ss an' painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger an' thirst, in
fastings often, in cold an' nakedness, but he warns us not ter glory in
these things, but in those which consarn our infirmities."

"How great should be your reward!"

"Don't speak of reward. I only want my freedom when I've 'arned hit--the
freedom ter leave an 'arth on which I've been left behind, an' go whar
my husband an' son are waitin' fur me."

She rose and paced the floor, with her face and eyes shining.

"Have you no fear of death whatever?" asked Rachel in amazement.

"Fear of death! Child, why should I fear death? Why should I fear death,
more than the unborn child fears birth? Both are the same. Hit can't
be fur ter thet other world whar THEY wait fur me. Hit is not even ez a
journey ter the next town--hit's only one little step though the curtain
o' green grass an' violets on a sunny hillside--only one little step."

She turned abruptly, and going back to her chair by the fireside, seated
herself in it, and clasping her knees with her hands, rocked back and
forth, and sang in a low, sweet croon:

"Oh, the rapturous, transporting scene,
That rises ter my sight;
Sweet fields arrayed in livin' green,
An' rivers of delight.

"All o'er those wide, extended plains
Shines one eternal day;
Thar God, the Son, forever reigns,
An scatters night away.

"No chillin' winds or poisonous breath
Kin reach thet healthful shore;
Sickness an' sorrow, pain an' death,
Are felt an' feared no more."

After dark Fortner came in. Both women studied his face eagerly as he
walked up to the fire.

"Nothin' yet, honey," he said to Aunt Debby, and "Nothin' yet, Miss," to
Rachel, and after a little stay went out.

When Rachel awoke the next morning the sky was lowering darkly. On
going to the window she found a most depressing change from the scene of
bright merriment she had studied the night before. A chill Winter rain
was falling with dreary persistence, pattering on the dead leaves that
covered the ground, and soaking into the sodden earth. A few forlorn
little birds hopped wearily about, searching in vain in the dry husks
and empty insect shells for the food that had once been so plentiful
there. Up and down the streets, as far as she could see, men in squads
or singly, under officers or without organization, plodded along
dejectedly, taking the cold drench from above, and the cl