t is the most wonderful thing on
earth, next to the love of God for the sinner. It is even that, for it
is the love of God expressing itself through the mother, who is the
temple of the loving God.

George dashed away a tear; then going up to his mother he laid his
cheek against hers, while she folded her arms about him and cried a
little and asked no questions. After a moment's silence he stammered
out a few words of sorrow at having caused her pain. She joyfully
accepted his broken explanation of how he had not known of the accident
to Clara and the others. It was true that he had gone out the evening
before, fully intending to go down to the scene of the accident; but
coming across some of his old companions he had gone off with them, and
spent the night in a disgraceful carouse. Throughout the day he had
been more or less under the influence of liquor, dimly conscious that a
great disaster had happened, but not sober enough to realise its
details or its possible connection with those of his own home.

The sudden meeting with his father had startled him out of the drowsy
intoxication he had fallen into as the day progressed. Now, as he felt
his mother's arms around him, and realised a little what the family had
been enduring, he felt the disgrace of his own conduct.

Mr. Hardy went upstairs and consulted with the doctor, who wondered at
his protracted absence. There was no change in Clara yet. She lay in
a condition which could not be called a trance or a sleep. She did not
seem to be in any great pain; but she was unconscious of all outside
conditions.

After a little talk with his mother, George came up and inquired after
Bess and Will. They were both sleeping, and after the doctor had gone
out the father and mother and son sat down together in the room where
Clara lay.

Mr. Hardy did not say a word to George about the incident of the
evening. The shame of it was too great yet. When men of Mr. Hardy's
self-contained, repressed, proud nature are pained, it is with an
intense, inward fire of passion that cannot hear to break out into
words.

George had sense enough to offer to relieve his parents of the burden
of watching through the night, and during the exchange of watchers
along toward morning, as Mrs. Hardy slipped into the room to relieve
the boy, she found him kneeling down at a couch with his face buried in
the cushions. She raised her face in thanksgiving to God and went
softly out.

Th