CHAPTER XVI.

THE GOLDEN CENSER.

JOHN had noticed that Mr. Dexter's voice was not steady as he left him so abruptly alone in his library, and he drew hope from it. He waited a few moments to see if Mr. Dexter intended to return, but concluding finally that such was not his purpose, he quietly withdrew from the house, and then, with a rapid step, sought his home. Intent only upon reaching his room and Jerry, he did not stop to analyze the many thoughts that impelled him onward with a power which made him impatient even of his rapid progress; and when at last he came within sight of the house, almost before he was aware of it, he had placed his hands upon his breast, as he had seen soldiers do when upon "double

quick," and with a fleeter step than theirs overpassed the remaining distance, and stood breathless and panting in his own room. By the time he had regained the power of speaking, Jerry came to him.

"I have so much to tell you, Jerry!" he exclaimed, hurriedly, "but there, I will begin at the beginning and go through it orderly." So he began with Mr. Dexter's kind reception of him, told of the plan agreed upon in reference to his education, and concluded very anxiously with the question, "Do you suppose Mr. Blacher will allow me to stay here?"

Jerry looked very doubtful about the matter, but he said, "We can pray about it, John, and then if God sees it is best for us, he will make him willing."

"Yes," answered John; "we will ask God to make him willing if he sees it best, and then, if Mr. Blacher does not consent, we shall know it is not best for us. How

pleasant it is to think that God knows a great deal better than we do what is for our advantage, and will, if we ask him, decide for us. It will be hard to leave you, Jerry, even if I can see you every day."

"But it will be worse for me, because I must have another room-mate, while you may not," replied Jerry, in a voice full of trouble. Yet in a moment he added, cheerfully, "but we must learn to cast all our care upon Him that careth for us,' and this is a very good time for us to begin."

"Well, one thing is sure, Jerry, you can not have a more vexing room-mate than I was, and I believe it was owing to your patient goodness that I ever improved."

"Say, rather, thanks to God's grace in your heart and mine. We will be friends and brothers through life, John, even if we are separated. We shall not always be able to be together as we have been, even

if Mr. Blacher agrees to board you for the present."

These plans all duly discussed, John told Jerry of his further conversation with Mr. Dexter, and of his abrupt leave-taking, adding very earnestly, "It must be, Jerry, that his heart is not altogether hardened against Christ, for this is not the first time he has showed emotion."

Perhaps God will make him listen to what you said to him. He seems to have taken you into his heart. I heard some

one say once, that he was very fond of young people, and that it was a terrible blow to him when his son died. It was very sudden; he fell into an uncovered cistern, which Mr. Dexter had charged the servants, again and again, never to leave open. The child was but seven years old, and when he was missed, and could not be found in the house or at play in the yard, Mr. Dexter went at once, instinctively to

that cistern, and there found him himself. Then his wife sickened for want of the child, and in a few months she died and left him all alone."

"Why did you not tell me all this before, Jerry?" asked John, in surprise.

"I did not know it all till to-night, when Mrs. Grey told me. She said for a while he shut himself up, and would see no one, but one day a gentleman and a little boy were thrown from a carriage opposite a field where he was giving some orders to his men. The gentleman was stunned by the fall, but the little boy cried out in great pain. Mr. Dexter went to them and had them both carried up to the house. As the man was only stunned, he was soon as well as ever, but the little boy had broken his arm. They were strangers in the place. Mrs. Grey knew nothing at all about them. To the surprise of every body, Mr. Dexter would not let them go to