at our hands was
given us to do nothin'."

"O no, nor I," said Matilda.

"Well, then, what be your hands learning? See if I'm wrong."

Matilda cast about how to answer, for in truth her hands had got no new
skill in the past months, although the old skill had come in play very
conveniently. While she hesitated, came the welcome sound of the
opening and closing front door. Mr. Richmond was returned. His steps
went however first upstairs, and then came down and went into the
study. Miss Redwood had disappeared and was getting her beef ready in
the kitchen. Matilda could wait no longer. Taking David's hand and
gently persuading him to allow of her leading, she went to the study
door and knocked.

Mr. Richmond had just made the fire blaze up; so they had light to see
each other by. David stood by and watched the greeting; it was very
glad and affectionate, he saw, on both sides, with a certain tender
confidence that impressed him. He was surprised also to see that Mr.
Richmond was so young a man and so handsome a man; and when the
brilliant eyes were turned on himself he was quite susceptible to their
fascination. Matilda lost no time.

"David Bartholomew, Mr. Richmond; one of my new cousins, you know. And
Mr. Richmond,--David knows about the Messiah in the Old Testament, and
he wants to know if the Messiah is Jesus; and so I wanted him to see
you, because you could tell him; and so I got him to come with me."

If David's shyness was at all disturbed by this speech, it was entirely
soothed again by Mr. Richmond's reception of it, and of him. The
genial, frank clasp of his hand, the kindly, free glance of the blue
eyes, quite won David, as it was apt to win everybody; and in a minute
more he found himself sitting at his ease in this strange house,
perfectly contented to be then, and interested to watch Matilda's
intercourse with her old friend and her pleasure in it. There was time
for but little, however, before Miss Redwood's activity had got the
"beef and eggs" and all the rest of the tea-table in a state of
readiness, and her call summoned them into the other room. David made a
little demur about staying, instantly overruled both by Mr. Richmond
and Matilda, and he sat down with the rest. And if he said little, the
other three tongues were busy enough.

"And how do you like New York?" inquired the housekeeper. Matilda's
answer was very unqualified.

"'Tain't no better a place than this, is it?" the lady asked r