his heart still wandered afar through the forests, his
feet were too weary to follow it.

But one evening he felt strangely strong and refreshed. He had worked
hard all the afternoon cleaning his little hut and now the humble room
looked as spotless as spring water and vigorous scrubbing could make
it. Even the table and chairs were scoured and the fireplace cleaned,
while, to complete the day's task Mordecai had emptied an old barrel
in the corner, burning the heap of odds and ends which had accumulated
since his return. But now as he stood behind the table he held in his
hand three black books and a faded napkin which he could not bring
himself to destroy. As he stood there with the rays of the setting sun
falling through the open door on his shaggy white head, old memories
burned in his faded eyes and a strange, dreamy smile played about his
mouth.

"I have found the books--it is time for them to come and say 'grace',"
he murmured to himself. "I have put my house in order. I know it is
time for me to go away--into the Great Wilderness--but not until we
have three at grace once more."

Carefully placing a book at each place, he drew up two chairs and a
box, spread the napkin at the head of the table and set out his few
poor dishes and humble evening meal. Then he took his place, opened
his book and waited. The Hebrew letters seemed strangely blurred; for
the first time in his life his keen eyes failed him. But, glancing up,
he thought he saw his two guests, Lyon and Barrett in their places
waiting for him to begin the blessing before the meal.

"I am ready," he said, and even as he spoke, his head dropped upon the
open book and Mordecai's restless spirit was at rest forever.

THE LUCKY STONE

_The Adventures of Uriah P. Levy, the First Naval Officer of
his Day._

A little brown sand piper scudded along the beach. Uriah Levy, a
brown-faced lad who looked several years older than a boy who had just
passed his eleventh birthday, lay upon the shore and smiled to see it
flirt importantly past him as though in a tremendous hurry to reach
its destination. Then his keen eyes turned toward the sea, blue and
stainless, as level as the long looking glass in his mother's parlor
at home. Several sea gulls skimmed the quiet waters, now rising until
their gray-white plumage melted into the clouds, now seeming to float
upon the tide. Uriah was a trifle sorry when they disappeared at last,
for he loved the sea gulls