narrow?"

Eleanor's eyes opened a little at that. "Aunt Caxton, I never thought
of such a thing. I do not remember that I was considering my own sphere
of duty at all. I was thinking of the pleasure of preaching
Christ--yes, and the glory and honour--to such poor wretches as those
we were talking of, who have never had a glimpse of the truth before."

"Then for your part you are satisfied with England?"

"Why yes, ma'am. I am satisfied, I think,--I mean to be,--with any
place that is given me. I should be sorry to choose for myself."

"But if you had a clear call, you would like it, to go to the Cape of
Good Hope and teach the Hottentots?"

"I do not mean that, aunty," said Eleanor laughing a little. "Surely
you do not suspect me of any wandering romantic notion about doing the
Lord's work in one place rather than in another. I would rather teach
English people than Hottentots. But if I saw that my place was at the
Cape of Good Hope, I would go there. If my place were there, some way
would be possible for me to get there, I suppose."

"You would have no fear?" said Mrs. Caxton.

"No aunty; I think not. Ever since I can say 'The Lord is my
Shepherd--' I have done with fear."

"My love, I should be very sorry to have you go to the Cape of Good
Hope. I am glad there is no prospect of it. But you are right about not
choosing. As soon as we go where we are not sent, we are at our own
charges."

The door here opened, and the party and the tea-table received an
accession of one to their number. It was an elderly, homely gentleman,
to whom Mrs. Caxton gave a very cordial reception and whom she
introduced to Eleanor as the Rev. Mr. Morrison. He had a pleasant face,
Eleanor saw, and as soon as he spoke, a pleasant manner.

"I ought to be welcome, ma'am," he said, rubbing his hands with the
cold as he sat down. "I bring you letters from Brother Rhys."

"You are welcome without that, brother, as you know," Mrs. Caxton
answered. "But the letters are welcome. Of how late date are they?"

"Some pretty old--some not more than nine or ten months ago; when he
had been stationed a good while."

"How is he?"

"Well, he says; never better."

"And happy?"

"I wish I was as happy!" said Mr. Morrison.--"He had got fast hold of
his work already."

"He would do that immediately."

"He studied the language on shipboard, all the way out; and he was able
to hold a service in it for the natives only a few weeks after he had
l