She knew that he
must be passing through a terrible trial and temptation, but she could do
nothing for him; her voice could not reach him, nor her eye tell him by a
silent look how deeply she felt for him. Yet Miss Anne knew who it is
that possesseth 'the shields of the earth,' and in her earnest
thanksgiving to God for Martha and Bess Thompson, she prayed fervently
that the boy might be shielded and sheltered in his great sorrow, and
that when he was tried he might come forth as gold.
All the day long, Stephen, instead of going to his work in the pit, had
been rambling, without aim or purpose, over the dreary uplands; here and
there stretching himself upon the wiry heath, where the sun had dried
away the snow, and hiding his face from the light, while he gave way to
an anguish of grief, and broke the deep silence with a loud and very
bitter cry. It was death, sudden death, he was lamenting. Only yesterday
morning little Nan was clinging strongly to his neck, and covering his
face with merry kisses; and every now and then he felt as if he was only
dreaming, and he started down towards home, as though he could not
believe that those tender arms were stiffened and that rosy mouth still
in death.
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