Still she slept, till the low level rays of the setting sun came streaming upon her, between the trunks of the trees. Waking at last, she looked up into the eyes of a gentleman, as she thought him, standing by her side, but he was only a tall slender boy, perhaps about double her own age. At his first kind words, poor Hilda burst into tears, and could scarcely tell him her story. 'Now,' she said, 'I am sure I shall not know my way home, and it is quite late,' and she cried again. By and by he got her soothed, and said he would take care of her and bring her home. This he did very kindly, carrying her a little bit at times.

Now, that is all exactly as every thing happened, but no words of mine can tell you of my fear and despair, as hours passed, and no Hilda; nor of my joy, when she was brought to our door. Very sorry she was, when she learned the grief and trouble she had caused, promising never again to go away alone; and she never did. I rather think her play in the garden, for many days, lost some of its sweetness, from the recollection of her disobedience and its consequences.

We got then, and often after, from the kind stranger boy, the story of his finding her. He liked to talk about it, and came many times to see us in following years.

So, after a long, long time, as he had brought her back to us at first, he came and took her away altogether, and can any one tell me who that tall kind boy was?

'Father,' cried Milly, springing to her feet and kissing me. Father, echoed the other two. So we all agreed that though Hilda had long to wait, and much to learn, she got something better than 'Five Shillings Reward.'

H.

AT was sitting behind the wood-pile, reading slowly and softly aloud these words: That ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand.' And then Mat drew a long sigh.

51

"And having done all to stand." If I can do that, I shall be thankful. Seems like there's mighty few to encourage a fellow who's trying to do right. I know I've got help above, better than any one here can give me, but still, folks could make it easier sometimes.

Then Mat shut his little Testament, and went on vigorously with his wood-chopping.

It had not been many months since Mat Harvey had given his heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and publicly professed his faith in Him. It was an honest profession, and Mat was honestly striving to live up to it.

His own home, though plain and poor, was a godly one, and Mat, from his earliest days, had seen all work and play yield to 'doing right.' It was his mother's first desire for her boy, and her last parting injunction was for him to do right.' But at Farmer Sterling's, where Mat Harvey was now working for his board, and attending the village academy, his life was very different. Mrs Sterling, indeed, was kind to the boy, and often took his part, for she was a good woman, but not strong enough to stand herself very firmly in opposition to her godless husband and unruly boys.

Mat had thought with great pleasure of getting an education, though he had to work hard betimes, of the privilege of regular church attendance, of many things he could not enjoy in his secluded country home. But he had not supposed how many temptations would beset him, how hard it would be to stand fast as a soldier of the cross, in the little village and his temporary home. He had been encouraged to do right at home, but here he found 'folks' rather hindered than helped him. He found he must stand alone, if the servant of God can ever be said to be alone. He had begun to learn-a very hard lesson -to bear in silence the taunts of his school-fellows, when he walked away from the group insisting upon card-playing; he had met scornful looks and words because he had boldly protested against profanity.

Come on, Mat; let's go up to Neal's awhile,' said Alick Sterling after supper.

until he had forgotten the sting of Aleck's words. It was dull and lonely in the sitting-room, with no sound but the ticking of the clock, and the click of Mrs Sterling's needles.

'It's early yet; I'm going round to Ned Percy's to borrow a book, Mrs Sterling,' said Mat.

'Well, I wish Aleck was as ready to tell me where he is agoing, as you. If you catch up with him, bring him home; do, Mat.' Mrs Sterling's voice trembled, for she, too, felt that Neal's was no good place for her boy.

'Hallo, Mat! that you?' cried Ned Percy, as he almost ran against Mat, sauntering up the dimly lighted street. 'Come, I'm for Neal's and a game of tenpins.'

Now, Ned Percy, with his hearty, open manner, was harder to resist than Aleck.

'I must stand right here,' thought Mat, 'and try to help Percy too;' then aloud--'Don't go there, Ned; you know Neal's is not a good place-not a place where your mother would like you to go.'

'That's so, Harvey,' said Ned, cheerfully; but it's so awfully slow at home,just mother and Jenny,-what is a fellow to do with himself?'

'Turn back, and lend me "From HongKong to the Himalayas," said Mat.

Ned laughed, but did turn back, saying, 'You're going far enough from Neal's, anyhow. But come up to our house, maybe you'll find some other books you would like, and Jenny will play for us.'

How bright and cheery was the elegant sitting-room where Mrs Percy and Jenny welcomed Ned's friend!

'I don't see how you can leave such place, Ned, to go to Neal's smoky alley,' whispered Mat to Ned, while Jenny was playing for them.

There was cheerful talk, and Ned exhibited various treasures and curiosities of his own to Mat until he nearly forgot it was time for him to go.

'Come again,' said Mrs Percy kindly. Ned often wants company, and we shall be glad to see you.'

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'You'd be more glad to see him,' said Ned, honestly, 'when you know he wouldn't let me go to the ten-pin alley to-night.

Mat blushed; but Mrs Percy pressed his hand, and said, 'I am much obliged to you, Mat,'

'There isn't a better fellow in Buxton,' said Ned, closing the door; but he's dreadfully strict."

But Mat found no reason to relax his steadfastness, and he has, as have we all, to maintain his stand by an almost daily struggle; but he was learning to carry his temptations to God, and thereby found the way of escape.

It had been a very busy Saturday. Farmer Sterling had worked the boys hard all day, over a certain wood-lot which he was clearing.

We'll leave off now,' he said, as the shadows began to gather. 'One of you can come up, and pile that bit of brush in the morning; 'twon't take twenty minutes.'

Aleck shouldered his tools, and prepared to follow his father; but Mat kept on at his brush-heap.

Why don't you stop, Mat?' said Farmer Sterling, looking back.

'Mr Sterling,' said Mat, 'I'll do all I can here while I can see, and I'll come up early Monday morning; but I can't pile brush to-morrow morning, sir,-it's Sunday.'

'And what if it is?' roared the farmer. 'I can tell you, sir, if you are to pick and choose your work, and your times for work, you may find some other place to get your board.'

Mat did work as long as he could see, and then went slowly towards the farmhouse. He was wondering what he should do, if the farmer would not let him stay until Monday.

'Then I'll have to go home and give up school for the rest of the winter,-but I'm glad I could stand.'

Just then the kitchen door opened, sending out a long ray of light towards poor Mat, and then Aleck's head stuck out.

'Come in, Mat,' he said. 'Father is gone to bed, he'll be all right in the morning. Mother has saved your supper.'

Yes, come along,' said Mrs Sterling. 'I'll fix up things betwixt you and father.' Mat attended to his usual morning duties, and then set out for church with a still troubled heart. For he had tried unsuccessfully, before coming to the farmer's, to obtain a place where his services out of school-hours should pay for his board.

To his surprise, Aleck volunteered to accompany him to church. So the two boys set out across the fields, Mat striving to cast his care on the Lord, and keep up cheerful talk with Aleck.

It was with surprised pleasure he heard the minister announce for the text the very words which nowadays were so often in the boy's mind. Mat drank in new light and Courage as the sermon proceeded; and when it was done a good part of the weight on the boy's heart was lifted.

As Mat passed Ned Percy in the vestibule, there was such a merry look in his dark eyes that Mat could hardly repress a covetous longing for such a care-free life as Ned's.

'Right good sermon,—wasn't it, Mat?' said Aleck, as they turned towards the farm. 'I ain't much of a judge, but tell you what, when he was agoing over some ways how a fellow can stand, I'd like to 'a told him how plucky you stood last night.'

Very early Monday morning, Mat went up to the wood-lot, and soon finished the work there. Then hastening back, he put together his few belongings, though where he was to take them he knew not.

'Mat,' said the farmer, after breakfast, as you come home from school, stop at Bill Read's, and see if he can come over to help for a few days. Taint worth while to tell Aleck, he'd forget before he got to the gate.'

'Yes, sir,' said Mat. I'll tell him as I go to the village. You know you said, sir, was to go away. So I-'

'I

'Yes, yes,' interrupted the farmer. say a great many things,-most folks do; but if you're a mind to stay, Mat, you're welcome, that's all.'

Thank you, sir,' said Mat. 'I shall be glad to stay, but-I can't work on Sundays.'

Well, well, we'll not fall out again about that,' and Farmer Sterling walked abruptly away, and seemed suddenly to have taken a very bad cold.

At noon recess Ned Percy put a note in Mat's hands, and stood and watched him as he opened and read it. It was an invitation, in Mrs Percy's hand, to Mat to spend the remainder of the term at the Percy Mansion, assuring him that his acceptance would give great pleasure to Mrs Percy, Jenny, and Ned. Mat read the note twice, and then looked up, almost bewildered, at Ned.

'Say you'll come; now do,' said Ned. 'I was just crazy to tell you yesterday, but mother wouldn't let me.'

Mat could hardly comprehend it yet,to be an inmate of that lovely home, so full of much that would help him in scholarship. How good God had been to him when he had almost felt forsaken!

'I cannot answer your mother yet, Ned,' he said. I must see if Mr Sterling needs me; you know he has given me my board.'

And made you get up by daylight to pile brush,' said Ned indignantly. Our Cook's window overlooks the Sterling farm, and she told mother.'

'I did it of my own accord,—indeed I did,' said Mat, hoping the story might not go farther. But Aleck was near enough to overhear, and he gave a full explanation.

'I expect you ought to go, Mat,' said the farmer, when Mat told him of Mrs Percy's invitation. I'd like you to stay, but would be running agin' yer interest, and I don't want to stand in yer light.'

'Don't go, Mat,' said Aleck; 'deed I'll keep away from Neal's if you'll stay.'

Why, Aleck,' said Mat, with beaming face, 'I never thought you liked me much.' 'You don't know everything,' said Aleck dryly.

Yes, stay with us, Mat,' said Mrs Sterling. I'd miss you and your little Testament more than I could tell ye.'

So Mat stayed, much to Ned's disappointment; but Mrs Percy made him promise to come to them at the next session.

LUCY R. FLEMING.