nt. No! I was quiet and resigned. My thoughts,
rising higher than earth, dwelt on the better life beyond the grave.
Some tears came into my eyes. But I was not unhappy. My memory of all
that happened may be trusted, even in trifles which relate only to
myself--I was not unhappy.

The first object that I saw, when my eyes were clear again, was the dog.
He crouched a few paces away from me, trembling pitiably, but uttering
no cry. What had caused the fear that overpowered him?

I was soon to know.

I called to the dog; he remained immovable--conscious of some mysterious
coming thing that held him spellbound. I tried to go to the poor
creature, and fondle and comfort him.

At the first step forward that I took, something stopped me.

It was not to be seen, and not to be heard. It stopped me.

The still figure of the dog disappeared from my view: the lonely scene
round me disappeared--excepting the light from heaven, the tree that
sheltered me, and the grass in front of me. A sense of unutterable
expectation kept my eyes riveted on the grass. Suddenly, I saw its
myriad blades rise erect and shivering. The fear came to me of something
passing over them with the invisible swiftness of the wind. The
shivering advanced. It was all round me. It crept into the leaves of
the tree over my head; they shuddered, without a sound to tell of their
agitation; their pleasant natural rustling was struck dumb. The song of
the birds had ceased. The cries of the water-fowl on the pond were heard
no more. There was a dreadful silence.

But the lovely sunshine poured down on me, as brightly as ever.

In that dazzling light, in that fearful silence, I felt an Invisible
Presence near me. It touched me gently.

At the touch, my heart throbbed with an overwhelming joy. Exquisite
pleasure thrilled through every nerve in my body. I knew him! From the
unseen world--himself unseen--he had returned to me. Oh, I knew him!

And yet, my helpless mortality longed for a sign that might give me
assurance of the truth. The yearning in me shaped itself into words.
I tried to utter the words. I would have said, if I could have spoken:
"Oh, my angel, give me a token that it is You!" But I was like a person
struck dumb--I could only think it.

The Invisible Presence read my thought. I felt my lips touched, as my
husband's lips used to touch them when he kissed me. And that was my
answer. A thought came to me again. I would have said, if I could have
s