And maybe to us came the golden time
('Twas given us from above)

When we might have spoken of holy things,
Told of a Saviour's love.

But we let the time pass unheeded by,

And the precious season fled,

When one word might have helped to save a soul,

But that word was left unsaid!

It was left unsaid! Ah! we little think

How heavy the pain will be

Of the looking back on a misspent life

Where this "left unsaid" we see!

If we boldly spoke in the Master's cause,

If all thought of self were dead,

Oh, then would our hearts be free from the pain Of words we have left unsaid!

SCRIPTURE ENIGMAS.

NO. XV.

The question, "Who is like God?"

In a Hebrew title tell;

When war was in heaven, and Satan fell

Beneath his rod.

Of his power all angels boast;
His name hell's legions dread;

For he is the Christ, the mighty head
Of the heavenly host.

The proof will be easily given If you trace the following lines, And lay together the numbered signs From one to seven.

1. One, two, three, and six, will mark
What the Philistines made of gold,
And sent away in the days of old,
With Israel's ark.

2. Two, five and one, four and six,
God's being in words declare;
And none but He to his name dare
These words affix.

3. Three, five, seven, one occurred
When Jesus the storm allayed;

E. W.

"Peace, peace!" and the winds and waves obeyed His powerful word.

4. Four, five, two, and seven will make
The seventh great scourge of God,

When Moses o'er Egypt stretched his rod,
For Israel's sake.

5. Five and two, in the promised land,
Is the place-through one man's sin-
Where Israel could not the victory win,
Nor in battle stand.

6. Six, seven, two, one-this tells
Of Israel's camping-ground,
Where seventy palm-trees clustered round
Twelve ancient wells.

7. Seven, five, one, six, three and four-
"Twas he gave Noah his name;
But he died the year the Deluge came,
Or the year before.

Now let us revere his rod,
And worship before his face,
Ascribing to Him all power and grace,
For "he is like God."

W. L.

5. Joshua xiv. 1–9; xviii. 4-10; xix. 51.

6. Joshua xiv. 6–8; xix. 49, 50.

7. Joshua xx. Kedesh in Galilee, Shechem in Mount Ephraim, Hebron in the Mountain of Judah; these were west of the Jordan. On the east side were Bezer out of the tribe of Reuben, Ramoth-Gilead out of the tribe of Gad, and Golan, in Bashan, out of the tribe of Manasseh. These were appointed to protect any who had slain a neighbour by accident from the avenger of blood. See also Exod. xxi. 13; Num. xxxv. 9-34; Deut. xix. 2-10.

8. Psalm ix. 9; xviii. 2; xlvi. 1; ci. 1—4; cxlii. 4—6; cxliii. 9; Prov. xviii. 10; Rom. viii. 1; Heb. x. 18.

9. Num. xxxii. Notice verses 20-33. Deut. L 12-20. 10. Joshua xxii. 1–9.

11. Joshua xxii. 10-20. See Lev. xvii. 8, 9. Deut. xii. 13, 14. The explanation given of their object in building the altar satisfied the princes who were sent to make inquiry; verses 21-34.

12. Levi received no portion. Joshua xiii. 14, 33; "The Lord God of Israel was their inheritance, as He said unto them." See also Joshua xviii. 7; Num. xviii. 20, 21; Deut. x. 9: xii. 12; xiv. 27-29; xviii. 1, 2.

13. Psalm xvi. 5, 6; lxviii. 26; cxix. 57; cxlvii. 5; Jer. x. 16; Lam. iii. 24.

14. Deut. xxxii. 9.

15. 1 Peter i. 3, 4; Eph. i. 13, 14.

watch their growth and habits, and to feel one's way into their beauty. Don't you think, Miss Bertram, that one learns something of God through His flowers?"

"I don't feel any doubt about the possibility," she said.

"A thunder-storm-a mountain-an ocean-may speak more plainly as to His power. But in flowers one seems to see such a love of beauty for beauty's sake-such a kingly profusion in the way they are flung broadcast over the earth."

"Beauty for beauty's sake is apt to fall into the shade, these utilitarian days," said Muriel. "But I think power is as much shown in perfection of finish, as in display of strength. Look at the exquisite veining that runs through this petal." She held up the flower towards the light, forgetting to be cold as she grew interested. "And the colouring and consistency-so rich and so frail."

"Even Solomon-in all his glory'" said Ernest. "Yes, we are very proud of our poor imitations of nature, but after all, our finest finish is rough child's play compared with God's finish."

"I feel inclined to throw aside flower-painting for ever while I am looking at this," said Muriel, studying the flower still. "Copy it! Why, we are hardly fit to handle flowers. I can't even press my finger upon this petal without blurring its beauty."

She woke up presently to the fact that she was making herself too pleasant, and tried to talk less, but Ernest proved to be not easily checked. Twice he was called off, and twice came back to her side. Muriel rose then, and said, I am going to find your sister. We hardly know one another yet."

Ernest was charmed at the implied wish for a better acquaintance, and brought the two together with promptitude, lingering also himself, which Muriel did not want. Some one presently called him off. Muriel found it not quite easy to get on with Rachel Wentworth. There was a certain bluntness, even hardness, of manner which chilled her. Systematic thawing was her only resource. She set quietly to work to make herself liked, by getting below the surface of the other's nature, and in the course of twenty minutes the two were in earnest conversation. Rachel was fascinated; for Muriel possessed power of fascination when she chose to exert it. She took her visitor into the conservatory to look at some flowers, and while there broke in abruptly upon Muriel's enjoyment of a magnificent fern with the remark,

"I am glad Ernest called me. I shall feel that I know you a little better now."

"And I you," said Muriel, raising her eyes to Rachel's plain and honest face.

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Don't you always feel as if we were interlopers in your old home?"

"O no-how could I? My mother and I are always thankful that the dear place fell into such hands."

"Thank you. But, indeed, I thought Ernest hardly kind to ask you here. All must seem so changed."

"One cannot get through this life without some uprootings."

'No,--still they are painful," remarked Rachel. "More so than one always likes to acknowledge," said Muriel rather sadly. Then, determined not to

lose this opportunity of saying what she had in her mind, she added, "You made acquaintance with an old friend of ours the other day-Mr. Maxwell." "Your tutor?" said Rachel.

"And friend."

"A tutor of long standing grows into a friend. Your brother's tutor, was he not ?"

"Mine too, virtually. I learnt more from him than from anybody else."

"I should think him a clever man."

"I never knew any one more thoroughly intellectual," said Muriel, her colour brightening. “He is a contrast to ordinary men."

"Ernest liked him extremely. I thought him perhaps a little singular, but he and Ernest seemei exactly to suit."

"He is very good too," said Muriel slowly. "I don't mean a mere ordinary 'good' man, which often implies no more than 'kind-hearted.' I never saw any one so spend his life in God's service, so liv in God's presence. I think he would be willing bear any trouble, if he felt it were God's will." Rachel began to understand. "I suppose he pail you a long visit lately," she said.

66

No," replied Muriel.

Do you

'No, I don't mind. I was a child then of course, but he was always the best friend I had. He found out what he felt more than twelve years ago." "And you- -?"

"I did not let myself know it till he came this time, but it has been so for years. It can never be different, and I do not want it to be. I only want to be kept from fighting after my own way."

Rachel took Muriel's hand between both hers, and pressed it.

"My dear," she said, "I quite understand. Your confidence is safe with us, and I understand your reason for telling me. I think it kind-right

od of you." In a low voice she could not help urmuring, "Poor Ernest." "There is certainly a storm brewing," said ariel. "What a bank of black clouds !-and d you hear how the wind moaned just now?" The subject was dropped, and not resumed. luriel had said all that was needful. The attenon of people in general began to be fixed on the eather. It had been a heavy still July-like day, nwonted at this season. Presently a distant rumble f thunder was followed by a tempestuous rush of ind, startling in its suddenness. Lights were in he rooms, and croquet players had been driven doors long before by the increasing dusk, but rough the unblinded windows the trees could be een bowing before the gale, tossing their tall heads, thile their branches swayed and strained fiercely, s if struggling to be free. The first gust lessened, nly to be followed by another. Ernest went into he conservatory and shut an open pane of glass. We are going to have a storm," he said, coming ack. "It is a good thing we do not break up for n hour more."

Mrs. Bertram looked nervous, and Muriel was omewhat afraid for her of further excitement after he morning's agitating discovery. Rumble after umble sounded, and one or two young ladies ndulged in faint shrieks, half laughing, half erious, at some slight flashes. The gale increased, ill it was difficult to distinguish the muttering hunder from the roar of the wind. " Singular at this ime of year; one does not look for thunder close pon November," one gentleman said, and another dded, "Too severe to last long." Then there was à vivid flash, looking weird in the dark garden, and verpowering the yellower light of the chandeliers. Mrs. Bertram never screamed, but she was in a visible tremor.

"We shall have to turn our house into a hotel For the night, if this continues," Ernest remarked milingly to Muriel. "Your carriage would be in langer of an overturn." "Do you think so? I fancy I have driven in as I fancy I have driven in as trong a wind.”

He looked doubtful, and when she went nearer he window to make a fresh inspection she felt he same. The branch of a tree came down with crash upon the pathway as she looked. "There vill be an immense amount of damage done if his lasts through the night," Mr. Fielding said beside her. "Stormy wind, fulfilling His word,' Miss Bertram."

"Oh-see!" Muriel exclaimed, as a silver stream ushed almost from the horizon to the zenith. What a flash."

371

the Father were a physician, and had to put his child to pain?"

"One can imagine such a case," said Muriel, She moved involuntarily back at another flash. "Don't think me more courageous than I am. I have an intense delight in beauty, and the grandeur of a storm fascinates me. But to be struck by lightning would be very terrible,-if it were to cause a lifetime of suffering or blindness after. I should not think it right to put myself needlessly in danger."

"I wonder if that is the glittering spear' spoken of in Habakkuk," said Ernest, as a blue-forked radiance flashed to and fro on the black cloudsurface.

"Well," said Mr. Fielding musingly; "if the stormy wind fulfils His word,' it ceases at His word also. He commandeth even the winds and waters, and they obey Him.'" "That thought gives one such a feeling of safety," said Muriel. Then she moved nearer her mother, anxious to find how she was without showing any troublesome amount of solicitude.

Conversation different in kind was going on here. Mrs. Bertram, pale and fatigued, with a flush on either cheek, was enduring the chit-chat of a young lawyer, by name Mr. Garnet, who, being at his home in Bushby for a few weeks, had been persuaded to bring his microscope as a contribution to the entertainment. He was a recent acquaintance of the Bertrams, good-natured but rather shallow. Pulling at his moustache, and shifting perpetually from one foot to the other, he endeavoured to make himself agreeable to the former lady of Claverton Manor.

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By-the-bye, Mrs. Bertram," exclaimed the hearty voice of Dr. Peters," what is this about your newlyarrived niece? Mr. Garnet is full of the subject. He describes her as a perfect sylph, a gazelle, and I know not what besides. Just come from India, I hear. You have seen her, Garnet."

"I-a-had that pleasure. She was pointed out to me," hesitated the young man, his fair reddish skin blushing scarlet. "I-a-thought her lovely,

66

did, positively. Magnificent eyes-in fact-pardon me-very much Miss Bertram's style." He spoke to Mrs. Bertram, not seeing Muriel near. Could detect the relationship at a glance. Just off board ship, I suppose. Pity poor folks-on first arrival, costume always in an unenviable condition."

Mr.

"Is she staying with you, Mrs. Bertram ?" asked Dr. Peters of the stunned lady. "You must bring the little paragon to us for a visit some day. Garnet has been raving to my wife for half an hour, and declares that all Bushby is ringing with admiration of the young lady. I do not know how many of his acquaintance all Bushby' may imply. By-the-bye, I did not know you had a sister still in India. Has she returned too?"

"Muriel, my dear, you will be quite jealous of such a lovely young rival," said Mrs. Fielding. "Is it true that she has never left India till now? That is surely very unusual. The climate is generally found so dangerous for all English children after a certain age. You had to come home."

Muriel hardly heard the words, she was so painfully occupied in watching her mother. Mrs. Bertram poured a little scent on her lace pocket-handkerchief, and looked up carelessly at the two gentlemen, enquiring, "Where can you possibly have heard such an absurd report?"

"Then it is not true?" "I have no sister. No visitors are staying with us. I have seen no particularly pretty girls lately. Bushby is famous for reports."

"Very odd," said the young man. "I was informed as a matter of certainty that she was another Miss Bertram. Curious instance of the misleading power of imagination. I positively believed I detected a likeness. Really, gossip is allowed to go too far." "There has been a woman of that name in the place lately, no relation," said Mrs. Bertram. "That is no doubt how the report has arisen. A person better avoided."

Mrs. Bertram's scent-bottle rolled to the floor, as these words dropped slowly from her lips. Muriel, under pain and constraint, dreading anything further, really believed her mother hardly knew what she was saying. Dr. Peters looked attentively at Mrs. Bertram, noting something unusual about her. She received the scent-bottle from Mr. Garnet, and rose. 66 Thanks," she said. "How oppressive

the air of this room is."

"We could endure an open window," muttered the young lawyer.

"I shall try the effect of a change to the conservatory. I have not been there-since-it was

ours

The hesitation of speech might have passed for a painful recollection of those days. Muriel alone saw that collectedness and power to speak were failing. Mrs. Bertram moved with a languidly indifferent step to the conservatory, and entered alone. Others, respecting the fact to which she had just alluded, held aloof.

"My mother is not very prudent. She will be much exposed to the storm there," Muriel said aloud, and, disregarding a remark of Mrs. Fielding-"I wonder who the pretty young stranger really is, then "-she too went inside the glass door. At the word "Mamma," Mrs. Bertram turned a face of such blank bitter despair as Muriel had never before seen. "Go, for pity's sake go, Muriel. Don't draw more attention."

The breathed utterance went no farther than to

her ears. Muriel drew back a few steps, and forced herself to enter into conversation with an acquaintance. She could see her mother's figure, motionless as a statue, apparently bending over some flowers, but she dared not watch too closely for fear of drawing attention.

As Mrs. Bertram stood there, a redoubled gust of wind rushed shrieking round the house, and at the same moment came a vivid flash, a rattling peal, a heavy crash as of some falling body, and the sound of breaking wood work, with glass dropping in a shower. Shrieks from behind were nothing to She was at the door in an instant, but Ernest Wentworth sprang ahead, and would have

Muriel.

Ernest could keep Muriel from the spot where her mother lay senseless.

"We must be quick. Another tree may be blown down," he said, and with the help of two or thre more gentlemen Mrs. Bertram was carried to the safe shelter of the drawing-room sofa. Muriel had not even exclaimed, though blood was upon t white face, and her own was scarcely less pale. To room had to be rapidly cleared of needless spectator, only Rachel and Mrs. Fielding remaining, besides Muriel and Dr. Peters.

A few minutes of deep anxiety were followed by an assurance from the doctor that the fallen tre had not touched Mrs. Bertram. Her only apparent injuries were superficial cuts and bruises, unim portant though painful. But the swoon lasted long. and remedy after remedy was applied in vain. Dr. Peters began to look seriously uneasy. Rachel said to him in a low voice, "Can it have been the lightning?"

I hope not. I trust not. Has your mother ever fainted like this before?"

"Never, till to-day." She hesitated, and then made up her mind that, say what Mrs. Bertram might, the fact ought not to be hidden. “This morning, Dr. Peters.'

He seemed greatly surprised, and inquired particulars.

"She has not been well, and I did my best to keep her from coming to-night. She has complained of an uncomfortable feeling in her head, and this afternoon she was faint a second time. I fancied a little while ago that she hardly knew what she was saying."

"Her manner struck me as singular." "The fall of the tree may have startled her, and brought it on again," said Mrs. Fielding.

Dr. Peters looked thoughtful. "The head a little lower," he said. "So-and the salts-thank you. You do not know any distinct cause for the morning's attack, Miss Bertram ?"

"Yes. She was worried-alarmed"In what way?"

"I cannot give you particulars. She heard some news unexpectedly, which came as a shock. I think she has suffered from it ever since. She was a long time insensible."

Dr. Peters asked no more questions. At last she roused her to a half sort of consciousness. She came partly to, and sank off again, more than once, before sufficiently recovered to mutter: "Home! are we home?"

"We are at the Manor, mamma," said Muriel, bending nearer. “Are you a little better now?" "O I don't know. I feel very ill. What has happened?"

You were startled. A tree fell in the conservatory," said Muriel, desirous to turn her mind from the real trouble, while the others thought her imprudent to say so much.

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"Tree!" She shut her eyes. 'Muriel, my head has that strange feeling. I must go home. Who are all these people?"

"Don't heed her. She is wandering," Dr. Peters whispered.

"I must go home," was however repeated again and again, and when it received no answer she opened her eyes wide, and stared at each in turn. "Muriel-I must-Muriel, I must go home," she