His mother turned to him and took his head to her bosom in a close
embrace, but no words came from her.

"But, mother, don't be grieving like this," sobbed Shock, "or how can I
leave you at all."

"Laddie, laddie, why did you come in to me? I had minded to give you up
without tears, and this iss my hour of weakness. There now, let your
head lie there. Whist! lad, och-hone. It iss twenty-four years since
first you lay there, lad, and though grief hass come to me many's the
day, yet never through you, never once through you, and you will be
remembering that, lad. It will comfort you after--after--after I'm
gone."

"Gone, mother!" cried Shock in surprise.

"Yess, for this iss the word given to me this night, that you will see
my face no more."

"Oh, mother! mother! don't say that word, for I cannot bear it," and
poor Shock buried his face in the pillow, while his great frame shook
with sobs.

"Whist now, laddie! There now. It iss the Lord."

Her voice grew steady and grave. "It iss the Lord, and He gave you to
me for these few happy years, and, Shock, man, you will be heeding me."

Shock turned his face toward her again and laid his face close to her
cheek.

"Remember, I gave you to Himself in convenant that day, and that
covenant you will keep now and--afterwards, and I must be keeping it
too."

"Yes, mother," said Shock brokenly, while he held her tight. "But it is
only for two years, and then I will be coming home, or you to me, and
before that, perhaps."

"Yes, yes, laddie, it may be--it may be," said his mother soothingly,
"but whether or no, we will not be taking back with the one hand what
we give with the other. I had minded to give you without tears,
but--but oh, lad, you are all--all--all--I have. There is no one left
to me."

There was a long silence between them. Under cover of darkness they let
their tears freely mingle. In all his life Shock had never seen his
mother sob, and now he was heart--stricken with grief and terror.

"Whist now, mother, you must not cry like that. Surely God will be good
to us, and before long I will get a little place for you yonder. Why
should you not come to me? There are missionaries' wives out there," he
said.

"No, lad," his mother replied quietly, "I will not be deceiving myself,
nor you. And yet it may be the Lord's will. But go away now and lie you
down. You will need to sleep a bit, to-morrow will be a hard day to
you."

For twenty years and more s