BY THE AUTHOR OF "WIDE, WIDE WORLD.” IN TWO VOLUMES. 'Nothing before, nothing behind: The steps of Faith Fall on the seeming void, and find The rock beneath." WHITTIER. VOL. II. LONDON: JAMES NISBET AND CO., 21 BERNERS STREET. NOTE TO THE READER. The incidents and testimonies given in this work as matters of fact, are not drawn from imagination, but are reported from excellent authority-though I have used my own words. And in the cases of reported words of third parties, the words stand unchanged, without any meddling. ECA MOTHE •BOD THE AUTHOR. THE OLD HELMET. CHAPTER I. "Let no one ask me how it came to pass; ELEANOR could not stay away from the Wednesday meetings at Mrs. Powlis's house. In vain she had thought she would; she determined she would; when the day came round she found herself drawn with a kind of fascination towards the place. She went; and after that second time never questioned at all about it. She went every week. It was with no relief to her mental troubles however. She was sometimes touched and moved; often. At other times she felt dull and hopeless. Yet it soothed her to go; and she came away generally feeling inspirited with hope by something she had heard, or feeling at least the comfort that she had taken a step in the right direction. It did not seem to bring her much more comfort. Eleanor did not see how she could be a Christian while her heart was so hard and so full of its own will. She found it perverse, even now, when she was wishing so much to be different. What hope for her? It was a great help, that during all this time Mrs. Caxton left her unquestioned and uncounselled. She made no remarks about Eleanor's going to class-meeting; |