. But hadst thou
known more of me thou wouldst not have felt fear of a dog. The poor man
who goes from door to door will, for the sake of alms, run the risk of a
bite from a cur; and shall a dog keep thee from me?

Mercy:--I spoke of what I knew not; but, Lord, I know that Thou dost all
things well.

Then Christiana rose as if she would go on her way. So He fed them, and
set them in the right path, as He had done to Christian. And as they
went, Christiana sang a hymn: "We turn our tears to joy, and our fears
to faith."

They had not gone far when they saw some fruit trees, the boughs of
which hung from the top of a wall that was built around the grounds of
him who kept the fierce hound, and at times those that came that way
would eat them to their cost. So as they were ripe, Christiana's boys
threw them down and ate some of them; though Christiana chid them for
it, and said, That fruit is not ours. But she knew not then whose it
was. Still the boys would eat of it.

Now when they had gone but a bow shot from the place, they saw two men,
who with bold looks came fast down the hill to meet them. With that,
Christiana and her friend Mercy, drew down their veils, and so kept on
their way, and the boys went on first. Then the men came up to them, but
Christiana said: Stand back, or go by in peace, as you should. Yet they
took no more heed of her words than if they had been deaf.

Christiana, who did not like their looks, said, We are in haste, and can
not stay; our work is a work of life and death. With that she and the
rest made a fresh move to pass, but the men would not let them. So with
one voice they all set up a loud cry. Now, as they were not far from
the held gate, they were heard from that place, and some of those in the
lodge came out in haste to catch these bad men; when they soon leapt the
wall, and got safe to the grounds where the dog was kept.

Reliever:--How was it that when you were at the gate you did not ask Him
who stood there to take you on your way, and guard you from harm? Had
you done so you would not have gone through these frights, for He would
have been sure to grant you your wish.

Christiana:--Ah, Sir, the joy we felt when we were let in, drove from
our thoughts all fears to come. And how could we think that such had men
could lurk in such a place as that? True, it would have been well for
us if we had thought to ask Him; but since our Lord knew it would be for
our good, how came it to pa