‘Please, ma’am,’ said Martha, who was not at all afraid of speaking to any lady, though she dare not face the master, ’he wants to turn us out of our house; and he hates Stephen, because he won’t give it up:  so he wouldn’t let you teach him anything.’

‘Then you are Stephen Fern?’ said the lady; ’I heard my uncle talking about you.  Your father was buried at Longville church on Sunday.  I saw the funeral leave the churchyard, and I looked for some of you to come in to the evening service.  Now, Stephen, do you tell me all about your reason for not letting my uncle buy your cottage.’

Then Stephen, with some hesitation, and a good deal of assistance from Martha, told the whole history of his grandmother’s settlement upon the solitary hillside, only withholding the fact of his grandfather’s transportation, because Tim was listening eagerly to every word.  Miss Anne listened, too, with deep attention; and once or twice the tears rose to her eyes as she heard of the weary labours and watchings of the desolate woman; and when Stephen repeated his resolution to work hard and constantly for the maintenance of his grandfather and little Nan—­

‘Yes, I will be your friend,’ she said, reaching out her hand to him when he had finished, ’even if my uncle is your enemy.  God has not given me much power, but what I have I will use for you; and you must go on striving to do right, Stephen.’

‘I can’t read much,’ replied Stephen anxiously, ’and Martha can’t read at all; but I hope we shall all get safe to heaven!’

‘Knowing how to read will not take us to heaven,’ said Miss Anne, smiling, ’but doing the will of God from the heart; and the will of God is that we should believe in the Lord Jesus, and follow in His steps.’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ answered Stephen; ’my chapter says, “Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven:  but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."’

‘Stephen, you know your chapter well,’ said Miss Anne.

‘I don’t know anything else,’ he answered; ’so I am always studying at that in my head, up here and down in the pit.’

‘He’s always mighty solid over his work, ma’am,’ said Tim, pulling the front lock of his red hair, as he spoke to the young lady.

‘Stephen, do you know that you have a namesake in the Bible?’ asked Miss Anne.

‘No, sure!’ exclaimed Stephen eagerly.

’It was the name of a man who had many enemies, only because he loved the Lord Jesus; and at last they hated him so much as to kill him.  He was the very first person who ever suffered death for the Lord’s sake.  Give me your Bible, and I will read to you how he died.’

Miss Anne’s voice was very low and soft, like sweet music, as she read these verses:  ’And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.  And when he had said this, he fell asleep.’