The rest of the morning she wandered about the house, wondering what could have occurred. By dinner time she had grown quite indignant, and resolved if her preserver (as she now designated him) came, she would not be at home to see him. Nannie was dispatched to the farmer to procure a steady horse which she could drive to Mottville. And as soon as the conveyance was ready, she started away, telling Nurse she should not return till dark. Her route led her directly past the parsonage. But she took pains to turn off through a lane which joined the main street again a few hundred rods past the house. Her heart misgave her somewhat as she drove slowly by the spot where yesterday's danger and escape occurred. "How differently I should have been employed now," she said to herself, "had not Frederic jeoparded his life for mine." After this, she rode on speculating on Sybil's singular conduct. And from this, there arose another question which gave her so much pain that for the first time she became conscious of the strength of her attachment to her teacher. The question was this: "Would Frederic's parents approve me for a daughter-in-law? Am I fit for a clergyman's wife?" Conscience unhesitatingly answered, "No. Frederic is a warm-hearted, earnest Christian; and I am—what am I? If not for Christ, I am against him. I must take a stand somewhere." [Illustration] CHAPTER XIV. THE YOUNG MISSIONARY. IT was fortunate for the young girl that the horse was in reality what the owner had predicted, fit for a child's guidance. For while she was communing with her own heart, she took no heed to his steps. "Let me see," she went on, "I must have faith, hope and charity. Have I faith? What is faith? Papa used to tell me I had faith in him, when I trusted him. The Bible says, 'faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.' I'm afraid I have not that faith in God which I have in some people. Mr. Knowles, for instance, I'm sure he loves me; and I would trust him even against the evidence of my senses. "Oh, what a dreadful confession! Has not my heavenly Father proved that he watched over me with more than a father's love? How happy my lot is, compared with so many around me? Can not I have faith in him, and trust Jesus to save me? I will try from this very minute. It does not seem hard, but perhaps I do not understand it right. "Hope comes next. It is natural for me to be hopeful. I never quite lost hope, even when I was at Mr. Tracy's. But this hope is different. If I trust in God, it will be right to hope that he will receive me at last, but then I must be sure that I do trust him. How can I tell? I will ask him to help me judge myself. "Last of all comes charity. Without charity, the Bible says, I cannot be saved, though I give my body to be burned or bestow all my goods to feed the poor.