"I presume so; trying the temper of the steel. Ben is developing well. He is the chief dependence of the young men's meeting in his church; and he has a great deal of influence over the boys younger than himself. Fenton tells me that he has about broken up the card-parties which used to be so fashionable in that set; not by any aggressive measures, you know—just a steady, quiet influence. "'Clean hands,' he said to me last night. 'That is my motto, Freem.' And there were tears in the dear fellow's eyes. You did good work in the field during that one week, little Elsie. Went into the enemy's ranks and captured right and left." "I remember," said Elsie, when the laughter and the blushing over part of this sentence had subsided—"I remember I cried that night, because I felt that I had spent such a useless week, and, after all my resolutions, was coming home with soiled hands and stained heart. God was very good to own my feeble, blundering attempts. Poor Carrie thought I cried because I had offended you." "Poor Carrie!" repeated Arr. Vance, laughing a little. Then both of them sighed. The year that was past had not improved Cousin Carrie. "Does Ben know—" began Elsie, then stopped. Mr. Vance seemed able to understand half sentences. "Ben does not know anything, except where I am gone for vacation; but I think he suspects a great deal and keeps his own counsel. I do not visit often at your uncle's, now, for reasons that you may possibly surmise." Just a moment of silence, during which both watched the play of the firelight. Then Freeman Vance bent toward the other easy chair, which was lower than his. "I have something to show you, Elsie, and something to tell you. Will you let me see if this fits?" Then the firelight flashed about a cluster of small, pure diamonds, quaintly set. "It was my mother's ring, Elsie, and there is something to tell you about it—something strange, which will make you feel more than ever that God plans all our ways for us. "When my mother gave it to me, a boy of twenty, she said: 'It is for your wife, Freeman, with a mother's blessing. And, my son, promise me this: the girl on whose finger you place it must have clean hands and a pure heart. Will you be careful of that, my boy?' I promised it on my knees, by my mother's dying bed. "You may judge now something of the thrill it gave me to hear you quote those words. "I have carried the ring on my watch-guard, hidden from sight, for five years. "Now it has found its rightful owner, and, my darling, I know I have obeyed my mother's words." CIRCULATING DECIMALS. ——— CHAPTER I.