eaven knew what she meant.

"I do nothing but wonder," she said, "for it is all so natural--not what
we thought."

"Is it long since you have been here?" the Pilgrim said.

"I came before you--but how long or how short I cannot tell, for that is
not how we count. We count only by what happens to us. And nothing yet
has happened to me, except that I have seen our Brother. My mother sees
Him always. That means she has lived here a long time and well--"

"Is it possible to live ill--in heaven?" The little Pilgrim's eyes grew
large as if they were going to have tears in them, and a little shadow
seemed to come over her. But the other laughed softly and restored her
confidence.

"I have told you I do not know if it is heaven or not. No one does ill,
but some do little and some do much, just as it used to be. Do you
remember in Dante there was a lazy spirit that stayed about the gates
and never got farther? but perhaps you never read that."

"I was not clever," said the little Pilgrim, wistfully. "No, I never
read it. I wish I had known more."

Upon which the beautiful lady kissed her again to give her courage, and
said--

"It does not matter at all. It all comes to you whether you have known
it or not."

"Then your mother came here long ago?" said the Pilgrim. "Ah, then I
shall see my mother too."

"Oh, very soon--as soon as she can come; but there are so many things to
do. Sometimes we can go and meet those who are coming, but it is not
always so. I remember that she had a message. She could not leave her
business, you may be sure, or she would have been here."

"Then you know my mother? Oh, and my dearest father too?"

"We all know each other," the lady said with a smile.

"And you? did you come to meet me--only out of kindness, though I do not
know you?" the little Pilgrim said.

"I am nothing but an idler," said the beautiful lady, "making
acquaintance. I am of little use as yet. I was very hard worked before I
came here, and they think ft well that we should sit in the sun and take
a little rest and find things out."

Then the little Pilgrim sat still and mused, and felt in her heart that
she had found many things out. What she had heard had been wonderful,
and it was more wonderful still to be sitting here all alone save for
this lady, yet so happy and at ease. She wanted to sing, she was so
happy, but remembered that she was old and had lost her voice, and then
remembered again that she was no longe