'Why, I said them right enough," said Harry. "I did not stare about, nor do anything."

"But you didn't seem to think it," said little Margery. "It was just like what you said about the thunder. It frightens me to see you do so. It's real wicked, Harry. Indeed, indeed it is ;" and the quiver in her voice told him how deeply she felt what she said, while Nettie looked on as much troubled as she, but less ready with words to express her feelings.

"I'm sorry," said Harry, quite disturbed by their unhappiness. "I didn't mean anything wrong; I'll be more careful another time. Good-night- don't you fret, Margery. I'm I bothered you."

sorry

"O Nettie, I don't believe he loves God one bit,” said Margery, sadly. "If he did, he wouldn't only mind fretting us; he'd be thinking how he'd grieved Him. Let's ask God to forgive him."

Hand-in-hand they knelt together in the moonlight, the soft rays falling like a glory upon their earnest, upturned faces, as they prayed the great Father to forgive their generous-hearted but thoughtless playmate.

CHAPTER VI.

NETTIE'S LOVE TESTED.

THE morning sun rose brightly on the freshened earth, sparkling in the rain-drops which hung on every leaf and every blade of grass, until it seemed as if trees and fields were set in diamonds.

Harry left the cottage quite early, in order to be at home to meet his tutor at nine o'clock; but Margery waited until Nettie had attended to all her morning duties, and then bade Mrs. Thorn good-by; Nettie setting out to walk

a part of the way home with her.

She had nearly reached

the house again on her return, when she saw Mr. Thorn coming up the shore-road, which branched off from that on which she was walking. He beckoned her to him, and she ran down to meet him.

"Where have you

side.

been?" he asked, as she gained his

"I went a little way with Margery. It was so lonely for her to go by herself."

"You love her very much-don't you, Nettie ?" Oh, yes, very much indeed!"

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"Let me see how long have you known each other?' "A good long while. She came here when I'd lived with you only two or three weeks."

"That was in April; now it is September-nearly six

months."

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It has been such a happy, happy time," said Nettie, slipping her hand into his.

Yes, it has been a great change for you in every way. Nettie, I have just come from your old home. They are not very happy there; your aunt is very ill."

"What's the matter with her, Mr. Thorn ?"

"I cannot tell. I saw her last week, and she complained then of headache and great weariness. To-day I was visiting a woman who lives near her, and she told me that she was very sick; so I called to see her, and found her in a miserable condition."

"Who takes care of her?" asked Nettie. "The boys?" "No. There was no one with her. The women go in once in a while to see if she needs anything; but she is not liked on the shore, and no one takes much notice of her. Your uncle is out with the boat this morning, and the two elder boys are with him. The younger boys were playing on the beach, and I tried to persuade them to go in and attend to their mother, but they would not listen to me. She was quite alone when I saw her, and was crying out

D

piteously for water. I gave her a little in a glass, and she drank it eagerly, poor thing. She must have suffered for it, for her lips were parched and dry, and she seemed almost choking with thirst."

She made no answer, and they walked on in silence until they reached the gate.

"Mr. Thorn," said Nettie, as he held the gate open for her to pass through, "did Aunt Susan say anything about me?"

She spoke falteringly, with something of the old frightened manner, which she had quite lost of late.

"Not to-day. She was quite delirious, and did not know me. But when I last saw her she asked me how you were doing; and I told her we hoped that our little Nettie was a Christian."

"Did you?" and her face lighted instantly. did she say?"

"What

"She did not answer kindly. She told me that she did not believe your religion would do you any good."

"Oh, that wasn't right!

Can't He, Mr. Thorn ?"

God can make even me better.

"Yes; but your aunt knows very little about God."

Mrs. Thorn had never seen Nettie so restless as she appeared that afternoon. She wandered about the room without any apparent object; took up her sewing for a few moments, and then laid it aside; brought out her books as if to study, and then put them away without opening them; and finally went out of the house; and Mrs. Thorn saw her from the window pacing up and down the gravelled walk, with her head bent forward as if thinking deeply. After supper she was as uneasy as she had been through the afternoon, and when she sat down to study, as was her custom after tea, Mrs. Thorn noticed that, although her book lay open before her, her eyes were fixed on vacancy.

"You had better lay your books aside, Nettie," she said.

"You seem to feel too restless to study to-night. Bring that dress which you were making for Margery's doll, and I will show you how to trim it."

Nettie obeyed, but even the doll's dress failed to interest her, and in a few moments her hands lay idly in her lap, while she sat gazing into the fire, lost in thought again. So the evening passed away until Mr. Thorn roused her from her reverie by telling her that it was prayer-time, and sending her to bring the Bible. As she placed it on the table beside him she said, timidly,—

"Mr. Thorn, if I should go to Aunt Susan and take care of her till she is better, would that be letting my light shine so that she would glorify God?"

Do

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It would indeed be letting your light shine, my child. you want to go to her, Nettie ?"

Oh, no, I don't want to, but I thought perhaps it was right. Only-only-oh, I'm so afraid to go!" and she turned her face away, vainly trying to control the tears which choked her voice.

"You must not go if it is too hard a trial for you. You must think it over seriously, and then decide."

He put his arm around her, and kept her beside him until she grew quiet again, and then sent her to call Margaret to prayers.

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Mr. Thorn always closed the family service with the Lord's Prayer, in which all joined, Nettie's clear voice rising distinctly above Mrs. Thorn's low tones and Margaret's faint murmur. To-night, as usual, the young voice repeated the holy words, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed But there it fell so suddenly, that, involuntarily, they all paused with it. For an instant there was

for an instant; the next,

silence in the room, but only Nettie had taken up the petition where she had left it, and without waiting for Mr. Thorn she repeated, firmly, “Hallowed be Thy name," and the prayer was concluded as usual.

When they rose from their knees Nettie leaned over the arm of her mistress's chair, and said, "Mrs. Thorn, could you spare me for a little while, and let me go to Aunt Susan ?"

Mrs. Thorn looked at her. very steadfast.

Her face was very pale, but

"You are undertaking a great task, Nettie," she said. "You must count the cost before you attempt it. You will have much to bear, and, probably, no thanks for your selfdenial."

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I know it will be very hard, but won't the dear Father in heaven help me? Aunt Susan doesn't love Him now, but perhaps when she sees that He can make such a naughty, wicked girl as I was, kind and gentle to her, she will learn to love Him too. Don't you think, perhaps, she will?"

"I hope so, most earnestly, dear. But, Nettie, it seems almost too much for you."

I won't be so and I'd be so

"No, it won't be too much, Mrs. Thorn. afraid when I'm used to thinking about it; glad to glorify His name. Please to let me go."

You shall do just as you think right. You do not wish to go to-night?”

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Oh, no!" and Nettie's face grew even paler than before. "I don't think I could begin in the dark night, when the sea roars so; but in the morning I'll go down and try to help her, and to make her more comfortable."

And then she bade them good-night, and went away to her little room, quiet and composed, the restlessness and uneasiness all gone.