ears on every cheek, and even
that of Charlie was not dry.

Directly after the visitors prepared to depart, Minnie promising to come
down as early as possible the next morning. As they passed out, after a
few more parting words with the newly-born Christian, whom they were not
likely to see again alive, Patrick Malone laid his hand on Minnie's arm
to stay her, saying, "Won't you leave that with her?" pointing to the
Testament.

"Gladly," replied Minnie, as she put it into his hand, then hurriedly
taking it again she found and turned down the page at the fourteenth
chapter of St. John, and directed him to read that to her.

"I will," he said, "and I'll give you the book to-morrow when--" but his
emotion choked him and he could not proceed.

"Never mind," said Minnie, "Keep it for my sake and hers."

He thanked and blessed her again and again, and declared he would never
part with it till the last day of his life, though the priest burned him
for it, and then Minnie ran out to find Charlie and Mabel waiting for
her in the rain.

They did not speak at all, till they reached the Kimberly's home, when
Charlie said he would see Mabel home, and explain the cause of her
absence to her friends, and Minnie bade her friend good-night with a
very tired but happy face. Charlie came up the steps to open the door to
her with his latch-key, and as she went in he stopped suddenly and
kissed her on the forehead and then was gone.

[Illustration]

Minnie did not sleep till she heard him come in softly and go into his
room, and even after that she lay for hours thinking of all she had seen
that night and rejoicing with the angels over the sinner who had
during its early watches returned to her Saviour's arms.

Mabel, too, lay long awake that night, but her thoughts were very
different from Minnie's. She was pondering over the spectacle of a soul
entering into that peace from which she felt herself by some mysterious
means shut out.

CHAPTER VI.

A DISPUTE SETTLED.

Next morning Minnie was down at Hollowmell before any one in that region
was stirring. She had carried down with her a basket filled with
provisions, feeling sure that under the sorrowful circumstances it would
be required. She found, as she had expected, that Mrs. Malone was dead.
She died at about four o'clock in the morning, her husband informed
Minnie, and her last words had been the words he had been reading to her
from the fourteenth chapter of John