spoke, and seemed oppressed with
sorrow. The gentleman with whom he was conversing, endeavoured, as well
as he was able under the circumstances, to comfort him; telling him that
they could only give him good counsel, and pray for him, and leave the
result to an over-ruling Providence.

CHAPTER VI.

Previous to her death, the mother of Earnest had entrusted to the care
of Mrs. Humphrey, a closely sealed package directed to Ernest in her own
hand-writing. She had left the request that this package should not be
given to him until he had reached the age of fourteen years. Many
surmises were formed among the few who knew of this package, as to what
it might contain. Some were of the opinion that it contained papers
which might lead to the possession of wealth. But from what Mrs. Harwood
had related to Mrs. Humphrey, concerning her early life, she thought
this idea to be highly improbable.

However, she carefully laid by the package, and was very careful that
it should sustain no injury. In the meantime, the boy had continued to
go on from bad to worse, till he became known as the leader in every
kind of mischief among the bad boys of the village. He now seldom spent
an evening in his own home. In one or two instances he narrowly escaped
being sent to jail. The respect entertained for his foster parents by
the people of the village was all that caused them to show lenity to the
erring boy. The conduct of Earnest had borne heavier upon them than
their years; they had fondly loved the beautiful and friendless boy, and
it almost broke their hearts to see him go thus astray. Many there were
who advised them to cast him off, as he seemed given over to evil, and
even treated them with unkindness and disrespect; but with all his
faults, they still clung to him, hoping almost against hope that he
would yet reform.

"I promised his mother," said Mr. Humphrey, "that I would care for her
boy so long as I lived to do so, and that promise I intend to keep."
"And," added Mrs. Humphrey, "as long as we possess a home, he shall not
be homeless. For if we can do no more we can at least pray for him; and
I have a hope that the prayers offered in faith will yet meet with an
answer."

Time passed on, till the evening preceding the fourteenth birth-day of
Ernest. Mr. Humphrey sat with his wife by their lonely fireside, Ernest
had gone out directly after tea, and the hour was growing late. They
were speaking of him, for they felt ve