Rotha almost smiled at the page which so seemed to smile at her; and took her lesson then and there. Patience. Quiet on-waiting on God. That was her part; the good issues and the good fruit he would take care of. Only patience! Yes, to be anything but patient would shew direct want of faith in him and want of trust in his promise. And then the words in 1 Peter i. 6, 7, gave the blessed outcome of faith that has stood the trial; and finally came the declaration—
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent."
Rotha fell on her knees and prayed earnestly for help to act in accordance with all these words. As she rose from her knees, the thought crossed her, that already she could see some of the good working of her troubles; they were driving her to God and his word; and whatever did that must be a blessing.
She ran down stairs, quite ready now for her breakfast. Entering the kitchen, she stood still in uncertainty. No table set, no cooking going on, the place in perfect order, and Mrs. Purcell picking over beans at the end of the table. The end of the table was filled with a great heap of the beans, and as she looked them over Mrs. Purcell swept them into a tin pan in her lap. She did not pause or look up. Rotha hesitated a moment.
"Good morning!" she said then. "Am I late?"
"I don' know what folks in the City o' Pride calls early. 'Thout knowing that, I couldn't say."
"But is breakfast over?"
"Joe and me, us has had our breakfast two hours ago."
"I did not know it was so late! I had no notion what o'clock it was."
"Joe said, he guessed you was sleepin' over. That's what he said."