able book.'

Nurse deposited the Bible upon Bobby's bed, and left the room.

Lady Isobel took it carefully up and looked at the title-page.

'It is a treasure, Bobby. It is an old Italian Bible--Martini's
translation, of course. I know Italian, and used to spend a good deal
of my time in Italy when I was a girl. Now show me your wonderful
picture.'

Bobby took hold of the Bible with flushed eager face, and turned to
almost the last page of it. Then he drew a long sigh of admiration as
he held it up to her.

'Isn't it beautiful?'

'Beautiful indeed,' said Lady Isobel, gazing upon the richly
illuminated page with enjoyment. I don't wonder you like it, Bobby; it
is a dream of glory.'

'It isn't a dream, it's a true picsher,' corrected Bobby. 'Nurse says
everyfing's true in the Bible. Please read me what it says underneath.'

'I will translate it for you; you would not understand the foreign
words:

'"Blessed are they that wash their robes in the blood of the Lamb, that
they may have right to the tree of life, and enter in through the gates
into the City."'

Bobby listened as if his life depended on the words.

'Tell me what it means. Does it tell me how to get a lovely white
dress, like the people going up that beautiful road? What Lamb does it
mean?' His little finger was pointing to the white-robed group in the
picture.

For a moment Lady Isobel paused. She read the verse again slowly.

'I think it means this, Bobby, that no one has a right inside those
gates except those who have had their sins washed away by the Lamb of
God.'

'Who's the Lamb of God?' asked Bobby in a hushed voice. 'Does God keep
sheep and lambs in heaven?'

'It is one of the names of our Lord Jesus Christ, Bobby, dear. I don't
know how to explain it to you; but long ago people used to offer up
innocent little lambs to God as a sacrifice for sins.'

'What's a sacrifice?'

Lady Isobel was not accustomed to a child's questions. She hesitated.

'It is an innocent thing suffering for a guilty, at least the Bible
sacrifices were. I suppose they were just to picture the great
sacrifice on Calvary. How can I put it simply? Sin made everyone
black and wicked, Bobby, and God had to shut up heaven's gates and keep
it outside. Nothing with sin upon it can be in heaven. These people
in the picture who are being turned away are looking black and dirty
and miserable, because their hearts are full of sin.'

'They want whit