in the privacy of their carriage they gave themselves anew to the
work of the Lord, pledging never again to let a known opportunity to
speak to a needy soul pass by.

Grandpa, like a tired child, was resting his head upon the shoulder of
his new friend during the drive, and it was evident that he was very
ill. The fever was returning, the mind partially wandering, but the soul
rejoicing in the light of that land which he so soon was to enter.

"Ah, Rosa," he murmured over and over, "I told you so. Jesus is the way,
Jesus is the way! I'm mighty glad it's all come back, but Tom he said
'twould, and I think he' a-comin' now to git me."

Upon their arrival home, with tender hands the weary old man was put to
bed, while Esther took charge of Rosa, clothing her in more suitable
garments, and talking simply of the Shepherd who seeks the wandering
lambs.

[Illustration]

VII.

VICTORY!

The deserted rooms on Burton street suddenly became the scene of great
activity early Monday afternoon.

Mrs. Gray's supersensitive conscience would not admit of her neglecting
her charges, so in consequence her visit was made a few hours shorter
than first planned.

The fire was out, and no trace could she find of Rosa and grandpa. She
"hollered till her throat was sore," looked in every reasonable--and
unreasonable--corner, searched up and down the hall, inquired of her
neighbors, visited the corner grocery, but all to no avail.

"Land sakes!" over and over she repeated to a group of interested
spectators, "I might a-know'd better'n to have gone off and left them.
This is jest my luck, anyhow. The first time I've been away in five
years, then have this happen. I'm jest real provoked, and I don't think
a body could blame me, either. But it all comes of me bein' so obligin'.
If it wuzn't fer my tender heart, I'd never kep' Tom's father, nor took
Mis' Browning's young one, then I could come and go as I pleased and not
be pestered this way. There ain't many that'd do fer others what I do,
and I never git no thanks fer it, neither. If I hadn't had father to
board all these years, I might have somethin' laid up fer a rainy day,
and there ain't nobody but what'll say I'm industrious and savin'.

"But I can't think where they'd go, nor what I can do. It seems like
somebody'd seen them. I'll fix them when they git back, so as they'll
never do it ag'in. It looks like they'd been gone fer some time, and I
do b'lieve they've been int