s always greeted with a glad smile of welcome.
Taking the Bible, he would, in his rich mellow voice, read some
comforting passage, and then pray with deep trustful earnestness,
inspiring and strengthening the anxious watchers, and leaving behind him
an atmosphere of peace.

On Friday night the crisis came. After tossing and tumbling about
feverishly all day, as the evening shadows fell, Bert sank into a deep
stupor, and Dr. Brown, with a lump in his throat that almost choked his
utterance, said plainly that unless he rallied before morning there
would be no further hope. In an agony of prayer Mrs. Lloyd knelt by her
darling's bedside, while in an adjoining room Mr. Lloyd, and Mary, and
Dr. Chrystal, and Frank sat together, praying and waiting, and striving
to comfort one another. The long hours of agonising uncertainty dragged
slowly by. Every few minutes some one would steal on tiptoe to the sick
chamber, and on their return met fond faces full of eager questioning
awaiting them, only to answer with a sad shake of the head that meant no
ray of hope yet.

At length the dawn began to flush the east, and with crimson radiance
light up the great unmeasured dome, putting out the stars that had shone
as watch fires throughout the night. Mrs. Lloyd had risen from her
knees, and was sitting close beside the bed, watching every breath that
Bert drew; for who could say which one would be the last? The daylight
stole swiftly into the room, making the night-light no longer necessary,
and she moved softly to put it out. As she returned to her post, and
stood for a moment gazing with an unutterable tenderness at the beloved
face lying so still upon the pillow, a thrill of joy shot through her,
for a change seemed to have taken place; the flushed features had
assumed a more natural hue, and the breath came more easily. Scarcely
daring to hope, she stood as if entranced. Presently a tremor ran
through Bert's frame, he stirred uneasily, sighed heavily, and then, as
naturally as a babe awaking, opened wide his big, brown eyes.

Seeing his mother just before him, he gave a glad smile, lifted up his
hands as though to embrace her, and said, without any apparent
difficulty:

"You dear, darling mother."

Completely overcome with joy, Mrs. Lloyd threw herself down beside her
boy and kissed him passionately, exclaiming: "Thank God! Thank God! He's
saved;" and then, springing up, hastened out to tell the others the good
news.

Dr. Brow