Good-night, I must not stay longer," and a
tear fell on the boy's cheek as she kissed him lightly, and then, with a
breath, extinguished the candle and hastened noiselessly away.

Gabriel lay still, thinking busily for a while; but he was a fearless,
innocent boy, and this threatened change in his fortunes could not keep him
awake long. He soon fell asleep and slept soundly until the dawn.

Jumping out of bed then, he washed and dressed and went downstairs where
his father awaited him.

"Gabriel," he said, "you do not grow brighter by remaining at home. I wish
you to go out into the world and shift for yourself. When your fortune is
made, you may return. As you go, however, I am willing to give you a small
sum of money to use until you can obtain work."

"I will obey you, father," returned the boy, "but as a last favor, I ask
that, in place of the money, you give me the cottage where Mother Lemon
lives."

The man started and muttered: "He is even stupider than I believed him."
"You may have it," he added aloud, after a wondering pause.

"That--and this?" returned Gabriel questioningly, taking up the Book of
Life.

His father scowled, for he remembered yesterday. "Very well, if you like,"
he answered, with a bad grace.

"Then thank you, father, and I will trouble you no more."

Gabriel's stepmother could scarcely repress her tears as she gave the boy
his breakfast and prepared him a package of bread and meat to carry on his
journey. Then she gave him a few pence, all she had, and he started off
with her blessing.

As Gabriel went out into the fresh air, all nature was beautiful around
him. There seemed no end to the blue sky, the wealth of sunshine, the
generous foliage on the waving trees. The birds were singing joyously. All
things breathed a blessing. Gabriel wondered, as he walked along, about the
God who, some one had once told him, made all things. It seemed to him that
it could be only a loving Being who created such beauty as surrounded him
now.

The little book was clasped in his hand. He suddenly remembered with relief
that he was alone and could read it without fear.

Eagerly opening it, one verse, as before, flamed into brightness, and
Gabriel read:--

"_He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love._"

How wonderful! Gabriel's heart swelled. God was love, then. He closed the
book. For the first time God seemed real to him. The zephyrs that kissed
his cheek and the sun that warmed him