mother who had so little
appreciated him, who required to lose him, perhaps, to bring home to her
his whole value.

"'I have always foreseen the possibility of this,' he said, 'and prepared
for it as best I could. Besides the money I have confided to you, I
insured my life, most fortunately, last year. She will have enough to get
on pretty comfortably--and tell her,' he hesitated, 'I don't think she
will miss me very much. I have never had the knack of drawing much
affection to myself. But tell her I was quite satisfied that it is all
for the best, and Louis may yet return to cheer her old age.'

"Jack stayed till he could stay no longer. Then, with a grasp of the hand
which meant more than many words, he left his new, yet old friend,
promising to be down again at Kadikoi first thing in the morning. 'But
take the papers with you, Berkeley, the papers and the pocket-book, in
case, you know----' were Sawyer's last words to him.

"Jack was even earlier the next day than he had expected. But when he got
to the tent the canvas door was drawn to.

"'Asleep?' he said to the doctor of the 25th Hussars, who came up at that
moment, recognizing him.

"'Yes,' said the doctor, bending his head reverently, as he said the
word.

"He unfastened the door, and signed to Jack to follow him. Jack
understood--yes, asleep indeed. There he lay--all the pain and anxiety
over, and as the two men gazed at the peaceful face, there came into
Jack's mind the same words which his mother had whispered over the dead
face of his little brother,

"'Of such is the kingdom of Heaven'."

CHAPTER XII.

A CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE.

"With bolted doors and windows wedged,
The care was all in vain;
For there were noises in the night
Which nothing could explain."

GRANDMAMMA AND THE FAIRIES

The children had gone quietly to bed the evening before when grandmother
had finished the reading of her story. They just kissed her and said,
"Thank you, _dear_ grandmother," and that was all. But it was all she
wanted.

"I felt, you know," said Molly to Sylvia when they were dressing the next
morning, "I felt a sort of feeling as if I'd been in church when the
music was _awfully_ lovely. A beautiful feeling, but strange too, you
know, Sylvia? _Particularly_ as Uncle Jack died too. When did he die? Do
you know, Sylvia? Was it at that place?"

"What place?" said Sylvia curtly. When her feelings were touched she had