But when the great trial of which I have spoken fell upon the family, old associations were brought to mind, and new thoughts and feelings sprang up; so that the almost forgotten Bibles (each member of the family had his or her own pocket Bible in England, as a matter of course, and these Bibles were among the books which were taken out to Australia) were brought out from their long repose. This is not the place to tell at large (even if it could be known) how the gracious influences of the Divine Word smoothed the passage to the grave of those who were taken away, or sanctified and softened the grief of those who were left behind. It is enough to say that on the mind of Helen Sedley, at least, a striking change took place, so that from being first of all shocked to think of her own past carelessness and ignorance, she came to the conclusion that the great object of her life should thenceforth be, resting on Divine help, the care of her own soul and that of others.
From this time, she had sought diligently to use the opportunities she had; and, as far as lay in her power, she became not only a learner, but a teacher of Christianity. Showing piety at home, she could recommend it to the few with whom she came into daily contact. With her father's consent, she made a not unsuccessful attempt to initiate what may be called a "Lord's Day Observance Society" on Sedley Station; and she prevailed on the rough human materials around her to yield to the magic influence of her earnest desire to do them good.
We have seen how, in a conversation with the broken-spirited Styles, she had reminded him of the great Burden-bearer of the sorrowful and distressed; and that these were not words of course, and without meaning to her, he quite well knew. So far, indeed, had her influence extended over this unhappy man, that a kind of chivalrous spirit of devotion to her service had sprung up in his soul, in consequence of which he had not only endured with patience the peculiar hardships of his lot, but had sought and obtained the privilege of being her body-guard, as we have seen, in her periodical excursions to the out-station.
If any of our lady readers think the character I have here briefly sketched of Helen Sedley inconsistent with her not only carrying a pocket-pistol, but of putting it to use, I beg to say that, placed in similar circumstances, the fair impugner, if of sufficient pluck, would probably have been disposed to carry a brace of pistols; and that, in shooting her assailant's knee-cap, instead of sending a bullet through his head, Helen displayed not only admirable presence of mind and sound judgment, but also exercised much Christian charity.
This slight sketch of Helen Sedley, which, if the reader pleases, may be called a parenthesis within a parenthesis, is not only, as the present writer is fain to believe, sufficiently interesting in itself, but it is needful to our story. At any rate, it will make plain why poor Styles (to go back to him) desired in moving terms to see his young mistress, and why Helen, as soon as she knew of this request, passed over the compound to the hut where he lay dying.
It was a wretched sort of habitation for one who, in earlier life, had known not only the comforts but the luxuries of comparative affluence; but it had been reckoned good enough for a convict on ticket-of-leave. Moreover, small and scantily furnished as it was, Styles had shared it with two others whose lower origin and coarser natures, or habits, had added to his consciousness of degradation. But all this was passing away now; and something like a smile of triumph flickered on his pale countenance as the young mistress entered the apartment, or loft, and, seating herself by the couch, placed one of her hands in the pair of his which were outstretched to receive it.
"I would have come sooner, Styles, if I had known you were so bad," she said, gently. "But I only heard just now the doctor's report. They kept it from me till only a few minutes ago. You do not know how sorry I am to feel that we must lose you."
"It is best so, Miss Helen. I told you a while ago that there was not much in life to make me loth to leave it. I would say the same now, only that my poor services to you are over. And it is worth something to think about as long as I lie here, that it was in trying to protect you, I got my hurt. But this is not what I have mostly to say. I want to thank you for all you have done, and for having turned me back from thoughts of hate and vengeance to different and better feelings and wishes."
"I have brought my Bible with me, Styles; would you like me to read a little to you?" Helen whispered falteringly.
"Please do."