130 THE COUSINS.

“Do men see the heart, or do they only see the
outward action?”

“They only see the outward action.”

“Then is it not clear to you that a vain person
will think more of appearing good than of being
so—of hiding his wrong feelings from man than
of making them right with God; and, is not this
the way to become insincere ?””

‘Yes, papa; and now I see why I was more
ready to tell you a story than tc let you know
the wrong things I had done; this was my
vanity too. Oh, papa, I hope God will never let
me be vain again!’

“Ts that so strong a desire, Lucy, that you
would be willing God should do whatever he saw
was necessary to guard you from this terrible evil?”

“T think so, papa.”

‘Suppose our heavenly Father should see that
vanity is so bound up in your heart, that to root
it out will be a very difficult work for you, if you
go out at once among your young companions,
and that, to make it easier for you, he should
keep you yet longer down on a sick bed, could
you be resigned to this?”