heart was open--the Holy Spirit Himself.

Bessie Ford had found another teacher, and beside her sat Stella, who,
partly from finding her Sunday afternoons dull, and partly from
feeling that it was her uncle's wish that she should accompany Lucy to
Sunday school, had overcome her objection to it so far as to go with
her cousin. And having found out on the first Sunday how deficient she
herself was in Bible knowledge, and never liking to appear inferior to
others in anything, she took some pains to prepare her lessons, at
least so far that her ignorance might not lower her in the eyes of her
classmates. It was a poor motive, certainly; still, seeds of divine
truth were gradually finding their way into her heart, which might in
time germinate and bear fruit. And her stay in Mr. Raymond's
household, where "serving the Lord" was avowedly the ruling principle,
had already exercised a healthful influence over her impressionable
nature.

On this particular Sunday the interesting announcement was made, that
the annual "picnic" or Sunday-school excursion was to take place on
the following Wednesday, the place being a beautiful oak wood about a
mile from the church, in the opposite direction from Mill Bank Farm.
As little groups clustered together on leaving the church door, there
was a general buzz of talk about the picnic.

Lucy stopped Nelly Connor to ask her whether she thought her mother
would let her go to the picnic.

Poor Nelly looked very doubtful as she replied, "I don't know; I'm
afraid not."