atch called me
a piece of sweet garden. I wonder--" But what Jessie wondered she
could not put into words.

In a vague way, that she scarcely as yet understood, it had suddenly
come home to her that, perhaps, after all it was for some good
purpose that she had been called upon to bear all that she had to
bear. Without those sweet, happy years at Springbrook she could
never have come as a little piece of sweet garden to this sad corner
of the world. Perhaps God had something for her--even a little girl
like herself--to do for Him. And she would try her utmost, she
determined--yes, her utmost; to do her best in the new life she had
been called to, and to make others happier by her presence.

CHAPTER X.

CHARLIE REACHES HOME.

After that exciting morning, Jessie saw Miss Patch always once a day,
at least, for she never failed to go up to her room to ask her if she
could do any errands, or anything else for her, and very, very glad
Miss Patch was, many a time, to be saved the long drag down all the
stairs and up again, and the walk through the cold wet streets during
the bitter winter months.

Being saved this much exertion, she was able to get down oftener to
see Charlie, and both he and Jessie loved these visits of hers.
More than once, too, when her husband was away, Mrs. Lang came for a
brief spell, and they had tea together again in Charlie's room.

It was on one of the occasions when she was alone with Miss Patch
that Jessie told of her Sunday-school in the garden, or by the
fireside, with her grandfather. Her tears fell as she told of it,
and her deep grief broke out uncontrollably, but Miss Patch did not
try to check her story, she let her tell it all, thinking it would be
better for her.

"And I've never been to Sunday-school, or to church since," she
sobbed. "Father won't let me."

It was to Miss Patch, too, that she sobbed out the story of that
dreadful day, and her grief for her grandparents and their suspense.
"It would not be so bad," she moaned, "if father would Let me write
to them and tell them I am well and--and safe, and--and not so very
unhappy; and I wouldn't mind so much if I knew how they were, but
granny was ill, and I know granp would feel it dreadfully losing me
like that and never knowing what had become of me. They don't know
where I am, or if I am alive or dead, and--and it has nearly killed
them, I expect!" and her tears choked her.

"Will not your father let you writ