ade better, it was well that he got
worse, for it was a proof that her prayers were telling; total
indifference would have been a far more discouraging sign.

This was poor comfort to her, however, for he came home night after
night drunk; or if not so, swearing about the revival in the church, and
her praying. He often declared that if he ever caught me in his house,
he would "give me something for myself." He was at all times a very
irascible man, and being troubled with a wooden leg, it made him worse.
As he was unable to work in the mine, he was dependent for his support
on the parish authorities, who employed him to break stones on the road.

Notwithstanding his bad temper and ill-feeling towards me, I always
stopped at his heap of stones when passing, and talked to him either
about the weather or some other trivial subject, being quite satisfied
that he knew the plan of salvation, as I had spoken to him about his
soul at the time of his wife's conversion.

One day, when coming along, I observed Frank before me in the road,
busy, as usual, breaking stones, and began to think what I would speak
to him about, having no particular news to communicate. While I was thus
pondering, I came to his place, when, to my great astonishment, he was
not there. I looked around on all sides, and called, "Frank--Frank!" but
in vain--no one answered. There was no hedge or tree within sight for
him to hide behind; where could he be? All at once, I remembered that
there was a small gravel-pit about twenty-five or thirty yards from the
spot, but scarcely thought it possible he could be there. I went towards
it, however, still calling, "Frank--Frank!" and yet received no answer.
On looking in, sure enough, there was my man, lying down in the pit,
close up to the side, with his face to the ground. I said, "Frank, is
that you? What are you doing there? Are you ill?"

"No," he replied, "I'm not. What d'yer want with me?"

"Nothing in particular," I said; "but to tell the truth, I was so
surprised at your disappearance, that I could not pass on without
looking for you. I was so sure that I saw you in the distance, sitting
in your place; and then, when I came up, you were not there. I wondered
whether I had seen your ghost instead of you, and whether you were dead
or what. Are you hiding away from me?"

Rising up, he said, "I had a terrible dream last night which frightened
me very much. A voice said, 'Go and see Mr. Haslam about your so