till was dark?

She breathed not one word of her fear to him, though the icy dread
chilled her to the heart, but, laying him gently down in his own cosy
bed, Soothed him with loving caresses, bidding him--

'Try to sleep, and forget it all!'

Then, when sleep came to the over-wrought brain, she left him in the
care of a kindly neighbour, and went tremblingly forth to seek her
child's trusty old friend.

She found Mat Morgan seated in his arm-chair (for, like the rest of the
miners who had been in this imminent peril, he had escaped unhurt),
recounting to a group of neighbours the wonderful faith of little Davie,
whose trust in God never failed, even when the shadows of the dark
angel's wings had hovered so closely over them.

'Oh, Master Morgan!' the poor mother cried, as with clasped hands and
quivering lips she overheard him thus dilating on her boy's noble
fortitude and humble Christian faith; 'my darling Davie! he will never,
never look on us again this side the grave. He'--

'He be no dead, ma'am!' exclaimed the old man, starting from his chair,
while sympathizing friends gathered round her with words of tender pity.

'No, no, not dead, thank God!' she sobbed; 'but blind, I fear. Oh, my
little boy, my Davie!'

'Maybe not,' he replied, endeavouring to comfort her. 'I'll jest go wi'
ye. I've known sich things afore, when men have been shut up in the dark
some hours,--and _we_ were nigh upon three days in the pit, mind ye--the
shock of seein' the daylight kind o' dazes the sight for a while. So ye
must not greet, but hope and trust in our heavenly Father, as your
little lad ever does, I'm thinkin'! Come along.'

How eagerly did she hasten home, all anxiety to prove if the old miner's
opinion was right, and 'hoping against hope' that the child's sight had
become cleared while he slept, and that when he awoke he would look upon
her with unclouded eyes. Her heart beat so violently she could scarcely
speak, as, standing by his bedside, she saw his blue eyes were unclosed
and apparently gazing upon her where she stood with Mat Morgan by her
side.

'Davie,' she whispered softly, bending over him and kissing the parted
lips, 'here is Master Morgan come to see you.'

'Where is he?' the boy joyfully cried. 'He is not hurt, then? Oh, I am
so glad! But, mother dear, I cannot see him, nor you; there seems like a
shadow over my eyes. Oh, mother,' he piteously moaned, as the sad truth
appeared to strike him, 'tell me,