onderfully close sense of their presence. At
morning prayers the next day, Miss Harman and her father entered the
church. You may well look at me in surprise, Charlotte, but when I saw
them I felt quiet enough; I only knew that God had sent them. For the
first time in my life I preached without note or written help. I felt,
however, at no loss for words; my theme was the Prodigal Son. I thought
only of Mr. Harman; I went home and continued to pray for him. On
Tuesday morning--that is, this morning--he was again at the church.
After the prayers were over he waited to speak to me: he asked me to
visit him at his own house this evening. I went there; I have been with
him all the evening; he told me his life story, the bitter story of his
fall. I am now come for you, for he must confess to you--you are the
wronged one."

"I am going to see John Harman, my half-brother who has wronged me?"
said Mrs. Home; "I am going to him now without preparation? Oh! Angus, I
cannot, not to-night, not to-night."

"Yes, dear, it must be to-night; if there is any hardness left in your
heart it will melt when you see this sinner, whom God has forgiven."

"Angus, you are all tenderness and love to him; I cannot aspire to your
nature, I cannot. To this man, who has caused such misery and sin, I
feel hard. Charlotte I pity, Charlotte I love; but this man, this man
who deliberately could rob my dead mother! It is against human nature to
feel very sorry for him."

"You mean to tell me, Charlotte, that you refuse to forgive him?"

"No; eventually you will conquer me; but just now, I confess, my heart
is not full of pity."

Mr. Home thought for a moment. He was pained by his wife's want of
sympathy. Then he reflected that she had not seen Mr. Harman. It was
plain, however, that they must not meet until her spirit towards him had
changed.

"Do not stop at Prince's Gate," he called out to the cabby, "drive on
until I ask you to stop."

During the drive that followed, he told his wife Mr. Harman's story. He
told it well, for when he had finished, Charlotte turned to him eyes
which had shed some tears.

"Does Charlotte know of this?" she said.

"I do not think so. Will you come to Mr. Harman now?"

"Yes. I will come on one condition!"

"What is that?"

"That I may see Charlotte afterwards."

"I am sure that can be managed."

Then Mr. Home desired the cabby to stop at Prince's Gate. A
sleepy-looking servant waited up for them. He mani