iny by a conscious deep rose.

"Don't you know," said he settling himself back in his chair,--"I don't
think I see the sun and moon when I don't see you? Or the moon,
anyways--you aint but the half of my Zodiack."

"What did you want to see the moon for, Mr. Simlins?" said Faith
willing to interrupt him.

"Well--you see, I've been a kind of a latudinarian too," said Mr.
Simlins doubtfully.--"It pulls a man's mind down; as well as his
flesh--and I got tired of thinkin' to-day and concluded I'd send for
you to stop it." His look confessed more than his words. Faith had
little need to ask what he had been thinking about.

"What shall I do to stop it, sir?"

"Well, you can read--can't you?--or talk to me."

There was a strange uneasy wandering of his eye, and a corresponding
unwonted simplicity and directness in his talk. Faith noted both and
silently went for a Bible she saw lying on a table. She brought it to
Mr. Simlins' side and opened its pages slowly, questioning with herself
where she should read. Some association of a long past conversation
perhaps was present with her, for though she paused over one and
another of several passages, she could fix upon none but the parable of
the unfruitful tree.

"Do you mean that for me?" said the farmer a minute after she had done.

"Yes sir--and no, dear Mr. Simlins!" said Faith looking up.

"Why is it 'yes' and 'no'? how be I like that?"--he growled, but with a
certain softening and lowering of his growl.

"The good trees all do the work they were made for. God calls for the
same from us," Faith said gently.

"I know what you're thinkin' of," said he;--"but haint I done it? Who
ever heerd a man say I had wronged him? or that I have been
hard-hearted either? I never was."

It was curious how he let his thoughts out to her; but the very gentle,
pure and true face beside him provoked neither controversy nor
mistrust, nor pride. He spoke to her as if she had only been a child.
Like a child, with such sympathy and simplicity, she answered him.

"Mr. Simlins, the Bible says that 'the fruits of righteousness are by
Jesus Christ.'--Do you know him?--are you in his service?"

"I don't know as I understand you," said he.

"I can't make you understand it, sir."

"Why can't you? who can?" said he quickly.

"It is written, Mr. Simlins,--'They shall be all taught of God.'"--She
shewed him the place. "And it is written, 'Come, and let us go up to
the mountain of the Lord,