as been forsaken by his
own father and mother."

Here Karin gave involuntarily a little dissenting movement as she
thought of the half-crazy mother and the sorrowful father, and made the
mental comment that they had done the best they could under the
circumstances. The pastor paused (perhaps doubting himself the
appropriateness of the statement), and then read distinctly,--

"Therefore we will carry out what Christian love demands of us, and
through baptism confide the child to God, our Saviour Jesus Christ,
praying most heartily that he will graciously receive it, and grant it
the power of his Spirit unto faith, forgiveness of sins, and true
godliness, that it, as a faithful member of his church, may be a
partaker of all the blessedness that Jesus has won for us and
Christianity promises."

The service then proceeded as usual, and the little Nono was baptized
in God's holy name.

Jan and Karin were duly exhorted that they should see that the child
should grow up in virtue and the fear of the Lord; which promises and
resolutions the honest pair solemnly determined, with God's help, to
sacredly keep and fulfil.

Nono was borne down the aisle, having acquitted himself as well as
could be expected on this important occasion. The eager prisoners in
the pew by the door now filed out, six in number, to form little Nono's
baptismal procession. Sven, insisting upon kissing the baby then and
there, was prudently allowed to do so, to prevent possibly an
exhibition of wilfulness that would have been a public scandal. This
proceeding well over, Nono and his foster-brothers went back to the
golden house, in which he now had a right to a footing, and the
blessing of a home in a Christian family.

Alma could never remember anything of the service or the sermon on that
day. Her attention had been fully absorbed in the baptism of the wee
brown baby whose parents had deserted him, and in whom the "beloved
Christians" of the parish had been called on to take so solemn an
interest.

Before leaving the church, Alma's father gave one long, sorrowful
glance at the new name on the old monument. Beside it the old
clergyman had taken them all by the hand, and had said some
low-murmured words of which the little girl could not catch the meaning.

"Papa," Alma ventured to say when they were fairly seated in the
carriage, "did not the pastor mean you and me, too, when he said
'beloved Christians'? We were there, and only a few oth