Her older son, her bright, beloved boy, had gone she believed to mingle his songs in a purer worship than that of earth, and would she call him back from glory?  As she lifted her eyes up to the serene heavens, she almost fancied she heard his voice, saying, “He doeth all things well, do not fear to trust him.”  And when she returned to her dying child, it was with a feeling of sweet confidence.  “I will not fear to trust him, even with this darling child.  His gentle spirit was not fitted for earthly strifes; now it shall expand in an atmosphere of perfect love.  ‘The Lord gave him, the Lord taketh him away; blessed be his name.’”

The dying boy breathed gently, and looked as if in a sweet sleep, sometimes a smile would play around his mouth, as if he were in a pleasant dream.  There was no perceptible change till nearly morning, then Mrs. Hamilton called Mr. and Mrs. Martin.  They stood in tearful silence round his bed, (for they loved Arthur almost as a child), watching his shortened breathing.  There was no pain, no sigh, but as the morning light gleamed across the eastern hill, the spirit passed away.

CHAPTER IX.

THE SECOND GATHERING.

Once more the family stood together under the cottage roof; once more the neighbors and friends one by one, silently passed in; once more a coffin stood upon the table, and aged men and women, and middle-aged and children looked into it with weeping eyes; once more stifled sobs were heard; once more that mother with her children sat in the inner room; but not all; all were not there.  The pale weeping boy was no longer clinging to his mother’s side.  He slept; and tears would never dim his eyelids more.

Sweet, gentle Arthur; his dust was now fair to look upon.  He had never been a beautiful child, but his face wore a sweet and mild expression in life, and it was serene and sweet in death.  Once more, the voice of prayer was heard, and the sweet hymn was sung; once more they walked to the place of graves; and he, who just eight weeks before had stood weeping there, was now gently laid down to sleep “that sleep, which knows not waking” till “the trump of God shall sound.”

    “Unvail thy bosom, faithful tomb! 
      Take this new treasure to thy trust;
    And give these sacred relics room
      To slumber in the silent dust.”

Once more, slowly and sadly, the stricken family went to their home, now still more vacant—­still more desolate!  Once more Christian faith shed its soul-cheering light into the aching heart; once more the sorrowing found “there was balm in Gilead, and a physician there.”

CHAPTER X.

ROVER, WHERE IS HE?

The day little Arthur was laid in the grave, Rover was seen to stand in Mr. Martin’s yard, as the body of his young master was carried out; and when Mr. and Mrs. Martin returned home and found Rover was not there, they supposed he had gone with the procession, and had remained behind at his old home, and therefore they felt no anxiety about him.  At Mrs. Hamilton’s when the question was asked, “Where is Rover?” some one replied, “he staid at Mr. Martin’s probably; nothing has been seen of him here.”