w the remarks that are being made: but of
course, if you prefer to be left ignorant, I don't need to stay. Good
morrow! Pray don't disturb yourself, Flemild--I can let myself out, as
you are all so busy. You'll be sorry some day you did not take advice.
But I never obtrude my advice; if people don't want it, I shall not
trouble them with it. It's a pity, that's all."

"Oh deary, deary!" cried poor Isel, as Anania sailed away with her head
held rather higher than usual. "Why ever did she come to plague me,
when I've got my hands as full already!--And what on earth does she
mean, calling me names, and Derette too? The child's good enough--only
a bit thoughtless, as children always are. I do wonder why folks can't
let a body alone!"

For three days the Germans rested peacefully in their new quarters. At
the end of that time, Gerhardt called on all his little company, and
desired them to meet him early on the following morning on a piece of
vacant ground, a few miles from the city. They met as agreed, eighteen
men and eleven women, of all ages, from young Conrad whose moustache was
little more than down, to old Berthold who carried the weight of
threescore and fifteen years.

"My friends," said Gerhardt, "let us speak to our God, before we say
anything to each other."

All knelt, and Gerhardt poured forth a fervent prayer that God would be
with them and aid them in the work which they had undertaken; that He
would supply them with bread to eat, and raiment to put on; that He
would keep the door of their lips, that they should speak neither guile,
discourtesy, nor error, yet open their mouths that with all boldness
they might preach His Word; that none of them might be ashamed to
confess the faith of Christ crucified, nor seek to hide the offence of
the cross for the sake of pleasing men. A whole-hearted Amen was the
response from the group around him.

They rose, and Gerhardt repeated by heart three Psalms--the fifteenth,
the forty-sixth, and the ninetieth--not in Latin, but in sonorous
German, many of his compatriots taking up the words and repeating them
with him, in a style which made it plain that they were very familiar.
Then Gerhardt spoke.

"I will but shortly remind you, my friends," he said, "of the reason for
which we are here. Hundreds of years ago, it pleased God to send to us
Germans a good English pastor, who name was Winfrid, when we were poor
heathens, serving stocks and stones. He came wi