"They do not know them!"

"No, but they do know the steps which lead into them, and those steps
they refuse to take."

"I do not understand you. What steps?"

"The Lord does not show us his plans. He shows us, one by one, the
steps he bids us take. If we take them, one by one, they will bring us
into all that God has purposed and meant for us--the very best that
could come to us."

"And you think his plans and purposes could be overthrown?"

"Why, certainly. Else what mean Christ's lamentations over Jerusalem?
'O Jerusalem,... how often would I have gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gathereth her brood under her wings, and ye would not.' I
would--ye would not; and the choice lies with us."

"And suppose a person falls in with these plans, as you say, step by
step?"

"O, then it is all good," said Lois; "the way and the end; all good.
There is no mistake nor misadventure."

"Nor disaster?"

"Not what turns out to be such."

"Lois," said Mrs. Barclay, after a thoughtful pause, "you are a very
happy person!"

"Yes," said Lois, smiling; "and I have just told you the reason. Don't
you see? I have no care about anything."

"On your principles, I do not see what need you had to consider your
future way of life; to speculate about it, I mean."

"No," said Lois, rising, "I have not. Only sometimes one must look a
little carefully at the parting of the ways, to see which road one is
meant to take."

"Sit down again. I did not come out here to talk of all this. I wanted
to ask you something."

Lois sat down.

"I came to ask a favour."

"How could you, Mrs. Barclay? I mean, nothing we could do could be a
_favour_ to you!"

"Yes, it could. I have a friend that wants to come to see me."

"Well?"

"May he come?"

"Why, of course."

"But it is a gentleman."

"Well," said Lois again, smiling, "we have no objections to gentlemen."

"It is a friend whom I have not seen in a very long while; a dear
friend; a dear friend of my husband's in years gone by. He has just
returned from Europe; and he writes to ask if he may call on his way to
Boston and spend Sunday with me."

"He shall be very welcome, Mrs. Barclay; and we will try to make him
comfortable."

"O, comfortable! there is no question of that. But will it not be at
all inconvenient?"

"Not in the least."

"Then he may come?"

"Certainly. When does he wish to come?"

"This week--Saturday. His name is Dillwyn."

"Dillwyn!" Lois r