the place and the other to purify
him."

The wise men all laughed, and there was some sense in the laugh that
applauded the oracle.

Tim Tyler and Bob Landers had both been carried to their homes. Bob
escaped serious injury, but it was found that Tim was badly burned.

"I felt it a good deal at the very first," he told Mr. Walton one day,
"when, in going after my coat, I happened to open a door where the fire
was, and it darted at me. You see the pain stopped, but now it has started
up."

"Yes, I understand that while the first contact with the fire is painful,
then what you might call a paralyzing of the nerves takes place, and
feeling is benumbed. When the action of the fire ceases, and the attempt
at healing sets in, the nerves try to do their duty and the pain starts up
once more. I have thought that the old martyrs who were burned at the
stake, while they smarted terribly at first, had an easier time after
that. Bad enough to step upon the hot round of such a ladder to heaven,
but it was easier climbing after that. You got confused, Tim, didn't you,
in the mill, when trying to find your way back?"

"O yes; and as I said, I opened a door where the fire rushed at me. It was
so smoky I wonder I ever got out at all. It seems I had some good
friends."

"Yes, and God was your best friend, and he helped you, and if you are not
a martyr, you can try to bear your pain as patiently as you can, and some
people in bearing pain stand more than the martyrs even."

Tim looked up. "Could you--could you--say a small prayer for me? I don't
want to knuckle under, but grin and bear it best I can."

When Mr. Walton came out into the kitchen where Ann was she said: "I heard
Tim ask you to pray. That was a good deal for him to do. Afore, you did it
without the asking, but I was glad to have him just speak up for himself.
O, he has been a softenin' since the fire, a comin' round a good deal."

"Where is your brother?"

"Mine? Tim, you mean?"

"Yes."

She only shook her head, and looked sad.

As Mr. Walton was walking home he met Tony, one of his favorites.

"Well, Tony, how is the club? Have they all got the shields Miss Barry
gave them?"

"I think so, and you were very kind to promise what you did; but we don't
have any meetings now."

"Don't you?"

"No, sir."

"Won't you come in and see me?"

Tony followed his friend into the clergyman's study. Then Mr. Walton found
his mother and brought her into the study.