was yet visible, and as
he rode through the beryl air of the dawning hour he was uplifted from
his sadness by a sense of the near presence of Christ.

He took his way slowly, purposely turning aside three times from the
trail to call at the hogans of some of his parishioners; for he dreaded
the home-coming as one dreads a blow that is inevitable. His mother's
picture awaited him in his own room, smiling down upon his possessions
with that dear look upon her face, and to look at it for the first time
knowing that she was gone from earth forever was an experience from
which he shrank inexpressibly. Thus he gave himself more time, knowing
that it was better to go calmly, turning his mind back to his work, and
doing what she would have liked him to do.

He camped that night under the sheltered ledge where he and Hazel had
been, and as he lay down to sleep he repeated the psalm they had read
together that night, and felt a sense of the comfort of abiding under
the shadow of the Almighty.

In visions of the night he saw the girl's face once more, and she smiled
upon him with that glad welcoming look, as though she had come to be
with him always. She did not say anything in the dream, but just put out
her hands to him with a motion of surrender.

The vision faded as he opened his eyes, yet so real had it been that it
remained with him and thrilled him with the wonder of her look all day.
He began to ponder whether he had been right in persistently putting her
out of his life as he had done. Bits of her own sentences came to him
with new meaning and he wondered after all if he had not been a fool.
Perhaps he might have won her. Perhaps God had really sent her to him to
be his life companion, and he had been too blind to understand.

He put the idea from him many times with a sigh as he mended the fire
and prepared his simple meal, yet always her face lingered sweetly in
his thoughts, like balm upon his saddened spirit.

Billy was headed towards home that morning, and seemed eager to get on.
He had not understood his master these sad days. Something had come over
his spirits. The little horse neighed cheerfully and started on his way
with willing gait. However lonely the master might be, home was good,
with one's own stall and manger; and who might tell but some
presentiment told Billy that the princess was awaiting them?

The missionary endeavoured to keep his thoughts upon his work and plans
for the immediate future, bu