Surely he could not wish for a kinder, more thoughtful letter than this; coming from his _mother_, too! she must have changed much, as well as himself. But this very letter had greatly unsettled his quiet life; the old longing to give himself up to study, to prepare for the ministry, had broken loose, and well-nigh overwhelmed him with its power. He wanted it, oh, so much! it had grown strong, instead of weak, during these three years. But what to do, and how to do it? That was the question. Certainly he was not prepared to answer it. If he stayed where he was, led his busy life all day in the store, how was he ever to go through with the necessary course of study, which it was high time he commenced in earnest? If he left them, these dear friends, who had taken him into their home and hearts, and made him feel like one of thorn, how was he to live while he studied? How, indeed, could he study at all? The truth was, Edward, calling to mind Mr. Holbrook's lecture that last evening in the home prayer-meeting, and his resolution taken then, thought that the stone was ahead of him no longer, but that he had walked _close_ up to it, and could not take another step because of it, and very large and impossible to move did it look to his shortsighted eyes. Just as he was growing hopelessly moody, Lay came in, and settled himself among the cushions, rather wearily. "Ray," said Edward anxiously, "you are not well enough for lessons to-night." "No," answered Ray, smiling, however, as he spoke; "I think I am not, because I want to talk instead. I am full of a scheme which needs your help; for once we'll let the lessons go. It is an age since I have heard anything concerning your plans; you have not given up your desire for the ministry, I hope?" "No, Ray; I shall never give that up." "I thought not; it would not be like you. That being the case, isn't it time to do something definite?" "Time, certainly," Edward answered gloomily; "but what's to do?" "That brings me to the unfolding of my scheme. Edward, do you know that it was my lifelong desire to reach the point towards which you are looking?" "_No_," said Edward, with pitying interest; "I never thought of it." "Well," and Ray smiled sadly, "it is so; and I hope you may never know how hard it is to have to give up such a wish. I cannot say that I did actually give it up entirely until very lately. I gave up all study three years ago, and came home to regain strength! _you_ know how well I have succeeded in that." And Ray pressed his thin, wasting hand across his damp forehead. "It is all over now, _utterly_." The hand did duty now for a moment, shading his eyes from the light. Presently he spoke more cheerily. "All over for myself, but not for you; so, Edward, what I want to say to-night, in brief, is this: You have talents, perseverance, and health; I have money,--the four combined cannot fail to speed you in your work. What say you?"