e are our Royal Reddings; they are good for eating
and cooking, and they keep perfectly. If only they are picked off by
hand."

"What were you studying, Lois? May I not know?" Mrs. Barclay took an
apple and a seat on the turf beside the girl.

"Hardly studying. Only musing--as such a day makes one muse. I was
thinking, Mrs. Barclay, what use I could make of my life."

"What _use?_ Can you make better use of it than you are doing, in
taking care of Mrs. Armadale?"

"Yes--as things are now. But in the common course of things I should
outlive grandmamma."

"Then you will marry somebody, and take care of him."

"Very unlikely, I think."

"May I ask, why?"

"I do not know anybody that is the sort of man I could marry."

"What do you require?" asked Mrs. Barclay.

"A great deal, I suppose," said Lois slowly. "I have never studied
that; I was not studying it just now. But I was thinking, what might be
the best way of making myself of some use in the world. Foolish, too."

"Why so?"

"It is no use for us to lay plans for our lives; not much use for us to
lay plans for anything. They are pretty sure to be broken up."

"Yes," said Mrs. Barclay, sighing. "I wonder why!"

"I suppose, because they do not fall in with God's plans for us."

"His plans for us," repeated Mrs. Barclay slowly. "Do you believe in
such things? That would mean, individual plans, Lois; for you
individually, and for me?"

"Yes, Mrs. Barclay--that is what I believe."

"It is incomprehensible to me."

"Why should it be?"

"To think that the Highest should concern him self with such small
details."

"It is just because he is the Highest, and so high, that he can.
Besides--do we know what _are_ small details?"

"But why should he care what becomes of us?" said Mrs. Barclay gloomily.

"O, do you ask that? When he is Love itself, and would have the very
best things for each one of us?"

"We don't have them, I am sure."

"Because we will not, then. To have them, we must fall in with his
plans."

"My dear Lois, do you know that you are talking the profoundest
mysteries?"

"No. They are not mysteries to me. The Bible says all I have been
saying."

"That is sufficient for you, and you do not stop to look into the
mystery. Lois, it is _all_ mystery. Look at all the wretched ruined
lives one sees; what becomes of those plans for good for them?"

"Failed, Mrs. Barclay; because of the people's unwillingness to come
into the plans."