“‘Forgive, and you shall be forgiven,’” she said gently. “’Do good and lend.’  Can’t you lend your mother for a few weeks, dears?”

“Weeks, mamma! oh, so long!” they cried.  “How can we? who will take care of us, and hear our lessons and teach us to be good?”

“Dinah will wash and dress you, Elsie help you little ones to learn your lessons, and I think papa,” looking at him, “will hear you recite.”

“Yes,” he said, smiling on them, “we will do our best, so that dear mamma may not be anxious and troubled about us in addition to all the care and anxiety for the suffering ones at Roselands.”

“Yes, papa,” they answered, returning his smile half tearfully; then questioned their mother as to when she must go, and whether they should see her at all while Aunt Enna was sick.

“I can wait only long enough to take supper with you, and have our talk together afterward,” she said, “because I am needed at Roselands.  Perhaps papa will bring you there sometimes to see me for a little while if you will be very quiet.  And it may be only for a few days that I shall be wanted there; we cannot tell about that yet.”

She spoke cheerfully, but it cost her an effort because of the grieved, troubled looks on the dear little faces.

“But baby, mamma!” cried Vi, “baby can’t do without you!”

“No, dear, she and mammy will have to go with me.”

They were not the usual merry party at the tea-table, and a good many tears were shed during the talk with mamma afterward.

They all consented to her going, but the parting with her, and the thought of doing without her for “so long” were the greatest trials they had ever known.

She saw all the younger ones in bed, kissed each one good-night, and reminding them that their heavenly Father was always with them, and that she would not be too far away to come at once to them if needed, she left them to their sleep.

Elsie followed her mother to her dressing-room, watched for every opportunity to assist in her preparations for her absence.  They were not many, and with some parting injunctions to this little daughter and the servants, she announced herself ready to go.

Elsie clung to her with tears at the last, as they stood together in the lower hall waiting for the others.

“Mamma, what shall I do without you?  I’ve never been away from you a whole day in all my life.”

“No, dearest, but be my brave, helpful little girl.  You must try to fill mother’s place to the little ones.  I shall not be far away, you know, and your dear father will be here nearly all the time.  And don’t forget, darling, that your best Friend is always with you.”

“No, mamma,” said the child, smiling through her tears; “it is so sweet to know that; and please don’t trouble about us at home.  I’ll do my best for papa and the children.”

“That is right, daughter, you are a very great comfort to me now and always,” the mother said, with a last caress, as her husband joined her and gave her his arm to lead her to the carriage.