They set off at once, walking rapidly, towards Hollowmell, and only
stopping for a few minutes, while Charlie left a message at Dr. Merton's
directing him to follow them there.

They found the poor woman in a state of utter prostration, but she
revived a little upon the administration of some cordial, which Charlie
had had the forethought to slip into his pocket before coming out. She
seemed to be worn out by mental, rather than by physical suffering, but
Charlie would allow no word to be spoken to her, until the arrival of
Dr. Merton, which took place in a very short time after they reached the
cottage.

He gave it as his opinion, that she could not live many hours at most,
and that if anything could be done to ease her suffering, which was
altogether the effect of mental distress, most certainly it should be
done.

He could do no good, so he took his departure, having other cases to see
to, and Charlie withdrew to the fire at the other end of the apartment,
leaving Mabel and Minnie to administer whatever remedy it might be in
their power to offer.

Minnie immediately approached the dying woman, and finding her conscious
bent over her, whispering softly in her ear. "God so loved the world,
that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him
might not perish, but have everlasting life."

She started up at the words, but her strength was not sufficient,
murmuring to herself, "Not for me, oh, not for me."

"Yes, for you," said Minnie with a quiet confidence in her tone that
carried with it a visible influence. "For every one who believes. Jesus
came to call, not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He is
calling you now. Won't you answer?"

"I can't, I can't. How can I who have never spoken his name except to
profane it!"

"But God will forgive all that for His Son's sake. Don't you know that
Jesus died that God might be able to forgive us all our sins?"

"I know nothing but that I am a sinner, and the wages of sin is death,"
she moaned in a voice that was momentarily getting weaker.

"But the gift of God is eternal life," added Minnie turning to the
place in her Testament which she had brought. "See, those are the words
that follow, you can read them for yourself."

She took the book and spelt out the words by the light of the candle
which Minnie held up for her.

"You see," continued she, "the one is what you have earned what you must
get if you persist in standing on your own merits