André M'Ivor was, in truth, a son whom any parents might have been thankful to possess—thoughtful and firm, clever and steady, actuated by the love of God, and desirous of living to his glory; yet even on religious subjects reserved and reticent, seldom expressing his feelings except to his sister Gabrielle, but by his earnest Christian life bearing a noble testimony to his Master. He, too, realized that God had given to every man his work, and expected him to do it. And he also sought to do what in him lay to hasten on the coming of God's kingdom.
And thus it happened that when the summer holidays were over, and the October sun shone on stubble fields and played on the heads of groups of young and old engaged in many an orchard gathering the rosy-checked apples to store up for winter use, and schools were reopened and studies resumed, the M'Ivors found themselves comfortably settled in a pretty suburban cottage in the town of Hereford, ready to begin with grateful hearts the work which God had given them to do.
[CHAPTER V.]
HELPING ON THE KINGDOM.
"Jesus, Master, whom I serve,
Though so feebly and so ill,
Strengthen hand and heart and nerve
All thy bidding to fulfil;
Open thou mine eyes to see
All the work thou hast for me."
ON just such an October morning as we have spoken of in our last chapter, Austin Warner stood lost in thought. School-boy though he was, and one of the most eager of them at all boyish games, yet there were times when grave thoughts and even anxieties pressed on his heart. All was not going well in his home life, and he knew it. Since his mother's death, everything had become changed; and the question he was asking himself that morning was, how far he could hinder the growing evil.
He had just prayed the Lord's Prayer, and the petition, "Thy kingdom come," was ringing in his ears. Was it not, he was asking himself, a solemn mockery to repeat those words day by day, and yet do nothing to help on that kingdom, or at least to try to prevent the increase of Satan's one?
True, he was young, and could not do much; but was he doing what he could? Lewis, his loved brother, his constant playmate and companion, was, he feared, going far astray from the kingdom of God, and he knew not how to stop him. Nay, he was afraid he had most unwillingly helped him on his downward path; for often lately, rather than let his brother fall under his father's displeasure, he had written his exercises for him, and more than once worked out his mathematical problems also, for Lewis had got into the way of remaining out in the evenings and spending them with idle companions, saying:
"It was so dull at home now he could not stand it. Priscilla, not he, was to blame if he went wrong. A fellow must have amusement somewhere."
Thinking on these things, Austin resolved to delay no longer, but speak to his brother, and beg him to begin the session in a new spirit. Rousing himself from his reverie, he ran downstairs to the breakfast-room, where he found Priscilla alone, Lewis not having as yet appeared.