e?" asked Miss Patch in a husky
voice. The cruelty of it all made her kind heart ache with pain and
indignation.

Jessie shook her pretty head mournfully. "No. He says it would
unsettle me, and they would be always worrying round, and he wants
peace and quietness--but, oh, Miss Patch, they loved me so, it must
have nearly broken their hearts! And--and I love them so, I feel
sometimes I can't bear it, I can't, I can't. I feel I _must_ run
away and find my way back to them. I am sure "--hopefully--"
I could."

Miss Patch laid her thin hand very kindly on Jessie's bowed head.
"Don't ever do that, dear! Don't ever set yourself against God's
will. You are told in the Bible to obey your God and your earthly
father, and God must have sent you here for some good purpose, dear.
Perhaps to teach you something we cannot understand yet, perhaps to
bring help and happiness to--to others, to your mother, and dear
little Charlie there, and--and me.

"God make my life a little staff,
Whereon the weak may rest,
That so what health and strength I have
May serve my neighbours best.

"I think that is what God wants you for, little flower, to help us
and bring joy to us in this gloomy corner of the world; and, oh, my
dear, you have such chances here. And if you go on trusting and
hoping, little Jessamine, trying to hold the faith that never
faileth, all will come right. I know it will, I am sure."

Jessie lifted a very eager face to her old friend. "Do you really
think so?" she asked anxiously.

"I am sure of it, dear; quite sure."

Silence fell on them both for a few moments, then Jessie looked up
with a face alight with eagerness. "Miss Patch, couldn't I have a
little Sunday-school for Charlie, just like granp had for me?
I couldn't teach him, but I could read to him, and learn hymns with
him, couldn't I? Don't you think it would be nice?"

"I think it is a beautiful idea," agreed Miss Patch warmly.
Then, after a moment, she added, "How would you like it if I had the
school, and you both came to me? I could go down to Charlie's room,
as a rule, but I do believe that sometimes you might both come up to
me. If he were carried up very carefully and laid on my bed I feel
sure it would not hurt him, and I think the change of surroundings
might even do him good. What do you think of that plan?" and Miss
Patch looked nearly as eager as Jessie by the time she had finished
speaking.

Jessie