o his heart and
bade her good-night.

CHAPTER XI.

The next morning found Mrs. Travilla calm and peaceful, even cheerful,
ready for either life or death. She was up at her usual early hour, and
Rosie and Walter, coming in for their accustomed half hour of Bible
reading with mamma, found her at her writing-desk just finishing a note
to Violet.

"Dear mamma," exclaimed Walter, in a tone of delight, "you are looking
so much better and brighter this morning. I was really troubled about
you last night lest you were going to be ill; you were so pale, and
grandpa looked so worried."

"Grandpa is always easily frightened about mamma if she shows the
slightest indication of illness," said Rosie; "as indeed we all are,
because she is so dear and precious; our very greatest earthly treasure.

"Mamma dearest, I am so rejoiced that you are not really sick!" she
added, dropping on her knees beside her mother's chair, clasping her
arms about her, and kissing her again and again with ardent affection.

"I, too," Walter said, taking his station on her other side, putting an
arm round her neck, and pressing his lips to her cheek.

She returned their caresses with words of mother love, tears shining in
her eyes at the thought that this might prove almost her last
opportunity.

"What do you think, Rosie?" laughed Walter. "Mamma called me her baby
boy last night; me--a great fellow of eleven. I think you must be her
baby girl."

But Rosie made no reply. She was gazing earnestly into her mother's
face. "Mamma dear," she said anxiously, "you are not well! you are
suffering! Oh, what is it ails you?"

"I am in some pain, daughter," Elsie answered, in a cheerful tone; "but
Cousin Arthur hopes to be able to relieve it in a day or two."

"Oh, I am glad to hear that!" Rosie exclaimed, with a sigh of relief.
"Dearest mamma, I do not know how I could ever bear to have you very
ill."

"Should that trial ever come to you, daughter dear, look to God for
strength to endure it," her mother said in sweetly solemn accents, as
she gently smoothed Rosie's hair with her soft white hand and gazed
lovingly into her eyes. "Do not be troubled about the future, but trust
his gracious promise: 'As thy days, so shall thy strength be!' Many and
many a time has it been fulfilled to me and to all who have put their
trust in him?"

"Yes, mamma, I know you have had some hard trials, and yet you always
seem so happy."

"You look happy now, mamm