ong hands and dragged me through an open door,
which quickly closed behind them. It was no sooner shut than Rayel threw
himself against it with terrific force. I could hear the door groan and
shake under the strain. Once--twice, I was struck with cruel force upon
the head--then a loud roaring in my ears drowned everything.

I can remember well the first return of consciousness. It was like the
slow breaking of dawn in the sky. I could hear voices singing:

Hark! hark! my soul! angelic voices swelling O'er earth's green fields
and ocean's wave-beat shore.

I could just distinguish those words. Where was I? Strange thoughts
began trooping through my mind. Then a great wave of emotion swept over
me. I could hear a low moaning sound that came from my own throat.
I could feel the hot tears rolling down my cheeks. A gentle hand was
brushing them away and some one was speaking to me. I was lying on a
soft bed. A sweet-faced woman was bending over me, whom I had never seen
before.

"Where am I?"

"In the hospital," she answered.

"The singing--who is singing?" I asked.

"It is the chapel choir," she answered; "the services are nearly over
now. It is Sunday."

"Is Rayel here?"

"Your friend? yes, he has been with you every day."

"How long?"

"Almost a month."

I tried to ask other questions, but a drowsy feeling overcame me and I
fell asleep.

When I awoke again Rayel was sitting beside me. As I opened my eyes he
leaned over and kissed my hands.

"They thought you were dead once," he said; "but I knew you were not
dead--I knew you were not dead." I lay for a moment trying to collect
my thoughts. My head was in tight bandages and something was binding my
chest.

"Where is Hester?" I asked. Rayel did not answer. He was not there, but
somebody was holding one of my hands. It was a lady kneeling beside me,
her face leaning forward upon the bed. Who could it be? I closed my eyes
and listened to the rustling of withered leaves outside the window,
and the low humming of insects in the autumn sun. These were prophetic
sounds, and they opened the gates of thought and memory. A new life was
coming now. What was it to be? Again I felt myself drifting into sleep.
I tried to keep my eyes open and resist the drowsiness that overcame me,
but in vain. When I awoke Rayel had returned.

"You have slept a long time," said he.

"When I fell asleep a lady was here."

"Yes, it was our 'Woman,'" he replied--"the lady you love