ill at ease in his presence, nor sought to avoid him.
He made them feel at home with him, and the consequence was that the
proportion of boys belonging to his church exceeded that of any other
church in the city.

Dr. Chrystal had of late been causing his friends no small concern by
showing signs of failing health. His heart began to give him trouble. So
much so, indeed, that now and then he would be obliged to pause in the
midst of his sermon, and rest a little before resuming. His physician
told him he had been working too hard, and that what he needed was to
take things more easily, or, better still, to lay aside his work for a
season, and recuperate by a good long vacation.

At first he would not listen to any such proposition. There seemed so
much to be done all around him that would be undoubtedly left undone
unless he did it himself, that he felt as if he could not desert his
post. But it soon became clear to him that the warnings he had received
must be heeded, and ere long he was able to make up his mind to follow
the physician's advice, and indulge himself with an ocean voyage, and
prolonged vacation in Europe.

As the time for his temporary separation from his congregation drew near
there was a marked increase of fervour and loving earnestness on the
part of Dr. Chrystal toward his people. It was as though he thought he
might perhaps never return to them, and it therefore behoved him not
only to preach with special unction, but to lose no opportunity of
saying to each one with whom he came in contact something that might
remain with them as a fruitful recollection in the event of its proving
to be his last word to them. Meeting Bert upon the street one day, he
linked his arm with his, and entered at once into a conversation
regarding the boy's spiritual interests. Bert felt perfectly at home
with his pastor, and did not hesitate to speak with him in the same
spirit of frank unreserve that he would with his father.

"I have been thinking much about you, Bert," said Dr. Chrystal, in tones
of warm affection, "and saying to myself that if, in the providence of
God, I should never come back to my work, I would like to leave
something with you that would linger in your memory after I am gone."

"But you're coming back again all right, Dr. Chrystal," said Bert,
looking up with much concern in his countenance, for he had never
thought of its being otherwise.

"I am sure I hope and pray so with all my heart," re