"But, sometimes," said Tom, in a low voice, "the path seems difficult, and we lose sight of the Guide, perhaps, and cannot be sure He is there—" "Yes," said Aunt Ruth, "I know that; but I think then the best way is to speak to our Guide. Tell Him we find the way rough and lonely, and ask Him by his Spirit to reveal His presence to us. As surely as we do, we shall get a comforting assurance that He is there; that He knows the way, that He has been through all our temptations, and that He is safely leading us Home! Oh, the rest of being sure that Jesus knows the way, children!" "I suppose," said Rose, "that if we were more sure about Jesus we should not be half so afraid!" "'Sure,'" echoed Tom; "how do you mean?" "I mean," hesitated Rose, "that if we had more confidence in the way He was leading us we should be more satisfied with our circumstances—" Rose had touched upon one of the great problems of life. The others did not know it, but Aunt Ruth did. "Have I ever told you about the Alpine guide?" she asked suddenly. "No, I think not," said Rose, wonderingly. "When people want to make an ascent of a difficult mountain, the first thing they do is to secure the services of a guide." "This guide must be thoroughly qualified, strong and reliable, have climbed that particular mountain many times before, and must be ready to undertake the charge of the traveller—" "Oh, I see!" exclaimed Jean. "And then, when the traveller and the guide have made the compact, the traveller gives himself over to do exactly as the guide says, doesn't he?" "Of course he does," said Tom. "And they start together, and the guide goes before in all the difficult places. He cares for the traveller; he holds him up; he assures him that he knows the way. As they mount higher, the guide cuts each step in the ice, and the traveller must put his foot where his guide's have been, with unquestioning faith: herein is his only safety." "Will he grudge his confidence when the summit is reached, and they stand beneath the vault of heaven with nothing between?" "So we, children, shall thank and praise our great Guide for His faithfulness, and shall know those words true by and bye—'He that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life'!" CHAPTER IV. KEPT AT HOME. TWO girls sat at a window in a cosy bedroom overlooking the snowy prospect; a bright fire burned in the grate, and a little table was spread with afternoon tea. "I wish you could go out and skate, Mary!" said the elder of the two, laying a gentle hand on the other's white one, and looking in her face. Mary shook her head with a little half-smile. "I suppose I ought not to have said so," Dorothy went on, "for I expect it only makes you long the more—" "No, it doesn't," said Mary. "You see, Dorothy, I'm willing, and that makes it so much easier."