"No, but I can trust God, and that's better than trusting myself, isn't it?"
"Well said, my boy!" exclaimed a hearty voice close by, and turning hastily the children saw Mr. Bailey, who had crossed the grass and approached them from behind. "Come indoors," he commanded, "and see what has arrived this afternoon during your absence."
He opened the front door, and they followed him into the hall, where Mr. Willis joined them, looking "as smiling as a bundle of chips," as Gerald whispered to his sister, who laughed at the absurd comparison.
"Now, shut your eyes, Angel," Mr. Bailey said, repressed excitement in his voice, "and don't open them till I tell you may. Give me your hand!"
The little girl was astonished, but she closed her eyes obediently, and Mr. Bailey led her into the dining-room. There was a brief silence; a movement at the far end of the room, and then a most discordant crash, evidently a few notes of a piano inadvertently struck, followed by a reproachful exclamation from Mr. Bailey—
"Oh, John, how did you manage to be so clumsy!"
Angel opened her eyes, and saw her father standing by the side of a piano, which he had evidently just opened.
"I am so sorry, Uncle Edward," he said somewhat ruefully, "I was trying to open the piano quietly so that Angel should not hear, and I touched the notes with my elbow. It was indeed clumsy of me."
"Never mind!" Mr. Bailey, returned laughing, as he dropped Angel's hand and with a cry of pleasure she sprang to the piano's side. "But I thought the arrangement was for you to astonish Angel with a flood of melody!—Well, child, what do you think of my latest purchase? I hope it is a good instrument!"
"It looks a beauty," Angel answered, as she examined the pretty cottage piano in its rosewood case, and touched the notes softly.