she was never without such orders as she was able to
undertake.

The vicar was deeply interested in her, and was a frequent visitor; but
while she manifestly derived comfort from his instructions and prayers,
any attempt on his part to draw her into confiding to him, (as a friend
and spiritual adviser) her special sorrow at once reduced her to
silence. And yet it seemed to him that there were times when she was on
the very verge of breaking through her reserve. Not that he desired
this, except for her own sake. How gladly would he have shared her
burden with her, "and so fulfilled the law of Christ," would she but
have in trusted him with it! It was so sad to see the deep shadow of an
abiding care on that gentle face, the unnatural flush on the cheeks, and
the eyes at one time filled with tears, and at another with a look of
earnest beseeching, as though she longed to unburden her troubled heart,
and yet dared not--as though she yearned for his advice and sympathy,
and yet could not bring herself to open to him her grief. And thus it
was that the poor afflicted one was drooping lower and lower; and the
cloud which rested on her quiet, patient features was to be seen at
times on her brother's also.

It was a few days after the accident on the line by which the miserable
Joe Wright was hurried into eternity, that the vicar, who was coming out
of the cottage of poor Joe's widow, met Thomas Bradly as he was on his
way home from his work. Both looked very grave; and Mr Maltby said,--

"I see, Thomas, that you feel, as I do, what a shocking accident this
has been. The drink, I don't doubt, must have been at the bottom of it,
for we know too well what the poor man's habits were. What can I say to
comfort his unhappy widow? Of course, it is not for us to judge her
husband; we do not know what passed in Joe's heart during his last
moments. But that is very poor consolation, after all, when we know
that, `as a man sows, so shall he reap.' All I can do is to try and
lead the poor woman herself to her Saviour. We know that the door to
pardon and peace is not yet closed to her."

"That's too true, sir," replied Bradly. "I fear we can't have any
comfortable thoughts about Joe; the least said about him the better.
But, to tell you the truth, sir, I were just then turning my own trouble
over in my mind, and that's what made me look so grave."

"What--about your sister Jane?"

"Yes, sir. I know as it's all right; and