She was going toward the quarter, and he presently saw her enter a cabin where, he had been told, a poor old colored woman was lying ill, perhaps on her death-bed.
Very quietly he drew near the door of the hut, and seating himself on a low bench on the outside, found that he could both see and hear all that was going on without himself being perceived, as Elsie had her back to the door, and poor old Dinah was blind.
"I have come to read to you again, Aunt Dinah," said the little girl, in her sweet, gentle tones.
"Tank you, my young missus; you is bery kind," replied the old woman feebly.
Elsie had already opened her little Bible, and in the same sweet, gentle voice in which she had spoken, she now read aloud the third chapter of St.John's gospel.
When she had finished reading the sixteenth verse--"God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life,"-- she paused and exclaimed, "Oh! Aunt Dinah, is not that beautiful?
Does it not make you glad?
You see it does not say whosoever is good and holy, or whosoever has not sinned, but it is whosoever believes in Jesus, the only begotten Son of God.

If it was only the good, Aunt Dinah, you and I could never hope to be saved, because we are both great sinners." "Not you, Miss Elsie! not you, darlin'," interrupted the old woman; "ole Dinah's a great sinner, she knows dat well nuff--but you, darlin', you never did nuffin bad." "Yes, Dinah," said the little voice in saddened tones, "I have a very wicked heart, and have been a sinner all my life; but I know that Jesus died to save sinners, and that whosoever believes in him shall have eternal life, and I do believe, and I want you to believe, and then you, too, will be saved." "Did de good Lord Jesus die for poor ole Dinah, Miss Elsie ?" she asked eagerly.
"Yes, Aunt Dinah, if you will believe in him; it says for _whosoever believeth_." "Ole Dinah dunno how to believe, chile; can't do it nohow." "You must ask God to teach you, Dinah," replied the little girl earnestly, "for the Bible says 'faith'-- that means believing--'is the gift of God.'" "You don't mean _dat_, Miss Elsie! You don't mean dat God will save poor ole Dinah, an' gib her hebben, an' all for nuffin ?" she inquired, raising herself on her elbow in her eagerness.
"Yes, Dinah; God says without money and without price; can't you believe him?
Suppose I should come and put a hundred dollars in your hand, saying, 'Here, Aunt Dinah, I _give_ you this; you are old, and sick, and poor, and I know you can do nothing to earn it, but it is a _free_ gift, just _take_ it and it is yours;' wouldn't you believe me, and take it ?" "_'Deed_ I would, Miss Elsie, kase you nebber tole nuffin but de truff." "Well, then, can't you believe God when he says that he will save you?
Can't you believe Jesus when he says, 'I _give_ unto them eternal life' ?" "Yes, yes, Miss Elsie! I do b'lieve; read de blessed words again, darlin'." Elsie read the verse again, and then finished the Chapter.

Then closing the book, she asked softly, "Shall we pray, now, Aunt Dinah ?" Dinah gave an eager assent; and Elsie, kneeling down by the bedside, prayed in simple, childlike words that Jesus would reveal himself to poor old Dinah, as _her_ Saviour; that the Holy Spirit would be her sanctifier and comforter, working faith in her, and thereby uniting her to Christ; that God would adopt her into his family, and be her God and portion forever; and that Jesus would be her shepherd, so that she need fear no evil, even though called to pass through the dark valley of the shadow of death.
"Amen!" was Dinah's fervent response to each of the petitions.
"De good Lord bless you, darlin'," she said, taking Elsie's little white hand in hers, and pressing it to her lips; "de good Lord bless an' keep you, an' nebber let trouble come near you.

You knows nuffin 'bout trouble now, for you's young, an' handsome, an' rich, an' good; an' Massa Horace, he doats on you; no, _you_ knows nuffin 'bout trouble, but ole Dinah does, kase she's ole, an' sick, an' full ob aches and pains." "Yes, Aunt Dinah, and I am very sorry for you; but remember, if you believe in Jesus, you will soon go to heaven, where you will never be sick or in pain any more.

But, Dinah,"-- and the little voice grew very mournful--"we cannot always know when others are in trouble; and I want you to pray for me that I may always have strength to do right." "I will, darlin', 'deed I will," said Dinah earnestly, kissing the little hand again ere she released it.
As Elsie ceased speaking, Mr.Grier slipped quietly away, and continued his walk.