mbling in every limb, and looking appealingly into the
faces of those before him.

"Fer the love of heavens, Joe! what's the matter with ye?" Mrs.
Dempster exclaimed, as she rose to her feet and gave the old man her
chair. "Have ye been fightin'?"

Joe's lips moved, but a groan was the only sound he uttered, as he
crouched there, the picture of abject misery.

"Where's Jean?" Mrs. Dempster demanded, laying her right hand kindly
upon his shoulder.

"Gone! Gone!" was the low despairing reply.

"Couldn't ye find her?"

"See," and the old man pointed to his torn clothes and bleeding hands.
"I followed her over the rocks and through the bushes. I was too slow
and fell so often that she got away. Oh, my Jean, my little lass! She
doesn't know her father any more; she wouldn't listen to his voice
calling to her."

"You poor man," and Mrs. Dempster wiped her eyes with the corner of her
apron. "You are tired out, and must have a cup of tea an' somethin' to
eat. Then you must go right home an' git some rest. Me an' Empty will
find Jean as soon as it gits light. The dear child, she used to come
here so often, an' her an' Empty were great playmates."

The rest and the food strengthened the weary man, and Mrs. Dempster's
hearty manner cheered him. When he at length arose to go, Douglas
offered to accompany him, and together the two passed out into the
morning air.

CHAPTER XIII

NOTICE TO QUIT

The shoe-maker was very tired, and he leaned heavily on the arm of his
companion all the way up the road. He did not speak, and Douglas made
no effort to start a conversation. Reaching home, Joe opened the door
of his shop and entered. Douglas was about to bid him good-bye when
the old man asked him to come in for a few minutes. Lighting a candle,
Joe held it carefully before the picture of the Good Shepherd.

"I'm puzzled to-night," he began. "I never thought of it before."

"What is it?" Douglas questioned.

"You see that lamb?"

"Yes."

"It's in danger, isn't it?"

"It certainly is."

"And it wants to be helped, and saved? See how its head is raised, and
it seems so glad that the Shepherd has come to rescue it."

"Is there anything puzzling about that?"

"Ah, but suppose that lamb didn't want to be helped, and held back, no
matter how hard the Shepherd pleaded, what then?"

"He was strong enough to lift it up bodily and carry it back to the
fold, was He not?"

"Ay, ay, I have no doubt abo