CHAPTER XV.

WALTER'S SECRET.

ONE evening, when they had been at South Bay more than a fortnight, Walter as usual asked Nellie to come out after supper.

"We shall not have the moon many more evenings, though it has been a splendid one, Nellie."

"Oh, I have enjoyed it! I never knew what a harvest moon was before."

"Well, come along."

They had spent a very pleasant evening; for Christina had been a long walk with them, and they had sat on a promontory, about two miles away, watching the sunset, and singing.

Christina had a very rich voice, and sang with wonderful taste and training; but she had said that evening to Nellie, "I wish I could sing as you do."

"As I do?" said Nellie, astonished. "Why my voice is nothing compared to yours."

Christina shook her head. "When you sing, I can hear every word; when I sing, people can hear a sound."

"I know what you mean," said Nellie, "and it is only by trying to sing the words very distinctly. I learned it when papa took me once or twice to sing to an aged dying man.

"He said in his weak voice, looking kindly at me, 'Very nice, little miss; very nice indeed! But what is it about, my dear?'

"When I explained to him that it was about 'Jesus,' he said, 'Then I wish I had heard it better, little miss.'

"I went home that day making up my mind to sing so that no one should miss His name; and so I got into the habit."

"Do you often sing to sick people?" asked Christina with an awakened face.

"Sometimes; papa takes me when he thinks it would be acceptable."

"Did you feel very strange at first?"

"Oh, very! But after a few times (and papa took me at first to the very old or very young) I got used to it, and it helped me to remember it was God's message which He wished me to give."

"I wish I could," said Christina thoughtfully; then turning to Walter, "You have made me wish to set to work too. I thought, till I met you all, that I had only to bear; but I think differently now."

Walter looked at her earnestly with a sudden joy in his face, and Christina went on—

"But what do you sing, Nellie?"

"I sing ever so many—'The Ninety and Nine,' 'The Great Physician,' 'There is Life for a Look at the Crucified One,' and many more out of the same book."

"I must get it and begin."

"Do," said Nellie. "You cannot think, Christina, how nice it is to hear perhaps that the last words a dying man said were, 'There is Life for a Look at the Crucified One.'"

"Indeed it must be," said Christina earnestly.

This had been some of their conversation that evening; and now that Nellie and Walter had found a quiet, sheltered nook in the old rick-yard, where the moon could pour down her beams upon them, the talk of the sunset came up before both their minds. Walter was unusually silent, and Nellie allowed him to do as he pleased, quite satisfied that her hand was in his, and that they were together.

"It is almost ten," said Walter, at length rousing himself, "and we shall hear mamma's bell in a minute."

"How sweet and calm it is!" answered Nellie.

"Nellie," he said, looking down, and then turning round and boldly facing her, "did I promise to tell you all my secrets?"

"You said you always did," she answered, hesitating a little at his strange tone.

"Well, then, I have discovered that I have a secret which I have not told you." Then, lowering his voice and squeezing her hand very hard, he said, softly, "I have found out that I love Christina!"

"Walter, oh, dear Walter, how delightful it would be!" she exclaimed, kissing him warmly.

"You would like it, then?" he asked. "If only I can gain her love."

"No doubt of that," said Nellie confidently; "she could not help loving you, Walter!"

"Little goose," he said, smiling happily, "I'm not everybody's brother."

"There's the bell," said Nellie.

They got up quickly, much more quickly than they would have done if they had not been talking secrets, and hurried across the rick-yard.

"Mind," said Walter suddenly, as they went into the shadow of the house, "you must not let this out by look or tone; mind, Nellie!"

"Do not fear," she said. But she knew the warning was needed, when she felt her face sober down from the lines of intense pleasure which this piece of news had caused.

She wished her mamma hastily good-night and went upstairs. She was too excited to go to bed, but sat down by the open window and let the air blow in upon her hot cheeks. Here she sat building many airy castles, with Walter and Christina as king and queen, and her cheeks got hotter and hotter, and her eyes more shining.

"Suddenly these words came over her: 'My times are in Thy hand.'"

Then she fell on her knees and buried her face in her hands. "Father," she whispered, "it must be according to Thy will. I have been making plans, and forgetting Thee; oh, forgive me!"

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