her
brightening than otherwise, though the play of her lips took a
complicate character.--"Believe God! Don't you know _his_ words?"

"I s'pose I do--some of 'em. I can't believe anything with _him_ down
there lookin' at me!" she said impetuously. "He said _he_ didn't
believe--and I keep thinkin' of that."

"Will you believe him, rather than God?--rather than the Lord Jesus,
who came and gave his very life for us, to bring us to heaven. Do you
think _he_ would tell us anything but truth after that? _His_ words
are, 'He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.'"

"Well I'm most dead--" said the woman in a sort of cold, hopeless tone.

"Let Jesus make you live!" said Faith, in a voice as warm and loving.

"The doctor said _he_ couldn't," she answered in the same tone as
before. "He believes that, anyhow."

Faith answered,

"'My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I
give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall
any man pluck them out of my hand.'"

That same little quiver passed over the face, but it changed into an
irrepressible shudder.

"Sit down here on the bed," she said, looking up at Faith, "and put
your face so I can't see his'n--and then you may talk."

And with that fair head for a screen, as if it really warded off some
evil influence, Mrs. Custers lay and listened quietly for a while; but
then her hands were clasped over her face, and she broke into a low
sobbing fit--as if mind and body were pouring out their griefs
together. Not loud, not hysterical; but weary, subdued, overpowering;
until the utter exhaustion brought sleep.

Faith got off the bed then,--looked at her, looked at the doctor,--and
then by an irrepressible feeling, sunk on her knees. Leave _her_, go
out of the house with _him_, she could not, until she had put the cause
of them all into the hand she knew _her_ friend and wished theirs. A
few moments' motionless hiding of her face, during which, as indeed
during the whole conversation, Dr. Harrison was nearly motionless too,
and used his eyes silently; and Faith rose from her knees. She gave
another look at the poor weary face that lay there, and then led the
way out of the house. The doctor followed her, having perhaps got more
than enough of the result of his ride. But as he was unfastening his
horses, or rather after he had done it and was waiting to hand her in,
Faith addressed him.

"Dr. Harrison, on whos