she said.

"I can't say, but trust him a little longer, Ruth. When did his parents
last hear from him?"

"I don't know, ma'am. Lately I've felt I couldn't go there."

"You shall run down to-night; or stay, you are not fit to go. Harry,
will you go at once to Mrs. Greenwood, and ask her to bring John's last
letters?"

"With pleasure, mother." He soon returned with Mrs. Greenwood.

"You've had a letter from Dick, my dear, that's upset you, so the young
gentleman says. I hope he's all right, for it's long since we had a
line, though we hear every other mail from John," she said.

"Do tell me where he is, and what he is doing, for Dick says he is going
to the bad fast, and I can't believe it," said Ruth.

"That I'm sure he isn't," cried the mother; "he left the store to go
with Dick, but he's gone back now, for he says it was a wild life that
didn't suit him, and he got into a bad set; but he's doing well now, and
living quiet and respectable, and tells us he has signed the pledge,
and--and--but oh, my dear, I wasn't to tell you this; for he meant to
write himself and tell you all about it, but you were so anxious, what
could I do?"

Ruth's eyes filled with happy tears. How abundantly her prayers were
being answered she only found when she came to read John's letters!

"I must wait patiently till he writes to me; but why doesn't he reply to
my letter?"

"Depend upon it, Ruth, he never had it, or he would at least have
mentioned it when writing home. It must have fallen into his brother's
hands," replied Mrs. Groombridge.

"I don't believe Dick is as bad as that," said the mother, when Ruth's
mistress had left the room.

"My dear," said Mr. Groombridge, after hearing the story; "I shall
persuade Ruth to go out at once. Our friends, the Grahams, who find it
so difficult to secure good servants in Melbourne, will be only too glad
of Ruth's help until John can make her a home, and she will be a
strength and stay to him, and all suspense for her will be over."

"I don't like to part with Ruth a day before I'm obliged, but I think
your plan excellent," returned his wife.

It was discovered that, when consulted, Ruth's opinion coincided exactly
with that of her mistress, and a month afterwards she bade farewell to
her friends and sailed for Australia.

* * * * *

"You've a young man named Greenwood in your employ, I believe?" said a
gentleman, walking into the store where John w