est into
thy kingdom." And Jesus said unto him, "Verily I say unto thee, to-day
shalt thou be with me in Paradise,"' are the exact words, Nickols," the
parson answered him.

"Charlotte, ask the judge if he is willing that I should wipe the slate
clean as you propose in case there really is a door and an old Peter to
present a purified passport to," the dying man said to me with a touch
of his old whimsicality. "I give up, Greg; the soul that Charlotte
possesses can't be put out into nothingness; and if she's got one I have
too," he said, after a moment's fight for breath. "Hurry, all of you, to
get my passport made out and bring the girl here to me. Quick, get her.
There is very little time."

"She's here, Nick," I answered, and after a few words to father and the
parson, to which they both gave assent, I called Martha and the boy into
the room.

Straight as a bird to its nest Martha flew to the bedside and the dying
arms found strength to lift themselves and take her and the child into
their embrace.

"Will you forgive me and let me make it as right with the world for you
and him as I can, Martha?" he asked. "I love you, but I'd have drawn us
all down into hell."

"Oh, no, no!" exclaimed Martha, looking up at me with positive fear of
me and of father and of our world in her wild face.

"Yes, Martha," I said, as I knelt beside her and took the Stray in my
arms, toward which he in his terror at the scene strained. "Father is a
justice and he'll make the license over there in the desk right. You
must, Martha, you must! It gives you and the boy to me to care for."

"Yes, Martha," echoed Nickols' voice, out of which the strength was
quickly going. "Help me wipe off as much of the slate as you can," and
the wandering hand suddenly encountered the boy's wee paddie resting on
the edge of the bed and clasped it close.

And with the three of us crouched there beside him, father and Mr.
Goodloe bound them legally and in the name of God, just as the last
flicker of strength flared up in Nickols' body. Immediately I rose with
the child in my arms and Martha took Nickols' head on her faithful
breast while the life ebbed away.

"Amen, Charlotte, amen," were his last whispered words and I understood
that he was ratifying again my prayer for light to lead the way of his
faltering steps.

And then came a stillness in which we all stood with bowed heads while
Martha sobbed.

The death of Nickols Morris Powers was an event