could not do that. I live half my life on horseback at home."

"Then how am I to understand the long-drawn breaths which I hear from
you every now and then?"

Mrs. Caxton was twisting up paper lighters. She was rarely without
something in her fingers. Eleanor was doing nothing. At her aunt's
question she half laughed, and seized one of the strips of paper to
work upon. Her laugh changed into a sigh.

"Aunt Caxton, do you always find it easy to know what is the right
thing to do--in all circumstances?"

"I have always infallible counsel that I can take."

"You mean the Bible? But the Bible does not tell one everything."

"I mean prayer."

"Prayer!--But my dear aunt Caxton!--"

"What is it, my dear?"

"I mean, that one wants an answer to one's perplexing questions."

"Mine never fail of an answer," said Mrs. Caxton. "If it is to be found
in the Bible, I find it; if not, I go to the Lord, and get it from him."

"How, my dear aunt Caxton? How can you have an answer----in that way?"

"I ask to be directed--and I always am, Eleanor; always right. What do
you think prayer is good for?"

"But aunt Caxton!--I never heard of such a thing in my life! Please
forgive me."

"'If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; _and it shall be given him_.' Did you
never hear that, Eleanor?"

"Aunty--excuse me,--it is something I know nothing about."

"You never had an answer to your own prayers?"

"No, ma'am," said Eleanor drooping.

"My dear, there may be two reasons for that. Whoever wishes direction
from the Lord, must be absolutely willing to follow it, whatever it
be--we may not ask counsel of him as we do of our fellow-creatures,
bent upon following our own all the while. The Lord knows our hearts,
and withholds his answer when we ask so."

"How do you know what the answer is, aunty?"

"It may be given in various ways. Sometimes circumstances point it out;
sometimes attention is directed to a word in the Bible; sometimes,
'thine ears shall hear a voice behind thee, saying, This is the way,
walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the
left.'"

Eleanor did not answer; she thought her aunt was slightly fanatical.

"There is another reason for not getting an answer, Eleanor. It is, not
believing that an answer will be given."

"Aunty, how can one help that?"

"By simply looking at what God has promised, and trusting it. 'But let
a