ather, that Jesus is holding out his hand with a promise to
you. Now if you will take the promise,--that is all."

"What is the promise, Nettie?"

Nettie waited, gathered breath, for the talk made her heart beat; and
then said, "'This is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal
life.'"

"How can a sinful man take such a promise?" said Mr. Mathieson, with
suppressed feeling. "That is for people like you, Nettie, not me."

"Oh, Jesus has bought it!" cried Nettie; "it's free. It's without
price. You may have it if you'll believe in him and love him, father. I
can't talk."

She had talked too much, or the excitement had been too strong for her.
Her words were broken off by coughing, and she remarked that her lip
must have bled again. Her father laid her on the bed, and from that time
for a number of days she was kept as quiet as possible; for her strength
had failed anew and yet more than at first.

For two weeks she hardly moved from the bed. But except that she was so
very pale, she did not look very ill; her face wore just its own patient
and happy expression. Her father would not now let her talk to him; but
he did everything she asked. He read to her in the Bible; Nettie would
turn over the leaves to the place she wanted, and then point it out to
him with a look of life, and love, and pleasure, that were like a whole
sermon; and her father read first that sermon and then the chapter. He
went to church as she asked him; and without her asking him, after the
first Sunday. Nettie stayed at home on the bed and sang psalms in her
heart.

After those two weeks there was a change for the better. Nettie felt
stronger, looked more as she used to look, and got up and even went
about a little. The weather was changing too, now. April days were
growing soft and green; trees budding and grass freshening up, and birds
all alive in the branches; and above all the air and the light, the
wonderful soft breath of spring and sunshine of spring, made people
forget that winter had ever been harsh or severe.

Nettie went out and took little walks in the sun, which seemed to do her
good; and she begged so hard to be allowed to go to her garret again,
that her father took pity on her; sent Mr. Lumber away, and gave her her
old nice little room on the same floor with the others. Her mother
cleaned it and put it in order, and Nettie felt too happy when she found
herself mistress of it again and possessed of a quiet place wher