at his long delay. "Did he not tell us," said the eldest, "that sickness or accident might delay him?" "But he sends us no word, no sign, to make us at rest." "The roads may not be passable," replied the brother, whose faith as yet was not dimmed. "Already the snow has blocked them for miles around us, and we know not what greater obstacles lie beyond. No, let us trust our father," he added, with a depth of feeling which touched them all; and for a few days they rested in the faith that he would come and be again in their midst. But, alas! how short-lived is the trust of the human heart! how limited its vision! It cannot pierce the passing clouds, nor stretch forth its hand in darkness. Together they sat one evening, in outer and inner darkness,--again in the shadows of distrust. "He will never return," said one of the group, in sad and sorrowing tones. "My father will come," lisped the youngest of them all,--the one on whom the others looked as but a babe in thought and feeling. "I am weary with watching," said another, as she went from the window where she had been looking, for so many days, for the loved form. "Our father has forgotten us all," she moaned, and bowed her head and wept. There was no one to comfort; for all were sad, knowing that naught but a few crusts remained for their morrow's food--and who would provide for the coming days? Lights and fuel too were wanting, and winter but half gone. Even the faith of the eldest had long since departed, and he too had yielded to distrust. "My father will come," still whispered the little one, strong in her child-trust, while the others doubted. "It's because she's so young, and cannot reason like us," they said among themselves. "Perhaps God can speak to her because she is so simple," said one of the household with whom words were few. They looked at each other as though a ray of sunlight had flashed through their dwelling. Something akin to hope began to spring in their hearts, but died away as the chilling blasts came moaning around them. Three days passed, while the storm raged and threatened to bury their home beneath the heavy snows. There was no food now to share between them. The last crumb had been given the child to soften her cries of