“Guess who is here?” she said in a whisper.

“The Brother Man,” replied Philip, quickly.

“Yes, but you never can guess what has happened.  He is in there with William.  And the Brother Man—­Philip, it seems like a chapter out of a novel—­the Brother Man has discovered that William is his only son, who cursed his father and deserted him when he gave away his property.  They are in there together.  I could not keep the Brother Man out.”

Philip and Sarah stepped to the door of the little room, which was open, and looked in.

The Brother Man was kneeling at the side of the bed praying, and his son was listening, with one hand tight-clasped in his father’s, and the tears rolling over his pale face.

CHAPTER XXI.

When the Brother Man had finished his prayer he rose, and stooping over his son he kissed him.  Then he turned about and faced Philip and Sarah, who almost felt guilty of intrusion in looking at such a scene.  But the Brother Man wore a radiant look.  To Philip’s surprise he was not excited.  The same ineffable peace breathed from his entire person.  To that peace was now added a fathomless joy.

“Yes,” he said very simply, “I have found my son which was lost.  God is good to me.  He is good to all His children.  He is the All-Father.  He is Love.”

“Did you know your son was here?” Philip asked.

“No, I found him here.  You have saved his life.  That was doing as He would.”

“It was very little we could do,” said Philip, with a sigh.  He had seen so much trouble and suffering that day that his soul was sick within him.  Yet he welcomed this event in his home.  It seemed like a little brightness of heaven on earth.

The sick man was too feeble to talk much.  The tears and the hand-clasp with his father told the story of his reconciliation, of the bursting out of the old love, which had not been extinguished, only smothered for a time.  Philip thought best that he should not become excited with the meeting, and in a little while drew the Brother Man out into the other room.

By this time it was nearly ten o’clock.  The old man stood hesitating in a curious fashion when Philip asked him to be seated.  And again, as before, he asked if he could find a place to stay over night.

“You haven’t room to take me in,” he said when Philip urged his welcome upon him.

“Oh, yes, we have.  We’ll fix a place for you somewhere.  Sit right down, Brother Man.”

The old man at once accepted the invitation and sat down.  Not a trace of anxiety or hesitation remained.  The peacefulness of his demeanor was restful to the weary Philip.

“How long has your son,” Philip was going to say, “been away from home?” Then he thought it might offend the old man, or that possibly he might not wish to talk about it.  But he quietly replied: 

“I have not seen him for years.  He was my youngest son.  We quarreled.  All that is past.  He did not know that to give up all that one has was the will of God.  Now he knows.  When he is well we will go away together—­yes, together.”  He spread out his palms in his favorite gesture, with plentiful content in his face and voice.