er.

Two hours later, and Thomas Bradly might be seen standing outside
Foster's house, with a happy smile on his face, and a short whispered
conversation going on between two parts of himself. "Now, then, Thomas,
you're in for it." "Ay, to be sure; and in for a good thing too."
"What'll Will Foster say? And what'll _you_ say, Thomas?" "Ah! Well,
all that's best left in the Lord's hands."

After this a loud, decided knock on Thomas's part, and then the cautious
tread of a woman inside.

"All right, missus; it's only me, Thomas Bradly."

No answer for a minute, and then the heavier tread of a man. Foster
himself opened the door, and holding out his hand, said,--

"Come in, Thomas. You're just the man I've been wanting to see."

"And you're just the man I'm right glad to hear say so," was the other's
reply.

The two men walked into the inner room together. All was very neat, and
the whole place wore an air of comfort far different from what had been
its appearance in days past. But the greatest change was in Foster's
wife. Bradly, who had met her often in the street or in the shops,
could hardly believe her to be the same. "Ha, ha!" said he inwardly to
himself; "the Lord's been at work here, I can see." Yes! There was
that marked change on the features which can come only from a changed
heart. There was peace on that face--a peace whose tranquil light had
never shone there before. There was not joy yet, but there was peace.
Not, indeed, peace unmixed, for there was a shade of earth's sadness
there still; but God's peace was there, like a lunar rainbow, beautiful
in its heavenly colouring cast upon the clouds of sorrow, but not
intensely bright. As she held out her hand to Bradly to give him a
friendly welcome, he could see that her eyes were full of tears. "All
right," he said to himself; "the work's begun."

As he was seating himself on one side of the fire, his eye fell on a
little, stout, shabbily-bound volume lying in a corner near some
showily-ornamented books. Could it really be a Bible? "Right again,"
thought Thomas; "I ain't often mistaken about _that_ book. The secret's
out; I see what has worked the change."

"I'm truly glad, but almost ashamed, to see you, Thomas," began Foster,
seating himself opposite his guest. "However, I'm glad now of this
opportunity of expressing my regret for the many hard and undeserved
things I've spoken against you, both to your face and behind your back