throw off his fear
Who hears our solemn vow;--"

her voice rang out clear and steady. To her sister it already had an air
of triumph, and caused her to look up wonderingly into the face so full
of trust and holy purpose. The clear, bright eyes met her tearful gaze;
there was a pressure of the hand as entreatingly she said, "Sing, Ruth;
the _Lord_ is our strength, He will help us."

Re-assured and comforted, Ruth sang, "To each the cov'nant blood apply,"
thinking of her sister's words, and feeling already His help.

The New Year's hymn was sung, friends looked into each other's faces
with words of cheer, and then separated. They went their ways to carry
out their purposes, and with them went Ruth and Agnes.

The girls were orphans. For ten years they had been motherless, and
several years previous their father had died. They had no one but their
brother Guy, not even a distant relative, and this made them cling very
closely to one another. One day when Guy was in a very gay and gracious
mood, he took his sisters by the arm and whirling them round sang,
"Lovers three are we, no truer could you see," to which Ruth laughingly
added, "And we'll faithful be, Guy, Agnes and me."

But they were not demonstrative. That is they rarely kissed each other;
they did not show their love in these many ways that are so beautiful
among brothers and sisters. Somehow they had never learned them, for
their father had been a stern, forbidding man, who would have called
such things "Stuff, and Nonsense," and their mother was very timid,
looking up to her husband in everything. She would not have dared to
teach her children these endearing ways. Sometimes she said "dear," and
kissed them, and O, how their hearts filled up with love! It made them
happy for days after. But they always knew she loved them even more than
words or caresses could express, and they gave her back the strength of
their young, loving natures. When she left them they drew up closer to
each other in thought, loving silently, yet with greater intensity.

Guy, the eldest, was twenty-two and Agnes eighteen. He had just been
admitted to the bar, and expected to stand high in his profession before
long. His sisters were sure if any one rose, he certainly would, for he
had not only ambition but talent, and in speaking of "our Guy," they
dwelt on the name with great tenderness and pride. He assured them that
no one had made a higher mount at first than he, havi