rays of light would break through their murkiness and she would again emerge from the gloom and take on the habiliments of a hopeful light and regain her serenity and composure and peace of mind. She knew that this was a means to test her constancy of faith.

At no time are we entirely abandoned by the grace of God, unless we ruthlessly throw it from us when it is offered and strive to flounder over the dark and fathomless seas of doubt but when it is withdrawn for a time, it is to show us how weak we are of ourselves, and what a frail reed we are, swayed by the winds of temptation, selfconceit and animal passions;-then a ray of light is thrown to us when we are about to be submerged into the depths and we grasp again at the life line of God's grace and our souls are again recovered.

Barney continued to administer to the meagre wants of the hermitess, but as her wants were few and her rambles often of long duration and extent, she many times was absent at the times of his visits so that sometimes weeks elapsed between their meetings. His advancing years made him seek the quiet of his fireside more and more as time elapsed; also the town authorities gaining but a slight insight into her past, after the death of Agathy, took it upon themselves to watch over her and to send messengers to her cave from time to time to ascertain her condition and also whether she was able to gather the few necessities of life that she required. From these circumstances Barney relaxed his vigilance of her well being and also from the fact that the infirmities of age were

slowly but surely convincing him that he was approaching his allotment of three score and ten.

The Abbé Thaddeus learning of his enforced seclusion and having frequently within the last one or two decades made his acquaintance at different points of his missionary circuit, he was brought into close companionship with Barney, the latter often bearing him company in his long journeys into the byways of the sparsely settled outskirts of surrounding towns and villages in search of some stray lamb of his flock who had wandered far from his early faith; Barney being conversant with all points, even remote from his own habitation due to his roaming propensities, was known far and near, and being a friend to all humanity, and able to keep his own counsels and the confidences entrusted to him, he was often made the means of communication between the outlying residents and the Abbé Thaddeus. Barney was the good Samaritan to all shades and manner of men. The Abbé Thaddeus, therefore, visited Barney and ministered to his spiritual needs without any comment from the town's people as to his religious convictions.

From the reports Barney obtained of Sarah Bishop, he learned that she was filling out her life in much the same way as heretofore, with added calmness which increased with her years, and he presumed from dwelling upon supernatural things. He was also firmly convinced that she had received assistance to bear her burdens by recourse to prayer and the contemplation of the many mysteries in the life of our Saviour. He had fre

quently seen her in reverential attitudes with uplifted eyes and her lips would silently move. This he was sure was the means by which she had obtained that peace of mind and calmness of spirit which wrought such wonders in her, in comparison to her former abstracted mental condition, attended often by such violent outbursts wherein her spirit was torn and dashed about against its earthly abode.

One sunshiny day in the autumn Barney, after a period of convalescence from a severe attack of rheumatism, in which his frame was racked with pain, had a longing to once more visit the cavern. He felt that by aid of his staff he could, by slow efforts and periods, reach the cave. So he set out and arrived at his destination in due time and was fortunate to find Mistress Bishop at home, busying about some simple domestic duty.

At sight of Barney, Mistress Bishop was visibly affected as she saw how painful and slow his progress had been and what heroic efforts were necessary for him to come the distance from the village. Her face became overspread with a look of pleasure, to be followed in a moment by one of sympathy and pity, as she beheld him in his altered condition in which she saw what ravages, disease had made upon his once sturdy frame. She gently assisted him to a rude seat by the door of the cave within the bright sunshine and busied about to make him a refreshing draught. She quickly went to the spring which gushed forth in sparkling bubbles and ripples from the mountain side just below its crest as it went dancing on mer

rily, often dashing over rocks forming little cascades until it met and was lost within the waters of the lake below. She was back in a couple of minutes with a gourd filled with the pure liquid which he eagerly took from her hands with a look of appreciation and thanks in his eyes as he let them rest upon her. He saw, too, that time had not dealt over kindly with the hermitess, but what she had lost in the strength was made up in the chastening of spirit that was manifest upon her face. He saw that she had finally obtained that peacefulness that follows long years of strife and conflict wherein her spirit had been rudely buffeted by tempestuous waves of passion. But she had come forth from the battle serene and calm, and her spirit was safely anchored within the harbor of celestial expectations. One could yet see within the depths of her eyes the smouldering fires that had once raged so fiercely and which fast threatened to consume her quite. But within the crucible of her spirit this same heat had melted and separated the pure gold from the dross, purifying and chastening the precious metal to the acme of fineness. These storms which had raged and threatened to engulf her were shown upon her physically, her once finely moulded figure with rounded lines had become angular, her tall, gaunt frame was hard and rigid with stooping bent figure. Her hair had been well turned to grey.

Barney Bids Farewell to the Hermitess

“IT

"The world recedes; it disappears
Heav'n opens on my eyes; my ears
With sounds seraphic ring:-

Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!
'O grave, where is thy victory?

O death, where is thy sting?"

-Dying Christian. Pope.

T does my old heart good to see you once more, Mistress Bishop," said Barney, as he gazed into her face. "My thoughts have many the time been on this mountain, but my poor, crippled body would not follow."

"You are too good, Barney, I do not deserve such kindness," said Sarah with more animation than usual.

"Tut! tut!" exclaimed Barney, "ye are the one that is good to give an old man a friendly word now and again. Agathy was a good one. God rest her soul," piously ejaculated Barney.

"Agathy has gone to heaven, God would never permit so good a soul to be lost," said Sarah.

"Amen!" exclaimed Barney, "it will be an unlucky day for us if Agathy does not reach Heaven."

"If we look after our souls the Almighty will take care of the how and the why," said Sarah.

Barney's eyes gradually roamed over the cavern to see if there were evidences of want. Not discovering any food he asked:

"Does the mistress be wanting for anything to eat?"