Trial By Fire. They made up their minds to spend the remainder of the holiday at the rectory and at Christmas-time their good angel brought to light in the case of Miss Annie, a young lady who was in want of employment, and who accepted service as housemaid in the rectory house. She was a tall, dark, well-looking woman. One Sunday afternoon as they sat together in the rectory garden she said that after Christmas she must leave the rectory, because a man who had been an overseer in her father’s country in South America was coming to England and he would take her home with him. “Oh,” said Annie, “do you really think so? Perhaps he will take me home to South America.” “But if he does,” said Harry, “will he be at all like a man who went to South America?” “He will,” said Annie. “He will. He is called Juan Diaz and he was very kind and good to my father and mother when they were in South America.” “Well, what does he look like?” said Harry. “Is he a dark man or a white man?” “He is a black man, a , like you,” said Annie. Harry and Annie made many inquiries in the villages round about. They could find no trace of Juan Diaz. “If I was Annie,” said Harry, “I should go home to South America. I should go straight away to St. Sebastian. I could ask if they had any news of Juan Diaz there, and they would be sure to know. I am sorry I spoke about him. I should not care for you to marry him, not me. But why should you go to South America, Annie? There is a new master in the Manor, and he will be sure to give you a good place.” “Perhaps I will wait and see him first,” said Annie. “You are sure you don’t mind?” said Harry. “Juan Diaz is quite certain to be there.” “Well, perhaps I will,” said Annie. The wedding took place. It was a small wedding, there being only acquaintances present. Everybody behaved well on the day. There were no unwelcome visitors. A few months later Annie wrote to say that her father had died and that she was coming home to England. She took the most direct route. She went on board a ship in the port of Southampton and she sailed away to the Antilles and then home. She arrived in St. Sebastian. Her eyes brightened at the sight of a young man sitting by himself under a palm tree. She went to him. “Did you really marry Juan Diaz, and did he really leave you at St. Sebastian?” he said. “Yes,” she said. “Oh, yes, I did. Are you Juan Diaz?” “Yes, I am Juan Diaz,” said the young man. They both got up from the ground and they stood and looked at each other. The girl was tall and dark like the young man. But the girl was taller. Her figure was tall and straight, not slight like his figure, and she stood in proud and graceful poise. Her arms were well rounded and of fine strength. Her face was clear cut as a cameo. It was of a ruddy brown. The shape of her eyes, the colour of her hair, the general shape of her features, were all good. She wore a white dress with lace about her neck. She carried herself with dignity and a sense of her personal worth. She smiled very sweetly. Her lips were very red. Her teeth, her mouth, her chin, all were good. Her dark eyes were bright, as full of soul as a bird’s. It was not a dark girl who stood and looked at Juan Diaz. Juan Diaz had said to himself, “I shall never get that white woman,” but as he looked at Annie he saw that she was the same woman. “I am your father, Juan Diaz,” said Annie. “You are Juan Diaz,” said Juan Diaz. He kissed the girl before he thought. Then he said to himself, “What right has this man to me? How did he come here on such a day? What is it all about? But we are the same people,” he said to himself. He thought he would try her. “Where is my mother?” he said. “I thought my mother would be dead by now.” “I came from South America,” said Annie. “I am your mother, Juan Diaz.” “You are my mother,” said Juan Diaz. “Come with me, Annie. I will see that you are well and happy.” “How did you come here?” said Annie. “It was by chance,” said Juan Diaz. “I came here first because I was thirsty, and then I saw the white woman standing there in the field.” “Let us go to her, Juan Diaz,” said Annie. “My good woman,” said Juan Diaz, “I will not do that. I don’t want to go to your place.” “Oh, it is nothing to me,” said Annie. “I am the same as you. But if you want to go to her, Juan Diaz, you may go there.” “Yes, Annie,” said Juan Diaz. He laughed as he went on. “I have had to pay money for my passage, and I am very poor. I am sure that the woman will not want to do anything to me. She was very angry. I am sure she will not be able to do anything to me, for she was very angry. I hope it was not about me. She is a kind woman.” “Oh, she is a good woman,” said Annie. “She has a good nature. I have talked with her many times in the little house. It is all right. I don’t think she will be angry. She is quite contented now. She is happy here.” “I thought she would be glad, since I was coming to her from South America,” said Juan Diaz. “Did she give you some money, Annie?” “Oh, no, she gave me a place to live in,” said Annie. “She thought you were too dark to live in the village. I am not sure what you look like. I could not tell you from the others.” “How did she know I was coming?” said Juan Diaz. “Well, it was very like you, Juan Diaz, to come to me,” said Annie. “I should think you are the same man.” “Yes, that’s it, the same man,” said Juan Diaz. He laughed. “Oh, it is all right now. I was afraid you were going to be angry with me. It is all right, Annie, but tell me about it.” “You need not go far from the village,” said Annie. “They would all know you in time. It is very near to the church there. You may go there, Juan Diaz, and nobody will mind you.” “What do you think of him, Annie?” said Mrs. Trevellyan to Annie. “Oh, Annie likes him very much. She has never known a young man before. People are very kind to her.” “Where is your wedding ring, Annie?” “The silver one? Oh, I have put it away.” “Take it out, Annie. Look at the man. Take his hand and see that he wears no wedding ring, poor fellow.” Annie took Juan Diaz by the hand. “There is no wedding ring,” she said. “There is no wedding ring there.” “Do you really think he is your son, Mrs. Trevellyan?” said the young minister. “I am sure he must be Juan Diaz’s son. He is not dark-skinned like the s, and he has the look of the Trevellyan family.” “He is a man who must be like Juan Diaz, a man who has seen the light,” said Mrs. Trevellyan. “But the mother, Annie? Is she there?” said the young minister. “Oh, yes,” said Annie. “She is well enough. My friends give her a home. She is happy now. That is what she wants, a home where she can get bread and meat. I made that plan for her.” “Does she want you to go away?” said Mrs. Trevellyan. “She does not care much about me now,” said Annie. “Oh, I don’t think she will care about me. She wants Juan Diaz, and that is my father. I thought he would come home.” “I know what I will do,” said the young minister. “I will go to the port and see Juan Diaz.” Annie ran to her house. Her friends were glad