l heart, not from an empty one. Treffy's
old heart was very full of loving, yearning pity for poor little
Christie.

"Christie, boy," he said, at length, "you wouldn't keep me outside the
gate; would you?"

"No, no, Master Treffy," said Christie, "not for the world I wouldn't;
but I do wish I was going in too."

"It seems to me, Christie, boy, the Lord has got some work for thee to
do for Him first. I'm a poor, useless old man, Christie, very tottering
and feeble, so He's going to take me home; but you have all your life
before you, Christie, boy, haven't you?"

"Yes," said Christie, with a sigh, for he was thinking what a long, long
time it would be before he was as old as Master Treffy, and before the
golden gates would be opened to him.

"Wouldn't you _like_ to do something for Him, Christie, boy," said old
Treffy, "just to show you love Him?"

"Ay, Master Treffy, I should," said Christie, in a whisper.

"Christie, boy," said old Treffy, suddenly raising himself in bed, "I
would give all I have; yes, _all_, Christie, even my old organ, and you
know how I've loved her, Christie, but I'd give her up, her and
everything else, to have one year of my life back again--one year--to
show Him that I love Him. Just to think," he said regretfully, "that He
gave His life for me, and died ever such a dreadful death for me, and
I've only got a poor little miserable week left to show that I love Him.
Oh, Christie, boy! oh, Christie, boy! it seems so ungrateful; I can't
bear to think of it."

It was Christie's turn now to be the comforter.

"Master Treffy," he said, "just you tell the Lord that; I'm sure He'll
understand."

Treffy clasped his hands at once, and said earnestly,--

"Lord Jesus, I do love Thee; I wish I could do something for Thee, but
I've only another week to live,--only another week; but, oh! I do thank
Thee, I would give anything to have some of my life back again, to show
my love to Thee; please understand what I mean. Amen."

Then old Treffy turned over and fell asleep. Christie sat for some time
longer by the fire. He had tried to forget the last day or two how short
a time he had with his old master, but it had all come back to him now.
And his heart felt very sad and desolate. It is a very dreadful thing to
lose the only friend you have in the world. And it is a very dreadful
thing to see before you a thick, dark cloud, and to feel that it hangs
over your pathway, and that you must pass through