the inefficient. He goes to meet the cheerful, the courageous and
the good worker; that is, God helps those who help themselves. And God's
help is not a peradventure; it is potential and mighty to save; "for our
Redeemer is strong. He shall thoroughly plead our cause," in every
emergency of Life.

Very early next morning John turned a happy face homeward. The hero of
today has generally the ball of skepticism attached to his foot, but
between John Hatton and the God he loved there was not one shadow of
doubt. John knew and was sure that everything, no matter how evil it
looked, would work together for good.

It was a day of misty radiance until the sun rose high and paved the
clouds with fire. Then the earth was glad. The birds were singing as if
they never would grow old, and, Oh, the miles and miles of green, green
meadows, far, far greener than the youngest leaves on the trees! There
were no secrets and no nests in the trees yet, but John knew they were
coming. He could have told what kind of trees his favorite birds would
choose and how they would build their nests among the branches.

Towards noon he caught the electric atmosphere pouring down the northern
mountains. He saw the old pines clambering up their bulwarks, and the
streams glancing and dancing down their rocky sides and over the brown
plowed fields below great flocks of crows flying heavily. Then he knew
that he was coming nigh to Hatton-in-Elmete and at last he saw the great
elm-trees that still distinguished his native locality. Then his heart
beat with a warmer, quicker tide. They blended inextricably with his
thoughts of mother and wife, child and home, and he felt strongly that
mystical communion between Man and Nature given to those

Whose ears have heard
The Ancient Word,
Who walked among the silent trees.

Not that Nature in any form or any measure had supplanted his thoughts
of Jane. She had been the dominant note in every reflection during all
the journey. Mountain and stream, birds and trees and shifting clouds
had only served as the beautiful background against which he set her in
unfading beauty and tenderness. For he was sure that she loved him and
he believed that Love would yet redeem the past.

During his absence she had written him the most affectionate and
charming letters and when the train reached Hatton-in-Elmete, she was
waiting to receive him. He had a very pardonable pride in her appearance
and the attention sh