s not smiling by any means; his discomposure had not gone off,
whatever it might mean; and he eyed David now and then with a jealous,
doubtful expression. David was grave enough, but not as usual. Matilda
looked again and again, to see how different the thoughtful bright calm
of his face was from the old dark gloom that used to be there; and then
her eyes turned to the sunny river and sky and hills, with a glad
feeling of the harmony between things outward and inward. Before long,
David had taken out a little book and was deep in the study of it;
which he never interrupted till they reached Poughkeepsie. There Norton
rushed out, to get something to eat, he said; though Matilda guessed it
was rather to get rid of himself for a minute. Many other people left
the car on the same errand; and David looked up from his book and came
over to Matilda.

"Well," said he, "how are you getting along?"

"Nicely. I am so happy, David!"

"So am I," said he gravely. "All the world is new, and it seems to me I
see the sun shine for the first time."

"See the sun shine?" repeated Matilda doubtfully.

"Yes," said he smiling.

"But you don't look at it, David. You are reading all the while."

"I see it, though. Now I know what the prophet Malachi meant by the sun
of righteousness. Do you remember, Matilda? I guess you don't; but I
know the words.

'And risen to you, ye who fear my name,
Hath the sun of righteousness and healing in its wings.'

I feel that now. I never could understand it before."

"There are a great many things that we cannot understand till we feel
them,--are there not, David?"

"I suppose so," he said thoughtfully.

Their talk stopped there; and presently the people who had gone out
came pouring back. Norton brought a great piece of sponge-cake to
Matilda.

"Thank you, Norton, but I'm not hungry, I've just had breakfast a few
minutes ago."

"You hadn't time to eat."

"Yes, I had. You spent your time talking, I suppose; you and Mr.
Richmond; that's the reason you are hungry."

Norton sat down and eat his sponge-cake; and spoke no more till the
train got in. The carriage was in waiting; took the two boys
immediately to school, and carried Matilda and the bags home.

She wondered all day how and when David's disclosure would be made, and
how it would be taken at home. She had a good many questions to answer
herself, even Judy seeming curious to know what they had been doing and
how they had spent