and see her bleed. I didn't mean to
hurt your feelings. Won't you stay and help us? Can't ye do somethin'
else for her? I'll pay ye. I'll go work for ye a whole year or five
years if ye want me--if you'll just save her--just save her, that's
all--don't go--please don't!"

Something in the child's anguish found the rough old man's heart. His
eyes grew misty for a moment, he slipped one arm about the Boy's
shoulders and drew him close.

"God knows I'd stay and do something if I could, Sonny, but I don't know
what to do. I'm not sure I'm right about the bleeding or I'd stay and
make you help me do it. But I'm not sure--I'm not sure--and I can do no
good by staying. Keep her warm, give her all the good food her stomach
will retain. That's all I can tell you. She's in God's hands."

With a heavy heart the Boy watched him ride away as the sun rose over
the eastern hills. The doctor's last words sank into his soul. She was
in God's hands! Well, he would go to God and beg Him to save her. He
went into the woods, knelt behind a great oak and in the simple words of
a child asked for the desire of his heart. Three times every day and
every night he prayed.

For four days no change was apparent. She was very weak and tired, but
suffered no pain. His prayer was heard and would be answered!

The first symptom of failure in circulation, he promptly met by placing
the hot stones to her feet. And for hours he and Sarah would rub her
until the cold disappeared.

On the morning of the seventh day she was unusually bright.

"Why, you're better, Ma, aren't you?" he cried with joy.

Her eyes were shining with a strange excitement:

"Yes. I'm a lot better. I'm going to sit up awhile. I'm tired lying
down."

She threw herself quickly on the side of the bed and her feet touched
the bear-skin rug. She rose trembling and smiling and took a step. She
tottered a bit, but the Boy was laughing and holding her arm. She
reached the chair by the fire and he wrapped a great skin about her feet
and limbs.

"Look, Pa, she's getting well!" the Boy shouted.

Tom watched her gravely without reply.

She took the Boy's hand, still smiling:

"I had such a wonderful dream," she began slowly--"the same one I had
before you were born, my Boy. God had answered my prayer and sent me a
son. I watched him grow to be a strong, brave, patient, wise and gentle
man. Thousands hung on his words and the great from the ends of the
earth came to do him homag