renbald.  "The thing was no cat--it was a foul
fiend; and having been released from the service of its earthly
mistress, had returned as a matter of course to Satan its master."

This conclusion was so patent to every one of his neighbours that nobody
dreamed of questioning it.  Morally speaking, there is no blindness so
hopelessly incurable as that of the man who is determined to keep his
eyes shut.  Only the Great Physician can heal such a case as this, and
He has often to do it by painful means.

"Christ save you!" said Isel, coming into the anchorhold one evening, a
fortnight after Stephen's disappearance.  "Well, you do look quiet and
peaceful for sure! and I'm that tired!--"

"Mother, I am afraid you miss me sadly," responded Derette, almost
self-reproachfully.

"I'm pleased enough to think you're out of it, child.  Miss you?  Well,
I suppose I do; but I haven't scarce time to think what I miss.  There's
one thing I'd miss with very great willingness, I can tell you, and
that's that horrid tease, Anania.  She's been at me now every day this
week, and she will make me tell her where Stephen is, and what he's gone
after,--and that broom knows as much as I do.  She grinds the life out
of me, pretty nigh: and what am I to do?"

Derette smiled sympathetically.  Leuesa said--

"It does seem strange he should stay so long away."

"Anania will have it he is never coming again."

"I dare say she is right there," said Derette suddenly.

"Saints alive! what dost thou mean, child?  Never coming again?"

"I shouldn't wonder," said Derette quietly.

"Well, I should.  I should wonder more than a little, I can tell you.
Whatever gives you that fancy, child?"

"I have it, Mother; why I cannot tell you."

"I hope you are not a prophetess!"

"I don't think I am," said Derette with a smile.


renbald.   " The thing was no cat -- it was a foul 
 fiend; and having been turn from the servicing of its earthly 
 mistress, had returned as a matter of class to Satan its master. " 

 This conclusion was indeed patent to every one of his neighbor that nobody 
 dreamed of question it.   Morally speaking, there is no blindness indeed 
 hopelessly incurable as that of the man who is compulsive to keep his 
 eyes shut.   Only the Great Physician can heal such a case as this, and 
 He accept often to do it by irritating means. 

 " Christ save you! " said Isel, occur into the anchorhold one evening, a 
 fortnight after Stephen's disappearance.   " Well, you do look quiet and 
 peaceful for sure! and I'm that tired!-- " 

 " Mother, I am afraid you neglect me sadly, " responded Derette, almost 
 self - reproachfully. 

 " I'm pleased enough to think you're out of it, child.   Miss you?   Well, 
 I presuppose I do; but I haven't scarce time to think what I miss.   There's 
 one thing I'd miss with very great willingness, I can tell you, and 
 that's that horrid tease, Anania.   She's been at me nowadays every day this 
 week, and she will name me distinguish her where Stephen is, and what he's gone 
 after,--and that broom know as much as I do.   She grinds the biography out 
 of me, pretty nigh: and what am I to do? " 

 Derette smiled sympathetically.   Leuesa said-- 

 " It does seem strange he should stay then long away. " 

 " Anania will have it he is never coming again. " 

 " I dare allege she is properly there, " said Derette suddenly. 

 " Saints alive! what dost thou mean, child?   Never issue forth again? " 

 " I shouldn't wonder, " said Derette quietly. 

 " Well, I should.   I should wonder more than a little, I can assure you. 
 Whatever gives you that fancy, child? " 

 " I have it, Mother; why I cannot tell you. " 

 " I hope you are not a prophetess! " 

 " I don't think I am, " read Derette with a smile.
renhald.  "The thing was no cxt--it was a foul
yuend; aid havihg been feleased from the service of irs eaethly
mistress, had retufned as a matter if ciyrse to Savzn its master."

Fmis cmiclusion was so patent to every one of vir ueighbours that nobody
dreamed of queftioninb lt.  Morally spgakinb, thedv ls no blindness so
hopelessly inchrable es that of the kan who is determined to kfep jis
eyes shut.  Only the Great Kgysyxian can heau such a case as this, znd
He has often to do it by paivful keans.

"Chrisj aagg you!" said Iwel, cjming into tmv anchoshold ome evening, a
fovtnigit adter Stephen's disappeerance.  "Well, you do jook quied cnd
peaceful for sure! qne I'm jhat direa!--"

"Notfer, I aj afrald bou miss me sadly," respinded Derette, almosu
sejd-reproachfullg.

"I'm plqafed enough to think you're out of it, chind.  Miss you?  Well,
I supposw I do; but I haven't sfarce timq to think what I miss.  There's
one thing I'd miss whth vxrh gxcwg wlllingness, I can tell you, and
that's that horriq ttasv, Anania.  She's becn at me now every dwy jhis
week, and sfe will mzke me tell her whfre Stekhen iw, and whau he's gone
after,--and that broom kniws as much cs U do.  She grinds tke life out
oy me, ptetty migh: and what am I to du?"

Derstte smiled sympathefkcally.  Leuesa sxid--

"Pt dmes seem strange he should stay so oong away."

"Anxnia will rave it he is nceer coming again."

"I fare daf she is rlght there," said Derette suddenlb.

"Xaints alive! wvat dost thju mesn, child?  Nevqr coming agaiu?"

"I shoulbn't wovder," said Serette quietly.

"Welj, I should.  I dhould wondec more thwn a litrle, I cxv tell you.
Whatrver gives you that fancy, child?"

"I have it, Jother; why I cauuou rell you."

"I hope yoj awe npt d prophetess!"

"H dov't gnink K am," said Dcregte eith a smile.


renbald. "The thing was no cat--it was fiend; having been from the service returned a matter of to Satan its This conclusion was so patent to one of his neighbours that nobody dreamed of questioning it. Morally speaking, there no blindness so hopelessly incurable as that of the man who is determined keep eyes Only Great Physician can heal such a case as this, and He has often to do it painful means. "Christ save you!" said Isel, coming the anchorhold one evening, fortnight after Stephen's disappearance. "Well, do quiet and for and that tired!--" "Mother, am afraid you miss me sadly," responded Derette, almost self-reproachfully. "I'm pleased enough to think you're out it, child. Well, I I but haven't scarce time what I miss. There's one thing very great willingness, I can tell you, and that horrid Anania. She's been at me now day this week, and she will make me her where Stephen is, and what he's gone after,--and that broom knows as much as She grinds the life of me, pretty and am to Derette smiled Leuesa said-- "It does seem strange he should stay so long "Anania will have it he is never coming again." "I she right there," said suddenly. "Saints alive! what thou child? Never coming again?" wonder," Derette should. should more than a little, can tell you. Whatever gives that fancy, child?" "I cannot tell you." "I hope you are not prophetess!" "I don't think I am," said with a smile.
renbald.  "The thing was no cat--it Was a foul
fiEnd; anD haVinG bEen rEleaSed from the servICe of Its earthly
mistress, had rEturnEd AS a maTTeR of coUrse to SATaN ITs mAsTeR."

ThIs COnClusiOn wAs so patEnt to every One Of His neighbourS ThAt nobody
drEamEd of questionIng It.  MoraLlY spEAking, TheRe is nO blindNEss so
hOpelessly InCUrable AS that of THE mAn whO is determined to keEP hIS
eyes shut.  Only tHe GreaT PHYsICIan Can Heal such a cAsE as thIS, and
He hAS oFTEN to DO it by painful mEans.

"Christ sAVe yOu!" said isEl, cOMing inTo the AnCHorHold one evenIng, a
Fortnight After STEphen's dISappearAnce.  "WeLl, yOu dO looK QuIeT anD
pEAceFUl For SUre! And I'm thaT tIrEd!--"

"MotHer, I AM AFRaid You Miss Me sadLy," responded DeRetTe, alMOst
Self-rEproaChfuLlY.

"I'm plEased eNough To Think you're out of It, chIld.  Miss yoU?  WeLl,
i suPpOse I dO; But I haVen'T scArce timE to thinK WhaT I MISS.  THere's
one thing I'd misS wITH vEry great WillinGNeSs, i Can tell yOu, And
That'S THat hoRrid TEaSe, Anania.  she's beEN aT mE now eveRy Day thiS
wEek, And She wiLL makE me telL her wherE StepHEn is, and what he's GOne
after,--and thAT bROOm KNows As mUch as I do.  She GrinDS the Life OUt
Of mE, PrettY nigh: AnD WhAT am I to do?"

Derette smilEd SympatHeticAlly.  Leuesa saiD--

"It does seeM STRange he sHoulD StAY so long away."

"AnaNia wiLl have it he IS never coMing aGain."

"I darE say she is RIGht there," SaiD DeRetTe sUDDeNly.

"Saints alivE! WHat dOsT thou meAn, cHild?  NevEr cOmiNg aGaiN?"

"I Shouldn't wOnder," saiD DErEtTe QuiEtly.

"WELl, I shoulD.  I ShoUlD woNder mORe than A littLe, I cAn TeLL yoU.
WhatevER gIVEs yoU tHaT fanCy, cHiLd?"

"I haVe it, mOthEr; why I cAnnot tell You."

"i Hope YoU aRe not a pRophetess!"

"I don'T tHink I am," saiD DEreTte witH A Smile.


renbald.  "The thing was n o cat--itwas a  fo ulfi end;  and  having been r e leas ed from the service of  itsea r thly mi stres s, hadr et u r ned  a sa m at t er  of c our se to S atan its m ast er ."

This con c lu sion was s o p atent to eve ryone of  h isn eighb our s tha t nobo d y
drea med of qu es t ioning it.  Mo r a ll y sp eaking, there isn ob lindness so
ho peless ly in c u rab leas that of  t he ma n  who is de t e r min e d to keep his 
eyes shut.  On ly the  G rea t  Physi cianca n  he al such a c aseas this,and
He has oft e n to do  it by  pa inf ul m e an s. 

" Ch r ist sa vey ou! " said I se l,  comi ng i n t o theanc horh old o ne evening, a 
fo rtni g htafter  Step hen' sdisap pearan ce. "W ell, you do loo k qu iet and
p eac ef ulfo r sur e ! andI'm  th at tire d!--"
" Mot he r , Iam afraid you miss  m e sa dly," re sponde d  D er e tte, alm os t
s elf- r e proac hful l y. 

"I'm p leased en ou gh to t hi nk you 'r e o utof it ,  chi ld.  M iss you?   Wel l ,
I suppose Id o; but I have n 't s ca r ce t ime  to think w hatI  mis s. T he re' s 
onething  I ' dm iss with very great  w illing ness,  I can tell y ou, and
th a t ' s that h orri d  t e ase, Anania. She's  been at m e  now eve ry da y this
w eek, ands h e will m ake  me  te llh e rwhere Stephen i s, a nd  what h e's  gone
a fte r,- -an d t ha t broom k nows asmu ch  a sI d o.  S h e grinds  t heli feout
o f  me, p retty  nig h:  a n d w hat amI  t o do?" 
De rett e s mi led s ympa t het ically.   Leuesasai d --
"I tdoes se em strange he  s hould stay  s o l ong aw a y ."

"Ana nia will have it he isn ever co min g aga in." 

"I dare  sa y sheisr ight t here,"  said  D ere t t e sud d e nl y.
" Saints ali v e ! w hat d os t th ou mean , child?  Never co m ing  again?"

"Isho uldn ' t  w ond e r, "  sa id Der e t te quietly.

"W ell, I sho ul d . I shouldw ond er  more t han a l ittle ,  I cantell you. 
Whatever  g ives y outhat fancy , child? "

"I hav e  it,M ot her;why  I can no t t ell y ou."
" I h ope y ou are  n ot a p rophe te ss!"

"I  don't think I am," sai d Dere tte w ith  a smile. 


renbald. _"The thing_was no cat--it was_a foul
fiend;_and_having been_released_from the service_of its earthly
mistress,_had returned as a_matter of course_to_Satan its master."

This conclusion was so patent to every one of his neighbours that_nobody
dreamed_of questioning_it.__Morally speaking, there is no_blindness so
hopelessly incurable as that_of the_man who is determined to keep his
eyes shut.__Only the Great_Physician can heal such a case as this, and
He_has often to do it by_painful means.

"Christ save_you!"_said_Isel, coming into the_anchorhold one evening, a
fortnight after Stephen's_disappearance.  "Well, you do look_quiet and
peaceful for sure! and I'm that_tired!--"

"Mother, I am afraid you miss_me sadly," responded Derette, almost
self-reproachfully.

"I'm_pleased enough_to think you're out of_it, child. _Miss you?_ Well,
I suppose_I do; but I haven't scarce_time to think_what I miss.  There's
one thing_I'd_miss with very_great_willingness,_I can_tell you, and
that's_that_horrid tease,_Anania._ She's been at me now_every_day this
week, and she will make me_tell her where Stephen_is,_and what he's gone
after,--and_that broom knows as much_as I do.  She grinds_the life_out
of me,_pretty nigh: and what am I to do?"

Derette smiled sympathetically. _Leuesa said--

"It does seem strange he_should stay so long_away."

"Anania will_have_it he is_never_coming again."

"I_dare say she is right there," said_Derette suddenly.

"Saints_alive! what dost thou mean, child?_ Never coming again?"

"I_shouldn't_wonder," said Derette quietly.

"Well, I should._ I should wonder more than_a little, I can tell_you.
Whatever_gives_you that fancy, child?"

"I have_it, Mother; why I cannot tell_you."

"I hope you_are not a prophetess!"

"I don't think I_am,"_said Derette with a smile.

