any one to come between you and God,' I said with a
smile; but I left her with a heavy heart. We had grown, in spite of
the disparity between our ages, to be such very close friends since her