"Miss Druett helps me all she can; but Aunt Priscilla keeps the keys. Now and then Chloe makes candles, and then she contrives to save one out for me. Good-bye, Mary. Do say a kind word to Mary Burns, if you get a chance. I am just as sure of her innocence as I am of yours or my own." Calista had just reached the place where the river road turned off, when the rattle of wheels made her look round, and she saw Cassius driving up in his neat, serviceable little Jersey wagon. He stopped as he saw Calista. "Evening, Missy," said he, taking off his hat as usual; "I heard you was on the road, and so I drove fast to catch up with you. Won't Missy have a ride?" Calista gladly accepted the offer, and Cassius drove on leisurely, entertaining his companion with various little bits of news. "Did Missy hear that we are to have preaching at the old meeting-house every Sunday evening now?" "No," said Calista, very much interested. "I think that will be very nice. Who is to preach?" "I disremember his name, though I have seen him often when we was both young," answered Cassius. "He is quite an old gentleman now, and has come to end his days with his niece over here at the Mills. So when he heard there was no preaching anywhere rounds here, he said he would see what he could do, and he got leave to use the old meeting-house. I am going round to-morrow to tell all the neighbors. Won't you try to come, Missy? You know what that pretty hymn says— "'Tis easier work, if we begin To serve the Lord betimes.'" "I will certainly try to come," said Calista. "It is very good in you to take so much pains about the matter." "It ain't much I can do to serve the Lord these times; but I think it a great privilege to be allowed to do the leastest thing for one who has done so much for me," said the old man. "And, bless the Lord, he don't look at how much we do, but how we do it. When that poor woman in the Scripture put in her two mites into the treasury, the good Lord said she had put in more than they all." "You love him, don't you, Cassius?" "Yes, bless his name, Missy, I do." "Well, I wish I did." "So do I, Missy, for I am sure he loves you. Why don't you?" "Well, I hardly know, Cassius. I suppose I don't think enough about it. I have not had much chance, you know." "Ah, Missy, don't say that. You have been to church and heard the minister preach and read about him, and you've heard the Bible read in school. I'm afraid it is as you say, and you don't think enough about it." "Perhaps so." "You will think, won't you, Missy?" "Yes, Cassius, I will," answered Calista, frankly. "And I will go to the meeting if aunt will let me. Thank you ever so much for bringing me home. Good-night."