She sat down beside the King in the shade of one of the trees on the edge of a little clearing, from which they could look out as through a frame onto the mountains on the other side of the valley. The sun shone on peaks of dazzlingly white snow which clothed the Higher Places as with bridal garments, and from somewhere just below them a number of voices began to sing:

Goodness is such a lovely thing!

’Tis Love’s own bridal dress

The wedding garment from our King

Is spotless righteousness;

And those who keep “The Royal Law,”

Shine lily white without a flaw.

O, happy, holy ones! each day

Their cup filled to the brim,

Love’s table spread for them, they may

As God’s guests, feast with him.

Their happy faces shine with bliss,

With joy from him and one with his.

Goodness is perfect harmony,

The flawless form of grace!

The golden mirror where we see

Reflections of love’s face.

Goodness is wrong changed and put right,

’Tis darkness swallowed up in light.

When the words of the song ended all the little birds broke out again together in a burst of joyous little chuckles as of happy laughter. As she listened to them, Grace and Glory was so forcibly reminded of the time which she had spent with the King in the Place of Anointing, before she went up to the grave on the mountains and to the Altar of Sacrifice, that she turned and looked up into his face both gratefully and wonderingly, remembering the strange way in which he had led her along a path which had often seemed too bewildering and difficult to be possible.

The King turned his face to her and said, as though in answer to the look of mute wonder on her face:

“Did you think it was a very terrible path, Grace and Glory? Did you think it very strange that after dealing so gently and lovingly with you all the way up to that place, I should lead you by such a strange and bitter path afterwards?”

She said nothing, only laid her hand in his and gave a little nod. “What did you say to yourself when the path led you to the bitter Spring of Marah?”

She answered simply, “I said to myself, ‘It is his love which plans this way for me and I will trust him and follow where he leads.’”

“Yes,” said the King in a glad, strong voice, “it is always safe to trust love’s plans, and every lover of mine can sing with fullest assurance, ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.’”