d upon the burning hands he held, and
asked that space might be given her for repentance, shuddering as he
recalled the time when, like her, he lay at death's door, unprepared to
enter in. Was he prepared now? Had he made a proper use of life and
health restored? Alas! that the answer conscience forced upon him should
have wrung out so sharp a groan. "But I will be," he said, and laying
his own face by 'Lina's, he promised that if God would bring her reason
back, so they could tell her of the untried world her feet were nearing,
he would henceforth be a better man, and try to serve the God who heard
and answered that earnest prayer.

It was many days ere the fever abated, but there came a morning in early
May when the eyes were not so fearfully bright as they had been, while
the wild ravings were hushed, and 'Lina lay quietly upon her pillow.

"Do you know me?" Alice asked, bending gently over her, while Hugh, from
the other side of the bed, leaned eagerly forward for the reply.

"Yes, Alice, but where am I? This is not New York--not my room. Have
I--am I sick, very sick?" and 'Lina's eyes took a terrified expression
as she read the truth in Alice's face. "I am not going to die, am I?"
she continued, casting upon Alice a look which would have wrung out the
truth, even if Alice had been disposed to withhold it, which she was
not.

"You are very sick," she answered, "and though we hope for the best, the
doctor does not encourage us much. Are you willing to die, 'Lina?"

Neither Hugh nor Alice ever forgot the tone of 'Lina's voice as she
replied:

"Willing? No!" or the expression of her face, as she turned it to the
wall, and motioned them to leave her.

For two days after that she neither spoke nor gave other token of
interest in anything passing around her, but at the expiration of that
time, as Alice sat by her, she suddenly exclaimed:

"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
I wish He had said that some other way, for if that means we cannot be
forgiven until we forgive everybody, there's no hope for me, for I
cannot, I will not forgive Densie Densmore for being my mother, neither
will I forgive Adah Hastings for having crossed my path. If she had
never seen the doctor I should have been his wife, and never have known
who or what I was. I hate them both, Densie and Adah, so you need not
pray for me. I heard you last night, and even Hugh has taken it up, but
it's no use. I can't