, but
feared it might have a fatal effect on the dying woman.

She quietly tapped at the back door, fearing to alarm the family by
ringing, and asked to speak to Minnie privately. Minnie took her into
her own room, where she related the circumstance in a few hurried words.

As soon as she had taken in the meaning of Mabel's words she ran off
without uttering a word, to beg her father's permission to undertake
this errand of mercy. He was very reluctant, naturally, but at last
yielded, on condition that she could get one of her brothers to
accompany her.

They were all in the parlour, from which apartment the sounds of their
laughter and merriment proceeded, as Minnie opened the door rather
hesitatingly, and asked Charlie to come out and speak to her a moment.

"Why can't you come in here and speak to me?" He asked, "I feel so
comfortable, I don't care about moving."

"Oh, do come quickly!" entreated Minnie. "You don't know what may be the
consequence of a minute's delay."

Charlie rose, a good deal surprised, and the others enquired rather
anxiously if there was anything wrong, she looked so terribly in
earnest.

She hastily assured them that it was nothing wrong at home, and drawing
Charlie into the hall, told him what she wished to do, and begged him to
accompany her, forgetting in her eagerness the dread of his ridicule,
which at any other time would have overpowered her.

"Nonsense," he said when he had heard her out, "I really thought you had
more common sense, Minnie, than to bother your head with things of that
description. Are there not enough fanatics _paid_ for doing these
things? The girl must be a fool, and has no business to be out at this
hour alone. Her people must be crazy too, to allow it."

"Oh, Charlie!" exclaimed Minnie, wringing her hands in her distress.
"_Do_, please come. You can't think how much it may mean. Think if _you_
were dying, and had no one to say a kind word!--Think if it was _me_!
And this woman's soul is as immortal and as precious as yours or mine."

He looked at her a moment, as if he had fallen into a dream, and then
without a word, took down his coat, and bidding her wrap well up,
prepared to accompany her.

She flew upstairs again, and hastily threw a large shawl round her,
insisting at the same time on Mabel enveloping herself in another of
similar magnitude, and in about three minutes, the two girls were down
in the hall, where they found Charlie awaiting them.