Who can describe the joy that prevailed after that?  Ondrejko hugged his mother and grandfather and nestled next to Bacha Filina.  “We shall all stay at home, at home with Bacha Filina.  We shall not go into the distant foreign world.  Oh, we remain in our mountains.  Even Palko will be here with us,” he said.

“Yes, my son.”  The grandfather drew the boy close to him.  “We shall remain at home.  We shall live here together with the Lord Jesus and He with us.”

After a while the campfire began to die down.  The voices subsided.  Only in the distance the thunder rolled, the lightning flashed, but above the sheepcotes shone the clear stars.  Around the buildings Bacha Filina made his rounds, watching that no danger threatened anywhere, and again at the bench—­as once long ago—­he stopped.  This time, the father and daughter sat there together; no longer a prodigal, she had returned first to the heavenly, and then to the earthly father.  She had come home and was accepted.  He wanted to step aside, but they had been waiting for him.

“We knew that you would pass by,” said Slavkovsky, and made room for his brother beside himself.  “Mary has a request to make of you.”

“Me?” Bacha was surprised.

“Yes, you, my dear Uncle.  Cease to be ‘Bacha.’  Come among us.  You shall have the supervision of things; be one family with us,” the lady begged with her whole heart, but Bacha shook his head.

“I thank you, my daughter,” he spoke, deeply moved, “I would love to make one family with you because you are all very dear to me; but do not take me away from my calling.  Once I started as an unhappy man, and this occupation cheered me in my sorrow.  I grew up with the sheep, with the work and with nature about me.  Now when the heavens have opened above me, leave me at this heaven’s gate.  Do not let it vex you that you have a rich estate and I am but a poor ‘Bacha.’  All that I need for my living, I shall earn honestly.  I have somewhere to live, and you love me; I am no more alone.  You will come to visit me and I will visit you, especially when you, my brother, return.  Only one thing I ask of you, if you have more than you need for your living, send Palko to school.  His father grieves that he is not able to do it for him.  God has given him what no school can supply, but if people with such faith could stand in the pulpits there would be a real awakening in our nation.”

“Oh, Bacha Filina, I thank you.  I have been thinking about the same thing, only did not dare to speak with Lesina about it.”  The lady grasped Bacha’s hard hand in hers.  “Believe me, we will gladly do anything for Palko.  He brought us life and salvation; let him in the future carry it to thousands.”

The quiet mysterious night settled upon the world, its silence broken only by the soft sound of the shepherd’s flute.  Stephen had the night watch and thus he played to himself: 

  “If I but knew where she abides,
  Where to the night so quickly glides,
  I would like an arrow run,
  And thus compel it to return.”