she could name. If it was forced upon her that the time must come
when her father must leave them, it lay in her thoughts, far-away. She
saw his grave dimly as a place of rest, when the labours of a long life
should be ended; she had no thought of change, or separation, or of the
blank that such a blessed departure must leave. The peace, which had
taken possession of his mind had its influence on hers, and she "feared
no evil."

Afterwards, when the thought of this time and of these words came back
she chid herself with impatience, and a strange wonder, that she should
not have seen and understood all that was in his thought--forgetting in
her first agony how much better was the blessed repose of these moments,
than the knowledge of her coming sorrow could have made them.

They all passed the rides and visits and the happy talks together. The
preparations for the journey were all made. The good-byes were said to
all except to Mrs Snow and Emily. The last night was come, and Graeme
went round just as she always did, to close the doors and windows before
she went to bed. She was tired, but not too tired to linger a little
while at the window, looking out upon the scene, now so familiar and so
dear. The shadows of the elms lay dark on the town, but the moonlight
gleamed bright on the pond, and on the white houses of the village, and
on the white stones in the grave-yard, grown precious to them all as
Menie's resting-place. How peaceful it looked! Graeme thought of her
sister's last days, and joyful hope, and wondered which of them all
should first be called to lie down by Menie's side. She thought of the
grave far-away on the other side of the sea, where they had laid her
mother with her baby on her breast; but her thoughts were not all
sorrowful. She thought of the many happy days that had come to them
since the time that earth had been left dark and desolate by their
mother's death, and realised for the moment how true it was, as her
father had said to her, that God suffers no sorrow to fall on those who
wait on Him, for which He does not also provide a balm.

"I will trust and not be afraid," she murmured.

She thought of her brothers and of the happy meeting that lay before
them, but beyond their pleasant holiday she did not try to look; but
mused on till her musings lost themselves in slumber, and changed to
dreams.

At least, she always thought she must have fallen asleep, and that it
was the sudden