night owing to that dead
mother's prayers; and to the Boy's unfailing faith, even through these
hard days?

Miss Charteris could read no farther. She closed the Bible. "Let us
pray," she said, and turned to the Collect for the week.

"_O God, Whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in
heaven and earth: We humbly beseech Thee to put away from us all
hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen._"

* * * * *

On the breakfast-table, beside her plate, lay the Professor's letter.
She had known it would be there.

She poured out her coffee and buttered her toast.

Then she opened the letter.

"My dear Ann"----

After the nightmare through which she had just passed, this beginning
scarcely surprised her. She glanced back at the envelope to make quite
sure it was addressed to herself; then read on. It was dated the
evening before, from the Professor's rooms in College.

"MY DEAR ANN,--I regret to have been unable to look in upon you this
evening, on my return from town, and my duties will keep me from paying
you a visit until to-morrow, in the late afternoon. Hence this letter.

"Needless to say, I have been thinking over, carefully, the remarkable
statement you saw fit to make to me, concerning the feelings and
expectations of our young friend. It came to me as a genuine surprise.
I have always looked upon our friendship as purely Platonic; based
entirely upon the intellectual enjoyment we found in pursuing our
classical studies together.

"I admit, I cannot bring myself to contemplate matrimony with much
enthusiasm.

"At the same time, your feeling in the matter being so strong, and my
sense of gratitude toward my late friend, a thing never to be
forgotten; if you are quite sure, Ann--and I confess it seems to me
altogether incredible--that our young friend entertains, toward me,
feelings which will mean serious disappointment to her, if I fail----"

This brought the letter to the bottom of the first page.

Without reading any farther, Miss Charteris folded it, and replaced it
in the envelope.

The indignant blood had mounted to the roots of her soft fair hair.
But already, in her heart, sounded a song of wondering praise.

"_And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it
was very great._"

The iron gate of the front garden swung open. Hurried steps flew up