Lucy again obeyed; but her brother spoke not a word of thanks when she came back, breathless with running. This rudeness did not escape Rosa, although she hoped it was only occasioned by her brother's anxiety to oblige her, and was not his usual manner.
The obstinate nails at last came out, and all the party sat down on the floor, and began taking out the books. Harty looked at the titles one after the other, and threw them aside with disappointment; at length he said, impatiently, "Are they all as sober as sermons? I should think you were going to be a parson, Rosa."
"Not exactly!" said she, with a merry laugh, "but you must not be surprised if I preach a little sometimes. Then you don't like my books; I am sorry for that, but I hope we shall have a great deal of pleasure in reading them together, by-and-by."
"Not I," answered Harty; "I like stories about shipwrecks and great soldiers, and strange and wonderful things."
"Then here is a book which ought to please you," said Rosa, laying her hands on the beautiful Bible which had been Mr. Gillette's parting gift. "Do you not love to read it?"
Harty hung his head, and answered, "There are no nice stories in the Bible."
"No nice stories in the Bible!" said Rosa. She turned the leaves rapidly, and began to read the story of Gideon. At first, Harty looked very indifferent; but she read in a clear voice, and animated manner, and by degrees he dropped the books which lay on his lap, and leaned his head on his hands, in rapt attention. When she came to the attack on the camp of the Midianites, he was ready to join the shout, "The sword of the Lord and of Gideon!"
"Where is it? where is it?" asked Harty, when Rosa had finished, "I want to look at it myself."
She pointed to the place, and promised to find him many more interesting stories, that they could read together.
Lucy meanwhile had crept close to Rosa's side, and laid her hand upon her lap. "And there is something to interest you, too, Lucy," said Rosa: "here is the Prodigal Son, let me read it to you."