“Marion, that reminds me of Cousin Don,” Judith said, suddenly; “we know him only through by-ways.” “Tell me about Cousin Don,” said the minister, interestedly. Cousin Don was a story Judith loved to tell. “You expect to find him unchanged after all these years—the time in his life when a man changes?” he inquired, astonished. “Is that the way you understand human nature?” “Perhaps I do not understand human nature at all. But I have his letters.” “By-ways—they do not lead to the house,” he replied. “But they can,” said Judith, vexed. “Oh, yes, they _can_.” “And I know they do; don’t you, Marion?” “In this case, I hope so,” Marion answered; “I don’t see how people can help being like their letters.” “Or their letters like them?” corrected Judith. “Then how is it we are disappointed in people?” Mr. King questioned; “is it only our lack of insight?” “People change,” said Marion, with slow emphasis; “if we were with them all the time we would see the little changes that lead the way to the great changes. People are even disappointed in themselves; I am.” “So am I,” he answered sincerely; “I fall below my own ideal often enough; if anybody cared enough for me to be disappointed in me they would have reason enough.” “I don’t believe they would,” thought Judith. “Mr. King,” Marion began doubtfully, “do not answer me if my question is intrusive; but I would like to know how you read the Bible for yourself.” “That _is_ a coincidence,” exclaimed Mr. King; “as I was driving along this morning a question came to me that I never thought of asking myself before: suppose someone asks you to-day how you study the Bible _for yourself_, what will you say?” “How wonderful,” both girls said in the same breath. “So I told myself what I would say. One of my ways when I am in special need of a word from my heavenly Father is to ask him to give it to me, and then I am sure to find it in my reading. Often I open and find it; often and often I find it in the chapter that comes next in my daily reading. Asking the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to see his special word to you in that special need is the safest way and the quickest for me. I am assured then that I shall learn that day’s lesson in that day’s place. The truth I need most has never failed to come.” “That is a very simple way,” Marion said. “As simple as a child asking his mother for something she has promised. The only hindrance is self-will.” “Oh, dear, that hinders everything,” sighed Judith, who was battling with the suggestion from within herself that perhaps her boarding-school days were over and she _ought_ to go back and help nurse Aunt Rody. The aunts had been so kind to her mother when she was a homeless little girl, and to herself when she was a homeless little girl. She had kept it out of her prayers ever since she had thought of it. If only she had not thought of it. Aunt Affy would never ask her to give up her studies and her happy home to bury herself with three old people.