uld see him. Her boy! Her soldier boy! And he must go away from
her, perhaps to die!

But--_he was here to-day_! She would not think of the rest. She would
rejoice now in his presence.

He walked briskly down the street past the houses that had been familiar
all his life, meeting people who had never been wont to notice him
before; and they smiled upon him from afar now; greeted him with
enthusiasm, and turned to look after him as he passed on. It gave him a
curious feeling to have so much attention from people who had never known
him before. It made him feel strangely small, yet filled with a great
pride and patriotism for the country that was his, and the government
which he now represented to them all. He was something more to them now
than just one of the boys about town who had grown up among them. He was
a soldier of the United States. He had given his life for the cause of
righteousness. The bitterness he might have felt at their former ignoring
of him, was all swallowed up in their genuine and hearty friendliness.

He met the white-haired minister, kindly and dignified, who paused to ask
him how he liked camp life and to commend him as a soldier; and looking
in his strong gentle face John Cameron remembered his resolve.

He flashed a keen look at the gracious countenance and made up his mind
to speak:

"I'd like to ask you a question, Doctor Thurlow. It's been bothering me
quite a little ever since this matter of going away to fight has been in
my mind. Is there any way that a man--that _I_ can find God? That is, if
there is a God. I've never thought much about it before, but life down
there in camp makes a lot of things seem different, and I've been
wondering. I'm not sure what I believe. Is there anyway I can find out?"

A pleasant gleam of surprise and delight thrilled into the deep blue eyes
of the minister. It was startling. It almost embarrassed him for a
moment, it was so unexpected to have a soldier ask a question about God.
It was almost mortifying that he had never thought it worth while to take
the initiative on that question with the young man.

"Why, certainly!" he said heartily. "Of course, of course. I'm very glad
to know you are interested in those things. Couldn't you come in to my
study and talk with me. I think I could help you. I'm sure I could."

"I haven't much time," said Cameron shyly, half ashamed now that he had
opened his heart to an almost stranger. He was not even his mother's