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amazement.
    “Yes, right. You have no physical inability. You are perfectly able to conduct the meeting. You help us in everything else. In all our socials and concerts and entertainments you are willing to take prominent parts. Why should you be unwilling, then, to lead the meeting? We all take our turn; why should you not do it too? You surely are not ashamed of your Savior?”
    “No,” said Katharine, with burning cheeks and eyes cast done; “but I’m sure I never could do that. I’m not good enough. Why, I’ve only just begun myself!”
    “We do not any of us feel that we have much goodness, Miss Bowman; and I think you will find that even if you have just started out, this will be a help to you. It was to me. I felt stronger after I had done something like this. It is witnessing for him, you know. And really I think you exaggerate the duties of a leader. It is nothing so very difficult that you have to do. We usually open with singing once or twice, and then prayer and the reading of the Bible. The topic is selected on our cards, you know; and you can say a few words about the verses, or not, as you like. After that there are usually several short players. Why, the meeting will run itself; it only needs a head. But we want you very much to join in with us and help. Can’t you do it for Christ’s sake? He has done so much for us, you know; it seems a small thing for us to do for him.”
    But it required much more persuasion and argument before Katharine, with almost trembling lips, and eyes that were brimful of tears, murmured a low, “I will try.”
    Her heart trembled many times for the next few days over what she had promised to do, and she wished again and again that she could take back her promise. She spent many hours over her Bible, studying what she should say; but she did not carry out her plan for inviting her brother to attend the meeting. That was more than flesh and blood could stand, she though, to lead a meeting, and have one’s brother there besides.
    Sunday morning came at last, and Katharine compromised with her conscience by asking John to go to church in the morning. He surely ought to do that; and it was not to be expected that it would be possible to get him to go twice in one day. John went to church, and really seemed to listen part of the time. Katharine spent the whole afternoon in her room with her Bible, and much of the time she was upon her knees asking God’s Spirit to help her. She seemed to come nearer to her heavenly Father that afternoon than ever before, and to feel his hand upon her, and to hear his voice saying, “Be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersover thou goest.”
    When the she came downstairs, ready for meeting, there was a more peaceful expression on her face, and her heart felt a little more assured over the new duty which she was going out to perform.
    But her brother John met her in the hall below. “Where are you going, Kathie?” he asked. “To that meeting? Guess I’ll go with you, and see what it’s like.”
    The Katharine of other days might have told him coldly that she did not wish his company, or preferred to go alone or something of that sort; but she did not dare to do so now, after wishing so long that he would go.
    They walked out the door and down the street in silence, the sister’s heart throbbing painfully. How could she lead that meeting with her brother there? All her past inconsistencies and disagreeableness arose before her, and threatened to kill her head in the darkness, and tried to press back the tears that were n the verge of rolling down her cheeks. At last she made a desperate effort at self-control, and said in rapid, trembling voice, “John, perhaps you won’t like it if I don’t tell you beforehand. I’m going to lead that meeting tonight.”
    It was out now; and she shuddered to think how hard it had been, and hoped with her whole heart that John would say that he guessed he