He did not hear the quiet entrance of the pair, and they were struck with the sort of ghostly echo which seems to haunt half-furnished and uninhabited houses.

The verses he was reading were the following: Why art thou so vexed, O my soul: and why art thou so disquieted within me?
O put thy trust in God: for I will yet thank him, which is the help of my countenance, and my God.
And when he had finished he shut the book, and sighed with the satisfaction of having done his duty.

The words of holy trust, though perhaps they were not fully understood, carried a faithful peace down into the depths of his soul.

As he looked up, he saw the young couple standing on the middle of the floor.

He pushed his iron-rimmed spectacles on to his forehead, and rose to greet the daughter of his old master and ever-honoured mistress.
"God bless thee, lass; God bless thee! My old eyes are glad to see thee again." Ruth sprang forward to shake the horny hand stretched forward in the action of blessing.