more could be done; that the house could
not be saved. Seeing that further effort was useless and that each
moment increased the danger of their own lives, the men left off
fighting the fire, in order to save themselves and to help, if possible,
the Worthington family. They soon reached the house. The next question
was, where to go. The lake seemed to be the nearest place of safety.
Confusion was everywhere, but through it all Mrs. Worthington sat
quietly holding her dying baby.

"O Mama," said Bessie, "aren't you going with the rest?"

"No," answered her mother positively; "I shall remain right here with my
dying child. I can not move him now and add to his suffering. I know
that God can take care of me here as well as anywhere else. Why, Bessie,
where is your faith? God can yet send rain and put out the fire."

"Oh! but if God doesn't send rain, you will burn up; for the fire is
almost here," cried Bessie. "Do come as far from the house as you can,
won't you?"

"No, Bessie, I told you, no. I shall sit just where I am," answered Mrs.
Worthington; and Bessie knew that it would be useless to press the
matter further.

With throbbing heart Bessie ran to her room, which was already getting
hot from the fire: she fell upon her knees by the window where she could
see the flames leaping from tree to tree, and began to call mightily
upon God. "O God!" she prayed, "do send rain or change the wind." After
repeating this prayer several times, she noticed some large drops of
water upon the window pane. She knew what it meant: once before God had
sent rain to help her in time of danger. Hastening down stairs, she
said, "Mama, it's raining." "Thank God!" said Mrs. Worthington, "I knew
he wouldn't let baby and me burn up."

By that time the rain was pouring down; the wind had ceased; and the
danger was over. The rain did not put out the fire, but so checked it
that, by hard work, it could be kept under control until it died out.

Little Clement lived only a short time after the fire; but just before
he died, he looked into his weeping mother's face and smiled three
times. As he had never smiled before, Mrs. Worthington always thought
that God took that way to encourage her heart.

CHAPTER XIX.

LOST IN THE WOODS.

As Leroy was too young to drive the cows home in the evening, Bessie
enjoyed many a long walk in search of them. One evening she had some
difficulty in finding them. It was one of those evenings when eve