"'Fear not, for I am with thee; I will teach thee, I will uphold thee.'
"When de dear Lord teach, His chillen must larn; when Him uphold, dey shall stand. Poor tings, dey wriggles about, and doesn't allays like it, but Him knows dem only worms, and wants pickin' up, and puttin' out ob way ob mischief. So He say, 'Fear not, thou worm.'
"Ah, dear missy, only tink de mighty Son ob God come to save worms from getting trod under foot when debble and hosts come sweepin' by! Dats de right Saviour for poor ole Phœbe—aye, and young pretty missy too. B'lieve dat?" she asked, anxiously, trying to look through the fair young face into the heart behind it.
"Yes, Phœbe," said Evelyn, timidly, "I do believe it; but—"
"But what, dear chile?"
"I've never been tried, Phœbe. There are no troubles at The Moat House; everybody here is kind and good, and I'm afraid of being as you said just now, only a sunshine Christian."
"Is dat it? Bless de Lord. Why, don't missy know dat de Lord's sweet flowers must hab de sunshine to grow in, as well as the clouds? And while He gib sunshine, tank Him, and lub Him dearly, and grow, and spread out nice colours and fragrance. Neber be lookin' for troubles to find out 'bout self, leave dem all to de Lord; and, chile, dey 'll come sometime, 'cause Satan hate happiness eberywhar, and he'll find de way to de Moat House, and 'sturb de peace somehow; but never fear, keep close to the Lord Jesus, and so keep looking at Him, and 'miring Him, dat not care bery much 'bout oder tings; maybe deys bery holler, arter all, but de Lord, Him sure and true and full ob blessing."
"You have known Him well, and loved Him long, Phœbe, haven't you?" asked Evelyn.
"Pretty long spell now, missy, but de Lord Him know and lub poor Phœbe first. He gib her His own word. Good missionary tell, and Phœbe larn; den no more idols, no more priests. Dey talk to Phœbe foolish tings, but she know better and say, 'You go 'long, and neber tink to lead dem dat knows de blessed Gospel; Phœbe lead you now to de foot ob de cross, and you larn with her de salvation ob de true God."
"And did any of them listen to you, Phœbe?"