w world of the great
city. It was a keen, cold winter's day; the sky bleak with driving grey
clouds; the river rolling and turbulent under the same wind that sped
them. Sitting next the window in the car, where she liked to sit,
Matilda watched it all with untiring interest; and while she watched
it, she thought by turns of Mr. Richmond's words the evening before.
Matilda had asked him how she should be sure to know what was right to
do always? Mr. Richmond advised her to take for her motto those
words--"Whatsoever ye do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the
Lord Jesus;"--and to let every question be settled by them. He said
they would settle every one, if she was willing they should. And now as
Matilda sat musing, she believed they would; but a doubt came up,--if
she lived by that rule, and all around her without exception went by
another rule, how would they get along? She was obliged to leave it;
she could not tell; only the doubt came up.

It seemed a long way to New York. After Poughkeepsie had been some time
left behind, Matilda began to think it was time to hear about the end
of the journey; but Norton told her they were only in the Highlands.
Matilda watched the changing shores, brown and cold-looking, till the
hills were left behind, and the river took a look she was more
accustomed to. Still Norton only laughed at her, when she appealed to
him; they were not _near_ New York, he said; it was Haverstraw bay. It
seemed to take a great while to pass that bay and Tappan Sea. Then
Norton pointed out to her the high straight line of shore on the
opposite side of the river. "Those are the Palisades, Pink," he said;
"and when you see the Palisades come to an end, _then_ New York is not
far off."

But it seemed as if the Palisades would never come to an end, in
Matilda's tired fancy. She was weary of the cars by this time, and
eager for the sight of the new strange place where her life was to be
for so long. And the cars sped on swiftly, and still the straight line
of the Palisades stretched on too. At last, at last, that straight line
shewed signs of breaking down.

"Yes," said Norton, to whom Matilda pointed this out,--"we'll soon be
in now, Pink."

Matilda roused up, to use her eyes with fresh vigilance. She noticed
one or two places where carts and men were busy, seemingly, with the
endeavour to fill up the North river; at least they were carrying out
loads of earth and dumping it into the water. She was