the nature of which she would explain
to her on the next day, when Ethel was to call at her house.

So Mrs. Birtwell took her first step in the new path of duty wherein
she had set her feet. For the next she would wait and pray for
guidance. She had not ventured to say much to Ethel at the first
interview about her father. The few questions asked had caused such
evident distress of mind that she deemed it best to wait until she saw
Ethel again before talking to her more freely on a subject that could
not but awaken the keenest suffering.

Mrs. Birtwell's experience was a common one. She had scarcely taken her
first step in the path of duty before the next was made plain. In her
case this was so marked as to fill her with surprise. She had
undertaken to save a human soul wellnigh lost, and was entering upon
her work with that singleness of purpose which gives success where
success is possible. Such being the case, she was an instrument through
which a divine love of saving could operate. She became, as it were,
the human hand by which God could reach down and grasp a sinking soul
ere the dark waters of sin and sorrow closed over it for ever.

She was sitting alone that evening, her heart full of the work to which
she had set her hand and her mind beating about among many suggestions,
none of which had any reasonable promise of success, when a call from
Mr. Elliott was announced. This was unusual. What could it mean?
Naturally she associated it with Mr. Ridley. She hurried down to meet
him, her heart beating rapidly. As she entered the parlor Mr. Elliott,
who was standing in the centre of the room, advanced quickly toward her
and grasped her hand with a strong pressure. His manner was excited and
there was a glow of unusual interest on his face:

"I have just heard something that I wish to talk with you about. There
is hope for our poor friend."

"For Mr. Ridley?" asked Mrs. Birtwell, catching the excitement of her
visitor.

"Yes, and God grant that it may not be a vain hope!" he added, with a
prayer in his heart as well as upon his lips.

They sat down and the clergyman went on:

"I have had little or no faith in any of the efforts which have been
made to reform drunkenness, for none of them, in my view, went down to
the core of the matter. I know enough of human nature and its
depravity, of the power of sensual allurement and corporeal appetite,
to be very sure that pledges, and the work usually done for inebri