t evening, and though he saw her at
the breakfast-table the next morning, she slipped away so immediately
after the conclusion of the meal, that he had no opportunity to speak to
her; and at dinner it was just the same.

But in the afternoon, seeing her walk out alone, he put on his hat and
followed at a little distance. She was going toward the quarter, and he
presently saw her enter a cabin where, he had been told, a poor old
colored woman was lying ill, perhaps on her death-bed.

Very quietly he drew near the door of the hut, and seating himself on a
low bench on the outside, found that he could both see and hear all that
was going on without himself being perceived, as Elsie had her back to
the door, and poor old Dinah was blind.

"I have come to read to you again, Aunt Dinah," said the little girl, in
her sweet, gentle tones.

"Tank you, my young missus; you is bery kind," replied the old woman
feebly.

Elsie had already opened her little Bible, and in the same sweet, gentle
voice in which she had spoken, she now read aloud the third chapter of
St. John's gospel.

When she had finished reading the sixteenth verse--"God so loved the
world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life,"--she paused and exclaimed,
"Oh! Aunt Dinah, is not that beautiful? Does it not make you glad? You
see it does not say whosoever is good and holy, or whosoever has not
sinned, but it is whosoever believes in Jesus, the only begotten Son of
God. If it was only the good, Aunt Dinah, you and I could never hope to
be saved, because we are both great sinners."

"Not you, Miss Elsie! not you, darlin'," interrupted the old woman; "ole
Dinah's a great sinner, she knows dat well nuff--but you, darlin', you
never did nuffin bad."

"Yes, Dinah," said the little voice in saddened tones, "I have a very
wicked heart, and have been a sinner all my life; but I know that Jesus
died to save sinners, and that whosoever believes in him shall have
eternal life, and I do believe, and I want you to believe, and then you,
too, will be saved."

"Did de good Lord Jesus die for poor ole Dinah, Miss Elsie?" she asked
eagerly.

"Yes, Aunt Dinah, if you will believe in him; it says for _whosoever
believeth_."

"Ole Dinah dunno how to believe, chile; can't do it nohow."

"You must ask God to teach you, Dinah," replied the little girl
earnestly, "for the Bible says 'faith'--that means