_GOOD NEWS._
AS Ruth entered her home, she felt as if it was all very forlorn and
desolate.
Her father gone; Mary's brother displeased and disappointed; the
household cares on her shoulders more than she knew how to manage and
cope with! All things seemed against her.
She went upstairs to take off her hat, and sat down by the window and
buried her face in her hands. It was silly to cry, she thought, and yet
she felt utterly spent and forlorn.
A soft step on the carpet startled her, and almost before she could
raise her head, two tender little arms were flung round her neck, and
kisses and tears touched her cheek, as Norman mutely asked her what was
the matter.
She took him on her lap, and told him "It was nothing; she was only
tired, and rather lonely."
And the child gazed wistfully in her face, and once or twice his lips
moved as if he would speak to her.
For a moment, Ruth's heart stood still, and then her tears fell faster
than ever, as she pressed him to her, and murmured that "she would be
better directly, and he must not mind; she was sorry he had seen her
cry!"
The child stroked her face and smoothed her hair for a little while,
and when he saw that she seemed quieter, he slipped off her lap and
went to her little table. On it lay the Bible from which she had been
reading to him that morning. It lay open at the place, as Norman saw,
of the picture of Christ stilling the storm which she had shown him
there.
He seemed searching for something, and Ruth had time to dry her eyes
and try to collect her thoughts as to the next thing that she had to do.
At that moment, Norman came back to her side, laid the book on her
knees, and pointed with his finger to one of her marked verses, and her
eyes fell upon the words:
"'Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.'"
"Oh, Norman!" she exclaimed. "Have you turned my little comforter?"
"Yes," he said softly.
She heard the word distinctly, and though she gave a start of joy, she
only clasped her arms round him gently and lovingly.
"You have done me good, darling," she whispered. "I never thought when
I read you those words about the storm that I should so soon feel as if
I were in a storm, 'toiling in rowing, and the wind contrary.' But if
Jesus comes to us walking on the water, we shall be glad of the storm
afterwards that brought Him so near!"
With another murmured "Yes," and a tight clasp round her neck, Norman
took her hand and led her to the door, for the dinner-bell was ringing,
and the rest would be waiting.
Trembling with gladness and thankfulness, Ruth went down. She would
have given a great deal to speak to Heston, but her fear of doing harm
to Norman made her instantly decide to take no notice whatever of his
recovered speech.
Heston looked at her once or twice as if he could not understand her
face. It was so touching in its tenderness and joy, though he could see
that she had shed many tears. He, however, did his best to enliven the
party, and waited till he should hear the explanation, if explanation
there were.
Mala fetched Norman directly after dinner for his ride in his invalid
carriage, and Judith went with them.
Ruth helped them off, and, as usual, wished her little cousin good-bye
before he started.
She took the opportunity to whisper brightly, "I am all right now,
Norman! Thank you for pointing out those sweet words to me!"
And with a loving look from Norman in return, the little carriage moved
on, Mala being impatient to set out.
"Heston!" said Ruth, as she went back. "Come into the garden; I want to
speak to you."
"Is anything wrong, Cousin Ruth?" he asked quickly.
"No, no! Everything is right. I only got a fit of home-sickness or
something. Heston! Norman came in and found me crying, and tried to
comfort me—and—he spoke! He said two words, quite distinctly!"
"Cousin Ruth!"
"Yes, he did. I know I was not mistaken; but I took no notice. Oh,
Heston, Heston! How shall we thank God?"
"I cannot believe it yet," said Heston, colouring with excitement. "Are
you 'sure?'"
"Perfectly sure. Now, Heston, we must just go on as if nothing had
happened. I shall only tell dear old Morris. The rest must be content
to wait for the happy news till he speaks again. Of course I shall
write to my father by this post."
Heston sat as if lost in amazement. "Cousin Ruth," he exclaimed, at
length, "it is all owing to you!"
"No, no! Ever since Norman came, I have asked God to give the blessing
to our efforts. Heston, it is just that He has guided to the means."
When Norman came home from his ride, he looked very cheerful, but he
appeared not to remember the wonderful events of the morning. The only
difference in his manner was that he kept close to Ruth's side, looking
wistfully in her face, and seeming to ask over and over again whether
all was right with her.
It was not till she was doing her evening "massage" that anything
special happened.
As usual, Ruth was chatting to him, telling him any little bits of news
or of interest she had been able to save up for his benefit, when he
quietly looked up in her face and said gently, "I think my speech has
come back, Cousin Ruth! Will you kneel down and tell the Lord Jesus how
much I thank Him?"
Ruth dropped on her knees by his side, and she clasped her arms round
him, while he, with shining eyes whispered a loving "thank you" after
her few earnest words.
"I wasn't sure," he said presently, as she went on with his massage. "I
could hardly believe it this morning. But when they left me alone with
Dickie-bird, I tried to speak to him, and I found I could! I don't want
them all to come kissing and fussing, Cousin Ruth. Only you tell them,
and say they can tell God how glad they are—because I don't think I can
bear it yet."
His lip trembled.
"I am sure you cannot, dear. Nobody but Heston need know yet, if you
would rather not."
"No—" he said, "that would seem unkind. If Mala might just put me to
bed before she knows, I think I shall be all right. Only it makes me
tremble—in a sort of way—as if it might go away again—"
"But," she said tenderly, "when you tremble, you can say to yourself,
'If God my Father has given me this blessing, He can keep it for me by
His power!'"
"So He can!" said Norman, with a grateful glance. "I forgot that."