do tell me, Cecile--for I am curious, and that I won't go for to deny
--suppose as you hadn't lost that purse, however 'ud a little mite
like you go for to look for Lovedy?"

"Oh, Jane! the purse is lost, and I can never do it now--never until
I can earn it all back again my own self. But I'd have gone to France
--me and Maurice and Toby had it all arranged quite beautiful--we
were going to France this very winter. Lovedy is quite safe to be in
France; and you know, Jane, me and Maurice ain't little English
children. We are just a little French boy and girl; so we'd be sure
to get on well in our own country, Jane."

"Yes, yes, for sure," said Jane, knowing nothing whatever of France,
but much impressed with Cecile's manner; "there ain't no doubt as
you're a very clever little girl, Cecile, and not the least bit
English. I dare say, young as you are, that you would find Lovedy,
and it seems a real pity as it couldn't be."

"I wanted the guide Jesus very much to go with us," said Cecile,
raising her earnest eyes and fixing them on Jane's face. "If
_He_ had come, we'd have been sure to find Lovedy. For me and
Maurice, we are very young to go so far by ourselves. Do you know
anything about that guide, Jane? Mistress Bell said when she was
alive, that He took people into the New Jerusalem and into the
Celestial City. But she never heard of His being a guide to anybody
into France. I think 'tis a great, great pity, don't you?"

Now Jane was a Methodist. But she was more, she was also a Christian.

"My dear lamb," she said, "the blessed Lord Jesus'll guide you into