rl quietly. There was no bitterness in her tone,
hardly even weariness; it was simply hopeless.

The Friar remained silent for a moment, and Agnes spoke again.

"Father," she faltered, in a low, shy voice, "I heard you preach here
yester-morrow."

"I brought thee glad tidings," was the significant answer.

The tears sprang to her eyes. "O Father!" she said, "I thought them so
glad--that God loved me, and would have me for to love Him; but now 'tis
all to no good. I cannot serve God."

"What letteth?"

"That I am in the world, and must needs there abide."

"What for no? Serve God in the world."

"Good Father, if you did but know, you should not say the same!" said
Agnes in the same hopeless tone in which she had spoken before.

"If I knew but what?"

In answer, Agnes told him her simple story; unavoidably revealing in it
the hardships of her lot. "You must needs see, good Father," she
concluded, "that I cannot serve God and do Mistress Winter's bidding."

"I see no such a thing, good daughter," replied the Friar. "Dost think
the serving of God to lie in the saying of Paternosters? It is thine
heart that He would have. Put thine heart in thy labour, and give Him
both together."

"But how so, Father?" inquired Agnes in an astonished tone. "I pray you
tell me how I shall give to God the baking of bread?"

"Who giveth thee thy daily bread?"

"That, no doubt, our Lord doth."

"Yet He giveth the same by means. He giveth it through the farmer, the
miller, and the baker. It falleth not straight down from Heaven. When
thou art the bakester, art not thou God's servant to give daily bread?
Then thy work should be good and perfect, for He is perfect. By the
servant do men judge of the master; and if thy work is to be offered
unto God, it must be the best thou canst do. Think of this the next
time thou art at work, and I warrant thee not to _forget_ the oven door.
But again: Who hath set thee thy work? When this hard mistress of
thine betook thee to her house, did not God see it? did not He order it?
If so be, then every her order to thee (that is not sinful, understand
thou) is God's order. Seek then, in the doing thereof, not to please
her, but Him."

"O Father, if I could do that thing!"

"Child, when the Master went home for a season, and left His lodging
here below, He appointed `to every man his work.' Some of us have hard
work: let us press on with it cheerfully. If we be His, it is _His_