第51章 THE FIRST LESSON(3)

The little girl stood very still a moment."No wonder they're sorry,"she thought.

"All right.We can both look over one,"she answered,and going to the dresser she brought her books.

"Was this the study you meant?"asked Eloise,looking at the three books curiously."I thought I was offering to help you with something I knew about.I used to learn verses out of the Bible when I was a little girl in Sunday-school.I don't know anything about it now.""But you can read everything,the big words and all,"replied Jewel.

"I wish I could."

Eloise saw that this reply was designed to minister to her self-respect.She took up the small black book lying with the Bible."What is this?""That is 'Science and Health,'that Mrs.Eddy wrote to explain to us what the Bible means;and this other one is to tell us where to pick out the places for the day's lesson."Jewel pulled up a chair,and seating herself,turned over the leaves of the Quarterly briskly until she found the right date.

"Please find Zechariah,cousin Eloise."

"What's that?"asked the girl helplessly.

"It's in the Old Testament.Would you rather I'd find them?All right,then you can take 'Science and Health'and find that part.""I hope it's easy,for I'm awfully stupid,Jewel.""Oh,it's very easy.You'll see."The child found the chapter and verse in the Bible and read,with her finger on the line.Eloise looked over and read with her.Thus they went through all the verses for the day,then Jewel began to give the page and line to be read in the text-book.

This volume was small and agreeable to handle,the India paper pleasant to the girl's dainty touch.According to the child's request,she read aloud the lines which were called for.

"That's all,"said Jewel at last."Oh cousin Eloise,it's just lovely and easy to get the lesson with you,"she added gratefully.

Eloise made no response.Her eye had been caught by a statement on the page before her,and she read on in silence.

Jewel waited a minute and then,seeing that her cousin was absorbed,she laid down the Quarterly and took up her doll and sat still,watching the pretty profile,undisturbed by doubts as to what her cousin might think of the book she held,and full of utter confidence that He who healeth all our diseases would minister to her through its pages.

At last Eloise again became conscious of her surroundings.She turned to her companion,a skeptical comment on her lips,but she suppressed the words at sight of the innocent,expectant face.She certainly had nothing to give this child better than what she already possessed.

"You can read it any time when you feel sorry,cousin Eloise,that and my Bible too.Mother always does.""Does she ever feel sorry?"

"Sometimes;but it can't last where the Bible is.""I never saw that the Bible had anything to do with us,"said Eloise.

"Why--ee!"Jewel suddenly dropped Anna Belle and again took up the Bible.

"What do you think I opened to?"holding the verse with her finger as she looked up.Then she read,"'If ye love them that love you what thank have ye?'Now isn't that something to do with you and grandpa?""I don't see how I can love people who don't choose to be lovable,"returned Eloise."What's the use of pretending?""But then,"said the child,"the trouble is that everything that isn't love is hate."Her visitor raised her eyebrows."Ah!I should have to think about that,"she returned.

"Yes,you'd better,"agreed Jewel.Then she turned to the Psalms and read the ninety-first.

When she had finished she looked up at her cousin,an earnest questioning in her eyes.

"That is very beautiful,"said Eloise."I never heard it before.How well you read it,Jewel.""Yes,"replied the child."It's so much easier to read things when you know them by heart."Then she turned to the Twenty-third Psalm and read it.

"Yes,I've heard that one.It's beautiful of course,but I never thought of its having anything to do with us."Eloise was watching her cousin curiously.It seemed too strange for belief that a healthy child of her age should be taking a vital interest in the Bible and endeavoring to prove a position from its pages.

When the girl finally rose to go she turned at the door:--"Remember your promise not to tell grandfather about this morning,"she said.

Jewel,hovering about her,looked troubled.

"Would you just as lief tell me why?"she asked.

Eloise gave the ghost of a smile."It would be a long story,and Iscarcely think you would understand."

"I think I could obey you better if you would tell me.""Very well.We,my mother and I,are not Mr.Evringham's real relations,--to put it as you do,--and we have come here because my poor father lost his money and we have nowhere else to go.We came without being invited,and it hurts to have to stay where we are not wanted.I don't wish grandfather to think that I am being kind to you,for fear he will believe that I am doing it to make him like me better and because I want to stay here."The girl spoke slowly and with great clearness.

Jewel looked at her,speechless with surprise and perplexity.

Eloise went on:"I don't want to stay here,you understand.I wish to go away.I would go to-day if my mother were willing."Her large eyes grew dark as she closed,and the child received a sense of the turbulence that underlay her words.

"Thank you for explaining,"she returned in an awed tone."I wish my mother was here;but God is,and He'll take care of you,cousin Eloise.Mother says we don't ever need to stay in the shadow.There's always the sunshine,only we must do our part,we must come into it.""How Jewel?Supposing you don't know how."

"You can learn how,"replied the child earnestly,"right in those books.Lots of sorry people grow glad studying them."