to come and administer comfort to them.

"He'll give us the sacrament, and pray for us at the bedside were the
deed bairn lies."

Jimmy was dazed at the suggestion. He could not quite bring himself to
give up the idea of some day renewing his former habits of aiding the
smugglers, and of doing a bit of poaching. He was quite frank in
stating to his wife that he feared if Turnbull came and prayed with
them he would get him to join the chapel folk, and there would be no
more poaching or smuggling after that.

"And see what a loss it wad be tiv us. But," said he, "to tell the
truth, aa hev been for prayin' mesel ever since the bairn tuck bad,
but then aa thowt it was cowardly to ask help when aa was in
difficulties and nivvor at ony other time. So I didn't dee 't."

Jenny interjected that at the risk of being led to join the
Methodists, and throwing over all thought of joining in any more
lawlessness, he must go to the village and ask Mr. Turnbull to come.

"I feel somethin' forcin' me to this, Jimmy; so get away and be quick
back."

And as James felt the same throbbing impulse, off he went, and within
an hour presented his petition to Mr. Turnbull, who received him in
his usual kind way, which caused the redoubtable ruffian to melt into
tears, and volubly to confess all his murderous intentions towards the
man he now believed to be the only agency on earth that could give him
comfort.

The two men started at once for the bereaved home. The first part of
the journey was tramped in solemn meditation. At last Jimmy broke
silence by asking his companion if he thought God had taken his child
from him as a punishment for his sins. Turnbull said--

"Well, James, I believe your heavenly Father has some work for you to
do. He has often warned you of the wrath to come by confronting you
with danger at sea; and only a short time since you were caught in the
act of committing a crime, and narrowly escaped being banished to a
penal settlement, and He mercifully used a friend as an instrument to
save you from this degradation. But you still maintained the spirit
of defiance, and were a law unto yourself. The Almighty saw that
drastic measures would have to be taken to break down your wilful
opposition. Your child was stricken with illness, and still you went
on cursing God and man; and then in His wondrous compassion for you
and hundreds of other men and women to whom I believe He has planned
you shall carry the message of