"But why would you not sign the paper?" asked the wife.

“Because I dare not do evil that good may come. If there be wrong-doing on one side, I will not meet it by wrong-doing on the other. The Bible has taught me that much, and may be something more. I hope and think it has, Mary."

‘Zechariah, lad,”said the wife, somewhat abruptly, "that is a strange book, yon Bible; you have not been like your own old self since you took to it."

"I bless God that, in some ways, as you say, I am not as I was, Mary," said he; "and if you would but bring yourself to look into it—”

"Oh, lad, lad," exclaimed the wife, starting forward as though to embrace her husband, and then casting herself on him, weeping and sobbing in passionate distresss, "what would you say if I have looked into it again and again, when you have been at your work?"

"I would say," said my owner, tenderly—" I would say it is the blithest news I have heard these many days, dear wife, and—”

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"I cannot keep it longer from you," continued the poor wife, now you are like to be in trouble with these men. But oh, lad, I cannot look you the face till you say you have forgiven me." And sobbing much, she clung yet the closer to him. "Mary, dear lass!"

"It was the night, the last night, I went to 'the people's hall," continued the young wife, in

broken language, "that a sore temptation came upon me. I dare not tell you all I had heard there in times gone by, but I left you that night, lad, thinking I should never see you and our child again. I had resolved to leave you altogether, Zech, and seek another husband among those that preach these fine doctrines about the new moral world. I came home that night, and found you sleeping; and I could not but look over you to see what you had been reading. Oh, lad! your finger was on the words, 'Be sure your sin will find you out,' and these went to my soul. You had been thinking of me. Had you not been thinking of me when you put your finger there ?"

"Nay, dear lass, I cannot think of the words I had then been reading. May be I had thought of you as I read, and wished and prayed you might have a share in such blessed promises.'

"Promises! Eh, but it was no promise that I

read."

"I had been reading no such words and thinking no such thoughts, Mary. But, dear wife, say no more. I forgive you heartily, and bless God that put the warning before you."

"I have not been to 'the people's hall' since then," continued the young wife, speaking rapidly and earnestly; "and I have shut the door against friend and neighbour, but I could not rest. I have looked into the book, and if I have not found the same words again, I have lighted on others; and I cannot,

cannot rest. Oh, lad! I am very wretched." And giving way to the violence of grief, she wept bitterly, as she told how every word of mine had pierced into her soul, and how she dared not believe that for such as she could mercy before God be found.

Then did the husband, in loving words, rebuke her despair, and opening me, he bade me tell of the blood of Jesus Christ, "which cleanseth from all sin ;" and how that "he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him." And with many such words did he seek to calm her troubled spirit, while his heart was lifted up in supplication that my words might also heal her wound and lead her to faith in the Almighty Redeemer.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE DYING CHRISTIAN.

ONE evening, after returning from work, my owner reached me from my shelf and placed me in his pocket, buttoning his coat and putting on his hat.

"I will not keep from you longer than need be, dear wife," he said; "but old Davie is near dying, I am told; and I cannot rest till I have seen him." You will not venture out at this hour, when men are threatening to do you harm ?" exclaimed his wife, in sorrowful apprehension and anxiety.

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