Was there something in his tones that revealed the purpose hidden in his heart? Or had that address, "Daisy," instead of "Miss Daisy," as he had always addressed her before, suggested to the young girl why it was he asked this favor? They are wrong who say, "Love is always blind." Love is sometimes keen-eyed, and detects readily what other eyes have not begun to discern. It was so now. A great hope came to that young girl at his words, simple as they were. Her heart was thrilled with a joy that no words could express, and a great light came into the eyes that looked up into his, as she answered, so tremulously as not to escape his notice: "Certainly, Ray, if you wish it." And then she turned, and quickly fled into the cottage. As early the next morning as the walking through the fields would permit--for there had been a heavy dew--Ray and Daisy started up the hillside. It was a long and fatiguing tramp, but Ray helped his companion over the more difficult places; and not far from an hour after they started, they reached the plateau near the top of the hill overlooking the town and the bay. They rested a few minutes here, and then, at Ray's suggestion, passed around the edge of the hill until they reached a large, shelving rock, from which they could see not only the village and the water, but the site of the Black Forge Mills. Here they sat down, and gazed about them for a time in silence. There were the ruins, about to rise, phœnix like, from their ashes; for the smelting company had already purchased the property. Yonder, in the distance, was Long Point farm, where Ray had spent so many happy hours, and where he had begun his upward course toward an education and his life work. Right at their feet, seemingly, was the First Church, where he had first confessed Jesus, and where he had preached the day before. "Who would believe," he said, breaking the long silence, "that six years ago I was at work in the mills at the Forge--a wild, reckless, godless boy. Did Mr. Carleton ever tell you how I stoned him the first time he visited the mills?" "He didn't," Daisy answered, with a quick laugh; "but Edward has. Doesn't it seem funny now?" "Yes, it does now to laugh over it; and I'm not sure but that was my very first step toward my present life, strange as it may seem. Do you know I have not been up here since I went down to Long Point farm yonder to work? Can it be possible that it is five years ago?" "And yesterday you preached very acceptably for the First Church people," added Daisy, gleefully. "Ray Branford, the stone-throwing rascal, has in a little over six years become Mr. Ray Branford, the preacher. What a cause for wonder!"