The little tree felt quite relieved by this assurance, and it held up its head more confidently than ever before.  And how it thrived and grew, and waxed in strength and beauty!  The cedars said they never had seen the like.  The sun seemed to lavish its choicest rays upon the little tree, heaven dropped its sweetest dew upon it, and the winds never came to the forest that they did not forget their rude manners and linger to kiss the little tree and sing it their prettiest songs.  No danger ever menaced it, no harm threatened; for the angel never slept,—­through the day and through the night the angel watched the little tree and protected it from all evil.  Oftentimes the trees talked with the angel; but of course they understood little of what he said, for he spoke always of the Child who was to become the Master; and always when thus he talked, he caressed the little tree, and stroked its branches and leaves, and moistened them with his tears.  It all was so very strange that none in the forest could understand.

So the years passed, the angel watching his blooming charge.  Sometimes the beasts strayed toward the little tree and threatened to devour its tender foliage; sometimes the woodman came with his axe, intent upon hewing down the straight and comely thing; sometimes the hot, consuming breath of drought swept from the south, and sought to blight the forest and all its verdure:  the angel kept them from the little tree.  Serene and beautiful it grew, until now it was no longer a little tree, but the pride and glory of the forest.

One day the tree heard some one coming through the forest.  Hitherto the angel had hastened to its side when men approached; but now the angel strode away and stood under the cedars yonder.

“Dear angel,” cried the tree, “can you not hear the footsteps of some one approaching?  Why do you leave me?”

“Have no fear,” said the angel; “for He who comes is the Master.”

The Master came to the tree and beheld it.  He placed His hands upon its smooth trunk and branches, and the tree was thrilled with a strange and glorious delight.  Then He stooped and kissed the tree, and then He turned and went away.

Many times after that the Master came to the forest, and when He came it always was to where the tree stood.  Many times He rested beneath the tree and enjoyed the shade of its foliage, and listened to the music of the wind as it swept through the rustling leaves.  Many times He slept there, and the tree watched over Him, and the forest was still, and all its voices were hushed.  And the angel hovered near like a faithful sentinel.