ccess to balance himself on his hind legs, came
to say good-by.

"Come and see me first thing, Sandy."

"Aye! I know; I'll see ye, Mr. Craig," said Sandy earnestly as Dandy
dashed off at a full gallop across the clearing and over the bridge,
steadying down when he reached the hill.

"Steady, you idiot!"

This was to Dandy, who had taken a sudden side spring into the deep
snow, almost upsetting us. A man stepped out from the shadow. It was old
man Nelson. He came straight to the sleigh and, ignoring my presence
completely, said:

"Mr. Craig, are you dead sure of this? Will it work?"

"Do you mean," said Craig, taking him up promptly, "can Jesus Christ
save you from your sins and make a man of you?"

The old man nodded, keeping his hungry eyes on the other's face.

"Well, here's His message to you: 'The Son of Man is come to seek and to
save that which was lost.'"

"To me? To me?" said the old man eagerly.

"Listen; this, too, is His word: 'Him that cometh unto Me I will in no
wise cast out.' That's for you, for here you are, coming."

"You don't know me, Mr. Craig. I left my baby fifteen years ago
because----"

"Stop!" said the minister. "Don't tell me, at least not to-night;
perhaps never. Tell Him who knows it all now and who never betrays a
secret. Have it out with Him. Don't be afraid to trust Him."

Nelson looked at him, with his face quivering, and said in a husky
voice:

"If this is no good, it's hell for me."

"If it is no good," replied Craig almost sternly, "it's hell for all of
us."

The old man straightened himself up, looked up at the stars, then back
at Mr. Craig, then at me, and drawing a deep breath said:

"I'll try Him." As he was turning away the minister touched him on the
arm and said quietly:

"Keep an eye on Sandy to-morrow."

Nelson nodded and we went on; but before we took the next turn I looked
back and saw what brought a lump into my throat. It was old man Nelson
on his knees in the snow, with his hands spread upward to the stars,
and I wondered if there was any One above the stars and nearer than the
stars who could see. And then the trees hid him from my sight.

FOOTNOTE:

[11] From _Black Rock_. Reprinted by special permission of publisher,
The Fleming H. Revell Company.

[Illustration]

XII.--The Story That the Keg Told Me

_By Adirondack (W. H. H.) Murray_

_The author is "Adirondack Murray" because he,
more than any other m