f he has ever been
there. When the Father has given you that gift, you can go to many
places, without leaving the one where you are. And then he has heard what
the angels say."

"And will they all get safe at the last? and even that great spirit, he
that fell from heaven--"

The painter shook his head and said, "It is not permitted to you and me
to know such great things. Perhaps the wise will tell you if you ask
them: but for me I ask the Father in my heart and listen to what he
says."

"That is best!" the little Pilgrim said; and she asked the Father in her
heart: and there came all over her such a glow of warmth and happiness
that her soul was satisfied. She looked in the painter's face and laughed
for joy. And he put out his hands as if welcoming some one, and his
countenance shone; and he said,--

"My son had a great gift. He was a master born, though it was not given
to me. He shall paint it all for us so that the heart shall rejoice; and
you will come again and see."

After that it happened to the little Pilgrim to enter into another great
palace where there were many people reading, and some sitting at their
desks and writing, and some consulting together, with many great volumes
stretched out open upon the tables. One of these who was seated alone
looked up as she paused wondering at him, and smiled as every one did,
and greeted her with such a friendly tone that the Pilgrim, who always
had a great desire to know, came nearer to him and looked at the book,
then begged his pardon, and said she did not know that books were needed
here. And then he told her that he was one of the historians of the city
where all the records of the world were kept, and that it was his
business to work upon the great history, and to show what was the meaning
of the Father in everything that had happened, and how each event came in
its right place.

"And do you get it out of books?" she asked; for she was not learned, nor
wise, and knew but little, though she always loved to know.

"The books are the records," he said; "and there are many here that were
never known to us in the old days; for the angels love to look into
these things, and they can tell us much, for they saw it; and in the
great books they have kept there is much put down that was never in the
books we wrote, for then we did not know. We found out about the kings
and the state, and tried to understand what great purposes they were
serving; but even these we di