reply smote Fleda's fears; it answered her words and waved her
thought. She dared not press him further. She sat looking over
the road with an aching heart.

"You haven't taken enough of my medicine," said Hugh, smiling.
"Listen, Fleda — '_All the paths of the Lord are mercy and
truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies_.' "

But that made Fleda cry again.

" 'All his paths,' Fleda; then, whatever may happen to you,
and whatever may happen to me, or to any of us, I can trust
him. I am willing any one should have the world, if I may have
what Abraham had — '_fear not; I am thy shield and thy
exceeding great reward;_' — and I believe I shall, Fleda; for
it is not the hungry that he has threatened to send empty
away."

Fleda could say nothing, and Hugh just then said no more. For
a little while, near and busy as thoughts might be, tongues
were silent. Fleda was crying quietly, the utmost she could do
being to keep it quiet; Hugh, more quietly, was considering
again the strong pillars on which he had laid his hope, and
trying their strength and beauty, till all other things were
to him as the mist rolling off from he valley is to the man
planted on a watch-tower.

His meditations were interrupted by the tramp of horse; and a
party of riders, male and female, came past them up the hill.
Hugh looked on as they went by; Fleda's head was not raised.