in about half an hour there was a gentle tap at rosa's door. it was lucy, who entered timidly, and going towards rosa, said, blushing, "don't mind mrs. maxwell, dear; she often speaks in that way to me, when she don't mean anything."
"mind her! no and yes: she will not worry me; but i shall be glad to have some one to make me remember to be neat at all times. where's harty?" said rosa.
"he's getting ready to go to the woods: he wants you to go with him."
"with all my heart," answered rosa. "are we to go now?"
"yes, as soon as we can put on our bonnets," said lucy, as she went to her room, to get her things. she put on a pair of thin slippers, although she knew they were to cross a damp meadow, for she could not make up her mind to wear the thick boots that were so much more suitable. lucy had certain articles of dress which it gave her great pleasure to wear, and these shoes were among the favourites. many a cold and sore-throat they had cost her, but her vanity was not overcome even by such consequences.
hand in hand the three children walked merrily along, chatting as pleasantly as if they had not been parted for years.
rosa and harty declared that they liked to step on the soft meadow, that it was like a rich carpet that yielded to their feet. their shoes were so thick that they did not feel the dampness, and they had no idea how uncomfortable lucy was, in her thin slippers, thoroughly soaked with the moisture. they soon entered the woods, where the tall trees grew so close together that they almost shut out the pleasant sunlight. here rosa found so much to admire that she was constantly exclaiming with delight. she had not lived in the country since her childhood, and there was a charm in everything that met her eyes. sometimes she was struck with new beauties, and sometimes she was reminded of by-gone days.
"do you remember, harty," she said, "how we came here together, when you were a little bit of a boy, and made a house under that tree for my doll to lie in? and have you forgotten, when we where gathering chestnuts just here, and i found i had lost my shawl, and how we hunted, and found it at last hanging on the fence by the meadow?"
harty remembered these and many other occasions when he had enjoyed rambles with his sister; and they continued calling the past to mind, until poor lucy felt quite sad that she knew nothing of what caused them so much pleasure. she grew silent, and at last withdrew her hand from rosa, as she thought, "yes, it will be as julia staples said, harty and rosa will go together, and not care for me."
the sun was just setting when they drew near home on their return. they had taken a long walk, but lucy had not recovered her spirits, although rosa, perceiving that she was not happy, had done all in her power to amuse her. lucy felt half inclined to laugh and enjoy herself occasionally, but then the wicked, jealous thought would come up in her mind, and she grew sober again, and coldly answered her sister's cheerful remarks.
they had walked through the woods quite round to the back of the house, and were almost to the pleasant orchard, when they came to a wide brook, which they must cross to reach the by-path that led to the house. a single plank was placed across the stream. harty ran gaily over, and went up the hill on the other side without looking behind him.
"let me lead you over," said rosa, kindly offering her hand to her little sister.
"i had rather go by myself," answered lucy, sullenly, and placed her foot on the plank. she walked tremblingly on until she was half over, then the plank shook a little, and she grew frightened, swayed from side to side, lost her balance, and fell into the brook.
lucy's shriek attracted the attention of harty, who was by this time some distance up the hill, and he hastened towards her; but she had scarcely sunk in the water before rosa had leaped from the bank and caught her in her arms.
the stream was rapid, and the fearless girl could hardly have kept her footing had she not caught hold of the plank above with one hand, while with the other she carried the half-fainting lucy.
they reached the opposite side in safety, and harty was there to assist them in climbing the bank. great tears stood in his eyes, not from fright for lucy, but from admiration of rosa's courage.
"you are a sister worth having!" were his first words. "how i wish you were a boy!"
poor lucy, what pain these words gave her! although she had been in such danger, harty only thought of rosa!
the true-hearted sister, meanwhile, was lifting her thoughts in thankfulness to him who had enabled her to save the life of the child.
lucy was too weak to walk home, and rosa and harty formed a lady-chair with their arms, and carried her safely up the hill, rosa laughing at their ridiculous appearance in their wet clothing, for she had plunged into the stream up to her neck.
"here we are! all safe and sound!" shouted harty, as mrs. maxwell came out to meet the strange-looking party.
"a pretty-looking set you are! do not come into the house in that condition!" was mrs. maxwell's reply. "pray where have you been?" she continued: "i wonder if we are to have such doings all the time."
rosa gently but firmly replied, that lucy had been in great danger, and she thought she ought to be undressed immediately, and placed in a warm bed.
there was something in rosa's quiet, dignified manner that awed mrs. maxwell: she came forward and took lucy from their arms without another word, while rosa hastened to her room to put herself in order to wait upon her sister. in a few moments she was neatly dressed, and standing by lucy's bedside.
dr. vale had returned, and having heard from harty an account of the matter, was soon with his little daughter. he ordered a warm draught to be administered, and said he did not think she needed any other medicine, as she seemed not to be really injured, only much agitated by the fright.
he kissed the little girl tenderly as he thought how near he had been to losing his pet, and greatly praised rosa's promptness and courage in saving her from the death with which she was threatened.
lucy could not thank her sister, for she felt guilty, as she remembered the unkind, suspicious thoughts that were in her mind when the accident happened. she shuddered at the idea that she might have died while her spirit was so unfit to go into the presence of the holy god. she felt that she had been very wicked, and she could not believe that god would pardon her.
"i know i shall be very ill," she said to herself, "because i was so naughty, and perhaps i shall die, and then nobody would care, and harty and rosa would be just as happy."
this last thought checked her half-formed resolution to tell her sister of her wrong feelings; and she turned away from the kind face that was bending down to her, and said, "i wish you would go away, i had rather be alone."
rosa did go, but only to the door of her own room that was opposite: there she placed her chair, that she might be near, if lucy should be lonely or want anything, little thinking what was in her sister's heart.
lucy lay very still all the evening. rosa thought she was sleeping, and did not disturb her. during those long, dark hours, rosa was not sad. she had many pleasant thoughts. she liked to be alone, sometimes, for then she could more fully realize that god was with her.
nine o'clock came, yet rosa did not like to leave her sister: often during the evening she had stolen to her side to see if she were still sleeping. once she stooped and kissed her; then lucy longed to throw her arms around the neck of the kind watcher, and say that she had not been asleep; but something kept her silent.
at ten, the doctor came in. rosa stole softly down stairs and told him how quiet the little girl had been during the evening. "but, dear father," she said, "i do not like to leave her alone to-night. may i not lay her in my bed, where i shall be sure to know if she wakes, and wants anything?"
"certainly, dear," was the father's reply, "and i will carry her myself, carefully, that she may not wake. she is too heavy for you to lift, though you did take her so nobly through the water, my darling."
the doctor took the little girl gently in his arms; she did not seem to be awake, but oh! how guilty she felt all the time, to think that she had cherished harsh feelings towards one who wished to be so kind to her; and ashamed she felt that she was even then deceiving; but she had not the courage to open her eyes and say that it was all pretence. rosa covered her very carefully, and placed her head comfortably on the pillow, and then began to move about noiselessly, preparing for the night.
lucy was just closing her eyes, thinking her bed-fellow was about to lie down beside her, when rosa threw her wrapper round her, and taking her small bible, sat down to read. she did not once raise her eyes or move, while she was reading, yet lucy could see that her expression changed from time to time, as if she was very much interested. there was a sweet peacefulness on her countenance as she closed the book, and lucy resolved to open at the mark the next morning, that she might read herself what had had so pleasant an effect.
she then looked up and saw that rosa was kneeling, with her eyes raised, and praying earnestly in a low voice. lucy was almost startled, rosa seemed so really to be speaking to some one, and she involuntarily looked about to see if there were any one in the room.
she had been so long accustomed to merely prayers herself, that she had almost forgotten that prayer is always speaking to god.
by degrees she rose in the bed and leaned eagerly forward to catch the words, which were scarcely audible as she lay on the pillow.
she heard her sister earnestly ask pardon for the sins she had just been confessing, while she thanked her heavenly father with the confidence of a child for his free forgiveness; and then she prayed, oh, how earnestly! that god would enable her to watch over her brother and sister, and lead them to the dear saviour, the only source of real happiness, and for whose sake she knew all her petitions would be granted. before she rose, she begged to be enabled to remember that the saviour was beside her, through the dark night to preserve her from all harm.
as rosa finished her prayer, lucy sank down in the bed, overcome with awe. god was really in the room; rosa had spoken to him, and seemed to know that he had heard her. what must his pure eye have seen in her own heart! how much that was wrong! could he forgive? in a few moments the light was extinguished, and rosa was at her sister's side. she lay very still at first, that she might not waken the sleeper, but very soon a little hand was laid in hers, and lucy gently whispered, "dear rosa, do you really think the saviour is near us?"
rosa was startled to find her companion awake; but she took the little hand instantly, and said, "yes, dear lucy, he is with us always."
"doesn't it make you afraid," said lucy, "to think so?"
"afraid to think he is near us, dearest! why, he is our best friend! do not you love him, lucy?"
lucy began to sob, and said, at last, that it always frightened her to think about such things, and she never did, unless something reminded her that she must die.
"my dear little sister," said rosa, "god loves you: you need not be afraid of him, if you really wish to please him."
"but i can't please him, i can't do right," sobbed lucy.
"i know you cannot," rosa replied, "but he will forgive you for jesus' sake, and help you, if you ask him."
"but i forget all about it," said lucy.
"it is very hard to remember at first, that god is always with you, and you are trying to be his child. i know, dear lucy, that you must wish to love and serve the kind heavenly father who has done so much for you: begin to-night; ask him to make you his child, and to take care of you."
lucy made no answer, but in silence she did as her sister had advised, and god who seeth all hearts received and answered her simple petition.
the few words that rosa had said, dwelt in her mind. "god loves you," she thought, again and again, as she lay in her quiet bed; and when her eyes closed in sleep, it was with the remembrance that the god who loved her was near to watch over her.
