"No, not 'all around us,'" she answered, quickly. "It's clear when we look up. Faith builds a safe bridge to God, and to Him there are no mysteries." Her touch upon his brow thrilled him, and her presence was both exhilarating and restful. At last she said, "I am sorry you have these dreadful headaches so often." "I shall never be again." "Why so?" "Because they have led to this evening. It has been so many long, miserable years since I experienced anything like this." "Ah, I see, you have been very lonely. You have had no one to care for you, and that I believe has been the cause of half your trouble--evil, I mean. Indeed, they are about the same thing. Don't you see? The world is too large a place for a home. You need a nook in it, with some one there to look after you and for you to think about." He looked at her searchingly, and then turned away his face in pain. She could not utter such words in that placid style, were she not utterly devoid of the feeling that was filling his soul with an ecstasy of hope and fear. "Do not think that even many of our sex are like Miss Bently. You will see and choose more wisely hereafter, and find that, in exchanging that wretched club-life for a cosey home of your own, you take a good step in all respects." "Would to Heaven that I had met such a girl as you at first!" he ventured to say. "How different then all might have been!" "There is no use in dwelling on the past," she replied, innocently. "You are now pledged to make the future right." "God helping me, I will. I will use every means in my power," he said, in a tone of deep earnestness; and, as principal part of the means, determined to take her advice, but with reference to herself. After a few moments he said, "Miss Walton, as I promised to be perfectly frank with you, I want to ask an explanation of something that I do not understand, and which has been almost a heavenly surprise to me. I was nearly certain before this afternoon that when you came to know what a stained, evil man I am--" "Was," interrupted Annie. "No, what I am. Character is not made in a moment. As yet, I only hope and purpose to do better. I can hardly understand why you do not shrink from me in disgust. It seemed that both your faith and your nature would lead you to do this. I thought it possible that out of your kindness you might try to stand at a safe distance and give me some good advice across the gulf. But that which I feared would drive you from me forever has only brought you nearer. Again I say, it has been a heavenly surprise."