Both Miss Anne and Stephen felt a crowd of thoughts, sorrowful and happy, come thronging to their minds.
'Stephen,' said Miss Anne solemnly, 'our Lord says, "When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do."' 'Yes, Miss Anne,' said Stephen, looking up inquiringly into his teacher's face.
'My dear boy,' she continued, 'are you taking care to say to yourself, "I am an unprofitable servant" ?' 'I have not done all those things which are commanded me,' he said simply and earnestly; 'I've done nothing of myself yet.

It's you that have taught me, Miss Anne; and God has helped me to learn.

I'm afeared partly of going away to Netley; but if you're not there to keep me right, God is everywhere.' 'Stephen,' Miss Anne said, 'you have forgiven all your enemies: Tim, who is now your friend, and the gamekeeper, Black Thompson, and my poor uncle; when you are saying the Lord's Prayer, do you feel as if you should be satisfied for our Father to forgive you your trespasses in the same measure and in the same manner as you have forgiven their trespasses against you ?' 'Oh no!' cried Stephen, in a tone of some alarm.
'Tell me why not.' 'It was a rather hard thing for me,' he said; 'it was very hard at first, and I had to be persuaded to it; and every now and then I felt as if I'd take the forgiveness back.

I shouldn't like to feel as if our Father found it a hard thing, or repented of it afterwards.' 'No,' answered Miss Anne.

'He is a God "ready to pardon;" and when He has bestowed forgiveness, His "gifts and calling are without repentance." But there is something more, Stephen.