ow when the moment came for a helpful word and the cordial
of sincere prayer that brings such comfort and healing to tried and
troubled hearts. He had been to Dan before at unexpected hours, but
always found him sullen, indifferent, or rebellious, and had gone away
to patiently bide his time. Now it had come; a look of relief was in the
prisoner's face as the light shone on it, and the sound of a human
voice was strangely comfortable after listening to the whispers of
the passions, doubts, and fears which had haunted the cell for hours,
dismaying Dan by their power, and showing him how much he needed help to
fight the good fight, since he had no armour of his own.

'Kent, poor Mason has gone. He left a message for you, and I felt
impelled to come and give it now, because I think you were touched by
what we heard today, and in need of the help Mason tried to give you,'
said the chaplain, taking the one seat and fixing his kind eyes on the
grim figure in the bed.

'Thank you, sir, I'd like to hear it,' was all Dan's answer; but he
forgot himself in pity for the poor fellow dead in prison, with no last
look at wife or child.

He went suddenly, but remembered you, and begged me to say these words:
"Tell him not to do it, but to hold on, do his best, and when his time
is out go right to Mary, and she'll make him welcome for my sake. He's
got no friends in these parts and will feel lonesome, but a woman's
always safe and comfortable when a fellow's down on his luck. Give him
my love and good-bye for he was kind to me, and God will bless him for
it." Then he died quietly, and tomorrow will go home with God's pardon,
since man's came too late.'

Dan said nothing, but laid his arm across his face and lay quite still.
Seeing that the pathetic little message had done its work even better
than he hoped, the chaplain went on, unconscious how soothing his
paternal voice was to the poor prisoner who longed to 'go home', but
felt he had forfeited the right.

'I hope you won't disappoint this humble friend whose last thought was
for you. I know that there is trouble brewing, and fear that you may be
tempted to lend a hand on the wrong side. Don't do it, for the plot will
not succeed--it never does--and it would be a pity to spoil your record
which is fair so far. Keep up your courage, my son, and go out at the
year's end better, not worse, for this hard experience. Remember a
grateful woman waits to welcome and thank you if you hav