at the trust was fulfilled, only
it was brighter, calmer, higher, than even at the greeting of the vicar.
Did Steadfast see only the burnished gold of the Chalice and paten he
had guarded for seventeen years at the cost of toil, danger, suffering,
love, and life itself? Did he not see and feel far beyond those outward
visible signs in which others, who had not yet endured to the end, could
only as yet put their trust by faith?

Mr. Holworth, as he stood over him and saw the upturned eye, was sure it
was so. No doubt indeed Ben thought so too, but poor imaginative Ben
had somehow fancied it would be with his brother as with the King
who guarded that other sacred Cup, and when all was over, was quite
disappointed that Stead needed his strong arm as much as ever, nay more,
for on coming out into the air and sunshine a faintness and exhaustion
came on, and they had to rest him in the porch before he could move.

"O Stead, I thought it would have healed you," the lad said.

Stead slightly smiled. "Healed? I shall soon be healed altogether, Ben,"
he said. He had with great difficulty and very slowly walked to church,
and Mr. Holworth wished him to come and rest at the Vicarage, but he was
very anxious to get home, and after he had taken a little food, Andrew
Luck offered to share with Ben and Rusha's husband the carrying him back
between them on an elbow chair.

This pleased him, and he looked up to Andrew and said, "You are in the
same mind as long ago?"

"I never found anyone else I could lay my mind to, since my poor Kitty,"
said Andrew.

"She will come to you--soon," said Stead. "She'll have a sore heart, but
you will be good to her."

"That I will. And little Bess and Kate shall come and tell her how they
want her."

Stead smiled and his lips moved in thankfulness.

"And if Ben would come with her," added Andrew, "I'd be a brother to
him."

"Parson wants Ben," said Stead. "He says he can make a scholar of him,
and maybe a parson, and it will not be so lonesome in the vicarage."

"And your farm?"

"Rusha and her man take that. They have saved enough to build the house.
Yes, all is well. It is great peace and thankfulness."

Patience returned with the cushions she had borrowed and they brought
Steadfast home, very much exhausted, and not speaking all the way.
Perhaps the unusual motion and exertion had made the bullet change its
place, for he hardly uttered another word, and that night, as he had
said to B