ake care of my aunt, and manage her farm."

"The message, by Mr Liston's wish," said I, "was to be delivered by me
to his mother. I will be very careful to deliver it gently."

"Well, I will bring her to you. She usually comes out about this time
to enjoy the sunset. I will trust to your discretion; but bear in
remembrance that she is not strong. Forgive me," she added, turning to
my companions, "this surprise has made me forget my duty. Will your
friends dismount?"

Eve at once dismounted, and shook the hand which the lady extended; but
Big Otter sat quite still, like a grand equestrian statue, while the
lady entered the house.

I saw that the poor girl was much agitated, but, true to her Indian
training, she laid powerful constraint on herself.

In a few minutes an old lady with the sweetest face and most benignant
aspect I ever saw, came out of the cottage and advanced to the rustic
seat. Before sitting down she looked at us with a pleasant smile, and
said,--"You are heartily welcome. We are always glad to see strangers
in these distant parts."

While speaking she tremblingly pulled out, and put on, a pair of
spectacles to enable her to have a clearer view of her visitors. The
scene that immediately followed took me very much by surprise, and
completely frustrated all my wise plans of caution.

She looked at me first and nodded pleasantly. Then she looked at Eve,
who was gazing at her with an intense and indescribable expression.
Suddenly the old lady's eyes opened to their widest. A death-like
pallor overspread her old face. She opened her arms wide, bent forward
a little towards Eve, and gasped,--"Come to me--Willie!"

Never was invitation more swiftly accepted. Eve bounded towards her and
caught her in her arms just in time to prevent her falling.

The poor old mother! For years she had prayed and longed for her lost
Willie, though she never once regarded him as "lost." "Is not the
promise _sure_?" she was wont to say, "Ask and ye shall receive." Even
when she believed that the erring son was dead she did not cease to pray
for him--because he _might_ be alive. Latterly, however, her tone of
resignation proved that she had nearly, if not quite, given up all hope
of seeing him again in this life, yet she never ceased to think of him
as "not lost, but gone before." And now, when at last his very image
came back to her in the form of a woman, she had no more doubt as to who
stood before her