e stretched out his hand to
David, which the boy took with a flitting change of colour that told of
some difficulty of self-command. However in a moment his words were
firm.

"I have found my Messiah, sir, where you bade me look for him. He is
_my_ Messiah, and my King, and I am his servant. I wish I could be his
servant twenty times over!"

"Why?"

"One life is too little to give."

"You may serve him to the ages of the ages. Service shall not end with
_this_ life, do you think so?"

Then David lifted up his dark eyes and smiled. Matilda had always known
him a very grave boy; perhaps partly for that reason this smile seemed
to her like a rift of light between clouds, so sweet and bright. It
filled Matilda with so much awe that she did not open her lips all the
way to the parsonage. Nor did Mr. Richmond say much.

They were in danger of being a silent party at tea, too; only I think
the minister exerted himself to prevent it. Matilda had no words for
anything, and indeed could hardly eat her supper; as often as she
dared, she stole a look at David. For he did not look at all like
himself. He was grave; to be sure that was like him; only now it was a
new sort of high, sweet gravity, even gentle and humble in its seeming;
and if he was silent, it was not that he was not ready and willing to
speak when there was occasion. But Matilda guessed he had too much to
think of to want to talk much. Norton was perhaps a little curious as
to what there was between his three companions; and Miss Redwood was
seldom free with her tongue in the minister's presence. Mr. Richmond,
as I said, had to exert himself, or the silence of the tea-table would
have been too marked.

They all went to church together. Matilda caught a look of extreme
surprise on Norton's face when he saw that David was one of the party;
but there was no time for explanations then. Little Matilda thought she
had hardly ever been so happy in her life. In the old place, Mr.
Richmond preaching, and David and Norton beside her, one of them there
in heart as well as in person. The singing was sweet, and the prayers
were happy.

Coming back from church, Matilda and Norton fell a little behind the
others.

"What's come over David Bartholomew?" Norton whispered. "Politeness?"

"O no, Norton; not politeness. He will tell you himself."

"Davy's strong on politeness," said Norton. "I didn't know but it was
that. Politeness took _me;_ but of course, to take Davy, i