you was gone, I grumbled to myself at first, `Precious
humbug this! What's the use of a Testament to me? I ain't a-going to
pull a long face and sing psalms,' and I were half in the mind to throw
it away."

"And what stopped you, old friend?" asked Horace.

"I'll just tell you, sir," replied the other. "When you gave it me, I
stuck it in my coat-pocket, next my little girl's picture-book: and when
I took it out again, t'other little book came with it, and I couldn't
for the life of me do it any harm. So I put 'em both back again side by
side; and the next time as we camped in a quiet place, I took the
Testament out and began to read a bit out loud. And Sally heard me, and
she came and listened with her mouth and eyes wide open, and then asked
me what the book was and where I'd got it. I told her all about it; and
then she asked me if I thought I could find in the book them last words
which our dear little 'un spoke. I told you, sir, you'll remember, as
she said, `Jesus said, "Suffer the little children to come unto me."'
Them was her last words, poor thing! Well, we sat on these steps day
after day and hunted for them words between us; and we found 'em at
last. But we found something else as we hadn't been looking for. We
found a couple of miserable old sinners, Ruby and Sally Grigg, as was
going along the broad road to destruction." He paused, for his voice
had become choked and troubled.

"And did you find nothing more?" asked Horace, deeply interested.

"Ay, to be sure we did, sir. We found Jesus Christ was willing to have
us; and we found peace--not at first, nor all at once, but by degrees,
and after a while. Sally were the first to get a firm hold: but I
believe I've grasped it myself now, and by God's help I mean not to let
go."

"This is indeed joyful news, dear friend," said Horace Jackson, when he
could trust himself to speak. "Who would have thought it?"

"Ay, who indeed?" said Reuben warmly. "And now," he added, "I want a
bit of advice, sir, from you, for it ain't all grass and gravel with me
now; there's some deepish ruts and some stony roads before me, and
that's why I were so anxious to stop you just now, sir, that I might
tell you all about it, and get a word or two from yourself to give us a
bit of encouragement."

"I am truly thankful--I can't tell you how thankful," replied the young
man. "The Lord has indeed done great things for you, and I shall be
only too happy to be helpf