f approaching dissolution,
Elsie returned to her own apartments and was soon in bed and asleep.

In accordance with an Ion rule which Lulu particularly disliked, the
children had gone to their rooms an hour or more in advance of the older
people.

Grace still slept with her mamma in her father's absence, but often made
her preparations for bed in her sister's room, that they might chat
freely together of whatever was uppermost in their minds.

To-night they were no sooner shut in there, away from other eyes and
ears, than Grace put her arms round Lulu's neck, saying, while her face
shone with gladness, "Oh, Lu, I have something to tell you!"

"Have you?" Lulu answered. "Then it must be something good; for in all
your life I never saw you look so very, very happy. Oh, is it news from
papa? Is he coming home on another visit?" she cried with a sudden, eager
lighting up of her face.

The brightness of Grace's dimmed a trifle as she replied, "No, not that;
they would never let him come again so soon. Oh, how I wish he was here!
for he would be so glad of it too; almost as glad as I am, I think."

"Glad of what?" asked Lulu.

"That I've given my heart to Jesus. Oh, Lulu, won't you do it too? it is
so easy if you only just try."

"Tell me about it; how did you do it?" Lulu asked gravely, her eyes cast
down, a slight frown upon her brow.

"I did just as Grandma Elsie told us this morning. You know, Lu?"

"Yes, I remember. But how do you know that you were heard and accepted?"

"Why, Lulu!" was the surprised reply, "the Bible tells us God is the
hearer and answerer of prayer--it's in one of the verses I've learned to
say to Grandma Elsie since I came here. And Jesus says: 'Him that cometh
unto Me I will in nowise cast out;' so of course He received me. How
could I help knowing it?"

"You've got far ahead of me," Lulu said, with petulance born of an uneasy
conscience, as she released herself from Grace's arms and began
undressing with great energy and despatch.

"You needn't feel that way, Lu," Grace said pleadingly; "Jesus is just as
willing to take you for His child as me."

"I don't believe it!" cried Lulu, with almost fierce impatience; "you've
always been good, and I've always been bad. I don't see why I wasn't made
patient and sweet-tempered too; it's no trouble to you to behave and keep
rules and all that, but I can't; try as hard as I will."

"Oh, Lulu, Jesus will help you to be good if you ask Him and t