t was very old, and worn-looking, and shabby, and the
paper and print were very poor; but I loved it because it was my dear
mother's, and had been given to her as a reward when she was a very
little girl. It had her maiden name and the year of our Lord in
it--`Mary Williams. June 10, 1793.' Oh! It was such a precious book
to me, for I had drawn a line in red-ink under all my favourite texts,
and I could find anything I wanted in it in a moment! I can't help
fearing that John Hollands or Georgina took it away just to spite me."

"Poor Jane!" said the vicar gently and lovingly "your story is a sad one
indeed. Truly the chastening must for the present be not joyous, but
grievous; and yet it comes from the hand of a Father who loves you, who
will, I doubt not, cause it in due time to bring forth the peaceable
fruit of righteousness."

"And you do, then, dear sir," cried Jane, with tearful earnestness,
"believe, after what you have heard, that I am really innocent of the
charge which has been made against me?"

"Believe it, Jane!" exclaimed Mr Maltby; "yes, indeed! I could not
doubt your innocence for a moment; and remember, the Lord himself knows
it, and will make it before long as clear as the noonday."

"Oh, thank you, dear sir, a thousand times for those cheering words! I
am so glad now that all has been told you; I feel my heart lighter
already. Yes, I _will_ trust that light will come in _his_ time."

"It will," replied the vicar, "and before long too. I feel firmly
persuaded, I can hardly tell you why, that it will not be so very long
before this dark cloud shall pass away."

"May the Lord grant it!" said Thomas Bradly; and added, "You understand
now, sir, exactly how matters lie; and we shall both feel the happier
that you know all, for we are sure that we shall always have your
sympathy and prayers, and if anything should turn up we shall know where
to go for advice; and in the meantime, we must wait and be patient. I
can't help feeling with you that, somehow or other, poor Jane's getting
near the end of the wood, and will come out into the sunshine afore so
very long."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

TANTALISING.

A few days after the disclosure of Jane Bradly's trouble to the vicar,
he met her brother Thomas in the evening hurrying away from his house.

"Nothing amiss at home, I hope, Thomas?" he inquired.

"Nothing amiss, thank you, sir, in my home, but a great deal amiss in
somebody else's. There's