rley was appointed manager of a colliery in
Wales, at a place a hundred miles or more from Langhurst, and a few
months after Alice Johnson's death he removed to his new situation, with
all his family. A night or two before he left he called upon Johnson.

"Well, my lad," he said, taking a seat near the fire, "I reckon you and
I mayn't meet again for many a long day. But if you're coming our side
at any time, we shall be right glad to see you, and Betty too, and give
you a hearty total abstainer's welcome."

"I'm afraid," said Betty, "that fayther nor me's not like to be
travelling your road. I'm sure I'm glad you're a-going to better
yourselves, for you desarve it; but it'll be the worse for us."

"Ay," said Johnson despondingly; "first one prop's taken away, and then
another; and after a bit the roof'll fall in, and make an end on us."

"Nay, nay, man," said his friend reprovingly, "it's not come to that
yet. You forget the best of all Friends, the Lord Jesus Christ. He
ever liveth; and hasn't he said, `I will never leave thee nor forsake
thee?'"

"That's true," replied the other; "but I can't always feel it. He's
helped me afore now, and I know as he'll help me again--but I can't
always trust him as I should."

"Ah, but you _must_ trust him," said Brierley earnestly; "you must stick
firm to your Saviour. And you must stick firm to your pledge, Thomas--
promise me that."

"Yes; by God's help, so I will," was the reply; "only I see I shall have
hard work. But it's no odds, they can't make me break if I'm resolved
that I won't."

"No, fayther," said his daughter; "and they can't go the breadth of a
thread further nor the Lord permits."

"That's true, Betty, my lass," said Ned; "so cheer up, Thomas. I feel
sure--I can't tell you why, but I do feel sure--that the Lord'll bring
back your Sammul again. He'll turn up some day, take my word for it.
So don't lose heart, Thomas; but remember how the blessed Book says,
`Heaviness may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.'"

"God bless you," said Johnson, squeezing Ned's hand hard; "you're a
gradely comforter."

And so they parted.

It was not long, however, before Thomas's patience was tried to the
uttermost. His enemies let him alone for a short time after his wife's
death--for there is a measure of rugged consideration even among
profligates and drunkards. But a storm had been brewing, and it fell at
last when Ned Brierley had been gone f