Agnes gave an answering smile. "Oh, John, it is that we are His; that, through the coming of the dear Saviour, we have been given all other blessings--happiness and peace here, everlasting joy hereafter." "And you think that ought to make up for all other deficiencies?" asked Hugh. "If we have _got_ it," said Alice thoughtfully; "but sometimes I wonder----" she looked down, and tears glittered in her eyes. Agnes heard the quiver in the tone, and put her arm lovingly round her sister. "Is it so difficult to know?" Alice shook her head. "He gives the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him." The little party were silent; Alice's unusual feeling startled them. The Sunday afternoon was drawing in, and the light fading. Presently Agnes said, "I have thought of a little allegory; would you like to hear it? It might help us to understand Alice's difficulty." The question did not need repeating, and she began: [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER X. _THE GOLDEN OIL: AN ALLEGORY._ I fell asleep and dreamed. Before me spread out verdant fields, picturesque villages, valleys of peace and plenty, cities of care and toil, the wide ocean restlessly tossing, the mountain bare and rugged. At first my eyes seemed heavy with sleep, but after a time I began to see things more clearly, and in all these varied scenes I perceived there were children moving to and fro. I was apparently at a great distance from them, and could not well understand what they did, nor could I hear what they said. They appeared to be very busy, often eagerly running or walking; talking together in twos and threes; playing with the trifles which seemed to lie everywhere for their amusement; sometimes two quarrelling loudly over these same trifles, and crying pitifully if they could not have what they wanted. In my dream I seemed to be drawing nearer and nearer to them, and I began to perceive the differences in their countenances and dress, and to find that there was only one point of resemblance in them all; and this one thing caused me great surprise. Some were robed in dresses whose sheen, reflecting the rays of the morning sun, dazzled my eyes; again, others had garments of the dullest hue; and the clothes of others were so covered with mud and dirt, that I could not have told what they once were. But, whether gaily decked or dressed in sombre attire, each child had fastened round it a curiously-fashioned girdle, to which hung a small pitcher. The pitchers appeared to be all of one shape and size, but the materials of which they were made seemed to differ widely. On some of the children, whose dress was of gayest hue, the pitcher, strange to say, appeared to be made of commonest material, for it looked dull and dark; while at the girdle of some who were most plainly attired hung vessels of brightest gold. This also was incomprehensible to me. Presently my dream seemed to bring me so near that I could see what they were doing and hear a little of what they said.