“I can’t leave you, mammy if you are suffering; you must let me sit beside you and do what is in my power to relieve or help you to forget your pain.”

“No, chile, no; de miseries am all gone an’ I’s mighty comfor’able, bery happy, too, hearin’ de soun’ ob de chariot-wheels and tinking I’s soon be in de bressed lan’ whar de miseries an’ de sins am all done gone foreber; an’ whar ole Uncle Joe an’ de bressed Master is waitin’ to ’ceive me wid songs ob joy and gladness.”

Thus reassured, and perceiving no symptom of approaching dissolution, Elsie returned to her own apartments and was soon in bed and asleep.

In accordance with an Ion rule which Lulu particularly disliked, the children had gone to their rooms an hour or more in advance of the older people.

Grace still slept with her mamma in her father’s absence, but often made her preparations for bed in her sister’s room, that they might chat freely together of whatever was uppermost in their minds.

To-night they were no sooner shut in there, away from other eyes and ears, than Grace put her arms round Lulu’s neck, saying, while her face shone with gladness, “Oh, Lu, I have something to tell you!”

“Have you?” Lulu answered.  “Then it must be something good; for in all your life I never saw you look so very, very happy.  Oh, is it news from papa?  Is he coming home on another visit?” she cried with a sudden, eager lighting up of her face.

The brightness of Grace’s dimmed a trifle as she replied, “No, not that; they would never let him come again so soon.  Oh, how I wish he was here! for he would be so glad of it too; almost as glad as I am, I think.”

“Glad of what?” asked Lulu.

“That I’ve given my heart to Jesus.  Oh, Lulu, won’t you do it too? it is so easy if you only just try.”

“Tell me about it; how did you do it?” Lulu asked gravely, her eyes cast down, a slight frown upon her brow.

“I did just as Grandma Elsie told us this morning.  You know, Lu?”

“Yes, I remember.  But how do you know that you were heard and accepted?”

“Why, Lulu!” was the surprised reply, “the Bible tells us God is the hearer and answerer of prayer—­it’s in one of the verses I’ve learned to say to Grandma Elsie since I came here.  And Jesus says:  ’Him that cometh unto Me I will in nowise cast out;’ so of course He received me.  How could I help knowing it?”

“You’ve got far ahead of me,” Lulu said, with petulance born of an uneasy conscience, as she released herself from Grace’s arms and began undressing with great energy and despatch.

“You needn’t feel that way, Lu,” Grace said pleadingly; “Jesus is just as willing to take you for His child as me.”

“I don’t believe it!” cried Lulu, with almost fierce impatience; “you’ve always been good, and I’ve always been bad.  I don’t see why I wasn’t made patient and sweet-tempered too; it’s no trouble to you to behave and keep rules and all that, but I can’t; try as hard as I will.”