in him by coming
there, should not be abused, for he would be true to the trust, and care
for the poor, little, half-crazed Adah, moaning so piteously beside him,
and as he read the last line, saying eagerly:

"He speaks of coming back. Do you think he ever will? or could I find
him if I should try? I thought of starting once, but it was so far; and
there was Willie. Oh, if he could see Willie! Mr. Worthington, do you
believe he loves me one bit?"

Hugh said at last, that the letter contained many assurances of
affection.

"It seems family pride has something to do with it. I wonder where his
people live, or who they are? Did he never tell you?"

"No," and Adah shook her head mournfully.

"Would you go to them?" Hugh asked quickly; and Adah answered:

"Sometimes I've thought I would. I'd brave his proud mother--I'd lay
Willie in her lap. I'd tell her whose he was, and then I'd go away and
die." Then, after a pause, she continued: "Once, Mr. Worthington, I went
down to the river, and said I'd end my wretched life, but God held me
back. He cooled my scorching head--He eased the pain, and on the very
spot where I meant to jump, I kneeled down and said: 'Our Father.' No
other words would come, only these: 'Lead us not into temptation.'
Wasn't it kind in God to save me?"

There was a radiant expression in the sweet face as Adah said this, but
it quickly passed away and was succeeded by one of deep concern when
Hugh abruptly said:

"Do you believe in God?"

"Oh, Mr. Worthington. Don't you? You do, you must, you will," and Adah
shrank away from him as from a monster.

The action reminded him of the Golden Haired, when on the deck of the
_St. Helena_ he had asked her a similar question, and anxious further to
probe the opinion of the girl beside him, he continued:

"If, as you think, there is a God who knew and saw when you were about
to drown yourself, why didn't He prevent the cruel wrong to you? Why did
He suffer it?"

"What He does we know not now, but we shall know hereafter," Adah said,
reverently, adding: "If George had feared God, he would not have left me
so; but he didn't, and perhaps he says there is no God--but you don't,
Mr. Worthington. Your face don't look like it. Tell me you believe," and
in her eagerness Adah grasped his arm beseechingly.

"Yes, Adah, I believe," Hugh answered, half jestingly, "but it's such as
you that make me believe, and as persons of your creed think everything
is ordered