very much moved. 'You have been most kind to me
ever since I came; I am only so sorry that I cannot think of you in any
other light.'

'A friend!' he exclaimed impetuously; 'I don't want that. Ah! Miss
Thorn, you are so desirous of doing good and spending your life in
ministering to others, and yet when an opportunity comes of really
benefiting a human creature and of making him into a good man, you turn
away in scorn. If you will have nothing to say to me, you will send me
from bad to worse!'

'Oh, Captain Gates!' and tears that I could not keep back started to my
eyes, 'you know it is not in scorn I am acting so. But it wouldn't be
for our good if I were to say "Yes." I have not any love to give you,
and I know myself better than you do. If I loved you, I would not dare
to link my life with yours. Forgive me for saying it. I am not strong
enough to lead you; I should be led by you. You do not know what a
weak creature I am. As it is, I feel I am safe, for I put my trust in
God, and He keeps me; but I would not dare to place myself in a
position of temptation and then expect Him to keep me in it.'

'Really you must have a very low opinion of me. What kind of a life do
you think I lead? I want to do better, I want to be an out-and-out
Christian. And I want you to help me to become one.'

'Hilda! out here? I am so warm that I shall come and join you. How
delicious the air is!'

It was Nelly who cut our conversation short, and I was very thankful to
make my escape. I felt I must be alone, and hastened away to my own
room.

CHAPTER VII

A FRESH ACQUAINTANCE

'I say
Just what I think, and
Nothing more or less.'--_Longfellow._

I was not missed that night, and no one came near me. With my Bible on
my knees, I felt quite convinced that I had acted rightly, and I was
thankful that beyond a sincere liking for Captain Gates as a friend I had
no other feeling to make my decision a hard matter. Inexperienced as I
was, I knew no Christian ought to yoke themselves with another, with only
the hope of helping them heavenwards in view. And I felt that if I were
to love any one, it must be one who could help and lead me in the right
way, and who was an older and a better Christian than I was myself. But
I was sorry for Captain Gates, and wrote him a little note that same
night, for I was afraid lest the interruption to our conversation should
give him the excuse for continuing the subject