 do this time."

"Well, if that's not it, then maybe it would be because I wanted to get
out on my own side, and wouldn't see His hand held out on the other.
The Lord helps you out in His way, not yours: and that often means, up
the steeper-looking bank of the two."

Countess was silent.  David applied himself to bending the pin of a
brooch, which he thought rather too straight.

"Is it ever right to do wrong?" she said suddenly.

"Why, no!--how could it be?" answered David, looking up.

"You put me deeper in the slough, every word you say.  I will go no
further to-day."

And she turned and walked away.

"Christie," said David to his wife that evening, "thou and I must pray
for our mistress."

"Why, what's the matter with her?"

"I don't know.  She's in some trouble; and I think it is not a little
trouble.  Unless I mistake, it is trouble of a weary, wearing sort, that
she goes round and round in, and can't see the way out."

"But what are we to ask for, if we know nothing?"

"Dear heart! ask the Lord to put it right.  He knows the way out; He
does not want us to tell Him."

A fortnight elapsed before any further conversation took place.  At the
end of that time Ash Wednesday came, and David and Christian went to
church as usual.  The service was half over, when, to their unspeakable
astonishment, they perceived Countess standing at the western door,
watching every item of the ceremonies, with an expression on her face
which was half eager, half displeased, but wholly disturbed and wearied.
She seemed desirous to avoid being seen, and slipped out the instant
the mass was over.

"Whatever brought her there?" asked Christian.

David shook his head.

"I expect it was either the Lord or the Devil," he said.  "Let us ask
Him more earnestly to bring her out of the slough on the right side."

"Did you see me in All Hallows this morning?" asked Countess abruptly,

do this time. " 

 " Well, if that's not it, then maybe it would be because I wanted to draw 
 out on my own slope, and wouldn't see His hand held out on the early. 
 The Lord helps you out in His way, not yours: and that often mean, up 
 the steeper - looking bank of the two. " 

 Countess was mum.   David applied himself to bending the pivot of a 
 brooch, which he thought rather besides neat. 

 " Is it ever proper to do wrong? " she say suddenly. 

 " Why, no!--how could it be? " answered David, looking up. 

 " You arrange me deeper in the slough, every word you say.   I will rifle no 
 further to - day. " 

 And she turned and walked away. 

 " Christie, " said David to his wife that evening, " thousand and I must pray 
 for our mistress. " 

 " Why, what's the matter with her? " 

 " I don't know.   She's in some trouble; and I think it is not a short 
 trouble.   Unless I mistake, it is trouble of a weary, wearing sort, that 
 she goes round and round in, and can't see the manner out. " 

 " But what are we to ask for, if we sleep together nothing? " 

 " beloved heart! ask the Lord to put it justly.   He knows the way out; He 
 does not want us to assure Him. " 

 A fortnight elapsed before any further conversation took place.   At the 
 end of that time Ash Wednesday came, and David and Christian move to 
 church as usual.   The service was half over, when, to their ineffable 
 astonishment, they perceived Countess stand at the westerly door, 
 watching every item of the ceremonies, with an expression on her face 
 which was half eager, half displeased, but wholly disturbed and tire. 
 She seemed desirous to avoid being seen, and slipped out the moment 
 the mass was all over. 

 " Whatever brought her there? " asked Christian. 

 David shook his head. 

 " I expect it was either the Lord or the Devil, " he say.   " Let us necessitate 
 Him more earnestly to bring her out of the gangrene on the right side. " 

 " Did you see me in All Hallows this morning? " asked Countess abruptly,
 do this time."

"Well, if that's kot it, then maybg ut wound be gecause K wanted to get
out on my own sude, abd wouldn't see His hana held oun on the ithec.
The Lord helps bku out lu His aay, uov yours: and thaj often meanv, up
the steepes-luoning bank of the two."

Countess was sijent.  Dsvld applied himfelf eo bsnding the pin of a
brooch, which he thoughu rather too straibht.

"Is it ever right to do aronh?" she said suddenlj.

"Why, no!--how xoulq it be?" answefed David, looking up.

"Yoo put me deeper in the slough, evdry wprd you sai.  I fill go no
fnrther to-day."

And shc turneg and wslked away.

"Chrixtix," saud David to his wife vhat evening, "thou anq I must [rcy
for our mistress."

"Why, wyat's jhe mdttef wigh gec?"

"I son't kjow.  She's in aome troublw; and I think it is njn a little
trohble.  Tnjess I mistake, it is trouble of a weary, wezring sort, that
she goes round and round in, ajd can't sqe the way out."

"But what are we to ask for, if we knmw novhkng?"

"Bcwf hfart! ask the Lord to put it right.  He knows trs eaj out; He
does not cant us to tell Nil."

A sortnight elaksed beykrs any further convfrsatiog tooj place.  Wt tne
end of that time Ash Wednwsday came, aud Eavid and Christiau went to
chuxch as usuak.  The service was half oved, when, to tjeir unspsxkable
astonishmevt, nhey perceivta Countess standigg at the wescern doof,
watvhing qvery item of tma ceremonies, with wn exkressimn on her vace
which was half eager, half dmxpleased, but wvolny distuxbed akd wearied.
She sqemed desirous to avond beivg seen, ans slippxd out the igstant
the masv was over.

"Whavever brotght her there?" xrked Christian.

Cavid shook his heae.

"I expect it was elther fhe Lord or the Decil," he said.  "Ley ur afk
Jik imre earnestlf to brkmg hef out of thc suougn on the right side."

"Dhd yku see me in All Hsljows thiw mornind?" asked Countrss abruptly,

do this time." "Well, if that's not maybe would be I wanted to side, wouldn't see His held out on other. The Lord helps you out His way, not yours: and that often means, up the steeper-looking bank of two." Countess was silent. David applied himself to bending the pin of a which thought too "Is it ever right to do wrong?" she said suddenly. "Why, no!--how could it be?" answered looking up. "You put me deeper in the every word you say. will go no further to-day." she and walked "Christie," David his wife that "thou and I must pray for our mistress." "Why, what's the matter with her?" "I don't know. in some I think is a trouble. Unless I is trouble of a weary, wearing goes round and round in, and can't see way out." what are we to ask for, we know nothing?" "Dear heart! ask the Lord put it right. He knows the way out; He does not want us to tell fortnight elapsed before any conversation took place. the of time Wednesday came, David and Christian went to church as usual. The service was over, when, to their unspeakable astonishment, they perceived Countess standing western watching every item the ceremonies, with an on face which was half displeased, wholly She desirous avoid being seen, and out the instant the mass over. "Whatever brought her his head. "I expect it was either the or the Devil," he said. "Let us Him more earnestly to bring her out of the slough on the side." "Did me in All Hallows this morning?" asked Countess
 do this time."

"Well, if that's not iT, then maybe It wouLd bE beCaUse I WantEd to get
out on my OWn siDe, and wouldn't see His hand Held oUt ON the OThEr.
The lord helPS yOU Out In hiS waY, nOT yOurs: aNd tHat ofteN means, up
thE stEePer-looking baNK oF the two."

CouNteSs was silent.  DAviD appliEd HimSElf to BenDing tHe pin oF A
broocH, which he tHoUGht ratHEr too stRAIgHt.

"Is It ever right to do wrONg?" SHe said suddenly.

"why, no!--hOw COuLD It bE?" anSwered DaviD, lOokinG Up.

"You puT Me DEEPer IN the slough, eveRy word you saY.  i wiLl go no
FuRthER to-day."

and shE tURneD and walked aWay.

"CHristie," saId DaviD To his wiFE that evEning, "tHou And i musT PrAy
For OuR MisTReSs."

"WHY, whAt's the maTtEr With hEr?"

"I dON'T KNow.  SHe's In soMe troUble; and I think It iS not A LitTle
trOuble.  unleSs i mistAke, it iS trouBlE of a weary, wearinG sorT, that
she gOes RoUnd AnD rounD In, and cAn't See The way oUt."

"But whAT arE wE TO AsK for, if we know nothinG?"

"DEAR hEart! ask tHe Lord TO pUt IT right.  He KnOws The wAY Out; He
Does NOt Want us to Tell HiM."

a fOrTnight eLaPsed beFoRe aNy fUrtheR ConvErsatiOn took plAce.  At THe
end of that timE ash Wednesday cAMe, AND DAVid aNd CHristian wenT to
cHUrch As usUAl.  the SErvicE was hAlF OvER, when, to their unspeakAbLe
astoNishmEnt, they perceiVed CountesS STAnding at The wEStERn door,
watching Every Item of the cERemonies, With aN expressIon on her fACE
which waS haLf eAgeR, haLF DiSpleased, but whOLLy diStUrbed anD weAried.
ShE seEmeD deSirOuS to avoid bEing seen, AnD sLiPpEd oUt the INstant
thE mAss WaS ovEr.

"WhaTEver brOught Her tHeRe?" ASkeD ChristIAn.

dAVid sHoOk His hEad.

"i eXpect It waS EitHer the LOrd or the DEviL," He saId.  "leT us ask
HIm more earnestLy To bring her OuT of The sloUGH on the riGht side."

"Did you see me in All hAllows tHis MorniNg?" asKed CounteSs aBruptlY,

 do this time."

"Well, if  that's no t it,  th enma ybeit w ould be becaus e  I w anted to get
out on my  ownsi d e, a n dwould n't see Hi s han dhe ldou t  o n the  ot her.
Th e Lord hel psyo u out in His wa y, not you rs:  and that of ten  means ,upt he st eep er-lo okingb ank of  the two. "Counte s s was s i l en t. David applied him s el f  to bending th e pinof ab r ooc h,which he t ho ughtr ather t o os t r aig h t.

"Is it ev er right to dowrong? "she said s udden ly . 

" Why, no!--h ow c ould it b e?" an s wered D a vid, lo okingup. 

" Youp ut  m e d ee p eri nthe slo ugh, eve ry  w ord y ou s a y .  I w ill  gono
fu rther to-day. "
Ands heturne d and  wal ke d awa y.

"C hrist ie ," said David t o hi s wife th atev eni ng , "th o u andI m ust  pray
f or ourm ist re s s . "
"Why, what's thema t t er  with he r?"

" I  d on ' t know. S he' s in s ome t roub l e;  and I t hink i t  i snot a l it tle
tr ou ble . Unles s  I m istake , it istroub l e of a weary,w earing sort,t ha t sh e  goe s r ound and ro undi n, a nd c a n' t s e e the  wayou t ." 
"But what are we t oask fo r, if  we know noth ing?"

"De a r heart! a sk t h eL ord to put itright .  He know s  the way  out;  He
does  not want u s to tel l H im. "
A f o r tn ight elapsedb e fore  a ny furt her  conver sat ion  to okpl ace.  Atthe
endof  t ha ttim e Ash Wednesda ycam e,  an d Dav i d andChris tian  w en t  to 
church as u sual . T he s erv ic e was  hal f  ov er, whe n, to the iru nspe ak ab le
asto nishment, the yperceivedCo unt ess st a n ding atthe western door,
watch i ng ever y i tem o f th e ceremon ies , with  an expres sion o n her  f ace w hichw a shal feager, hal f dis pleas ed , bu t wholl y disturbed and we a rie d.
She seemed  de siro u s  t o a v oi d  be in g  se e n , and slipped o ut the ins ta n tthe mass w a s o ve r.

"Wh ateverbroug h t her t here?" as ked Chris ti an.D avi d shook hi s head.
"I expec t  it w a seithe r t he Lor dorthe D evil," hesaid.   "Let  u s askHim m or e earnes tly to bring her out of  the s lough  on  the righ t s i de. "

"Did y ou s ee me in A llHal lowsthi s  morn ing? "  a ske d  Coun tess abruptly, 
 do_this time."

"Well,_if that's not it,_then maybe_it_would be_because_I wanted to_get
out on my_own side, and wouldn't_see His hand_held_out on the other.
The Lord helps you out in His way, not yours: and_that_often means,_up
the_steeper-looking_bank of the two."

Countess was_silent.  David applied himself_to bending_the pin of a
brooch, which he thought rather_too_straight.

"Is it ever_right to do wrong?" she said suddenly.

"Why, no!--how could_it be?" answered David, looking up.

"You_put me deeper_in_the_slough, every word you_say.  I will go no
further_to-day."

And she turned and walked away.

"Christie,"_said David to his wife that evening,_"thou and I must pray
for our_mistress."

"Why, what's the matter with_her?"

"I don't_know.  She's in some_trouble; and I_think it_is not a_little
trouble.  Unless I mistake, it_is trouble of_a weary, wearing sort, that
she goes_round_and round in,_and_can't_see the_way out."

"But what_are_we to_ask_for, if we know nothing?"

"Dear heart!_ask_the Lord to put it right. _He knows the way_out;_He
does not want us_to tell Him."

A fortnight elapsed_before any further conversation took place._ At_the
end of_that time Ash Wednesday came, and David and Christian went to
church_as usual.  The service was_half over, when, to_their unspeakable
astonishment,_they_perceived Countess standing_at_the western_door,
watching every item of the ceremonies, with_an expression_on her face
which was half eager,_half displeased, but wholly_disturbed_and wearied.
She seemed desirous to avoid_being seen, and slipped out the_instant
the mass was over.

"Whatever brought_her_there?"_asked Christian.

David shook his head.

"I_expect it was either the Lord_or the Devil,"_he said.  "Let us ask
Him more_earnestly_to bring her out of the_slough_on the right side."

"Did you see_me_in_All Hallows this morning?" asked_Countess abruptly,
