ry."

"Do tell me what your trouble is, dear, then I will try to help you,"
affectionately pleaded Alice.

Ruth needed no persuasion. The sweet consistency of Alice's life, her
invariable good temper and readiness to help, and a certain wistful look
in her eyes when Ruth was more than usually depressed, had won her
confidence and affection, and the story of her life was readily poured
into the ear of her sympathising fellow-servant.

"And now," concluded Ruth, "if you think there's any hope or help for
me, I shall be surprised."

"Ruth, I know what it is to have a home like you have had, and I know
what it is to lose one more dear than any, and I can not only
sympathise, but I can assure you there is both hope and help for you,"
replied Alice, with full eyes.

"Poor girl! then you have suffered, too!"

"Yes, my father drank himself to death, and my mother died of a broken
heart soon after, and then I went to service. I was engaged to a young
man I had known a long while, and we were to have been married this
spring, but he died quite suddenly, and I thought my heart would break;
but Mrs. Evans came to see me, and helped me so much. She told me of the
One who can heal every wound, and now, if I feel lonely and sad
sometimes, I know I have a friend in Jesus, and I just go to Him and
tell Him about my heart-ache, and He comforts me."

"Would He give me back my John, if I asked Him, do you think, Alice?"
suddenly asked Ruth.

"Perhaps He would, but He will certainly help you to bear your sorrow if
you go to Him."

"I'm afraid to go to Him, Alice. I'm only a servant, and I've done a
great many wrong things, and He might be angry."

"No, dear, for He says: 'Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy
laden,' and He means it. Take your sins to Him first, and ask His
forgiveness, and then tell Him all about your trouble. Shall we hurry
home and pray together?"

"Oh, yes, for it's all new to me, and I would like you to show me how to
pray."

The two girls hurried home, and knelt together, while in simple,
heartfelt words, Alice laid the need of her companion at the feet of Him
who hears and answers prayer.

"That has done me good; thank you so much, Alice," whispered Ruth, with
a grateful kiss.

"You will pray by yourself, won't you, dear?" asked Alice.

"Yes, and for John too," answered Ruth, a bright hope already dawning in
her heart.

That evening, at Alice's suggestion, she looked through the Bible f