had held her poor nerveless hand, had kissed her good-by in an
almost sacred manner when she was so near death, touched her. Did she
know? Hanny wondered. What was death? The breath went out of your
body--and her old thoughts about the soul came back to her. It was so
different when the world was coming to an end. Then you were to be
caught up into heaven and not be put into the ground. She shrank from
the horrible thought of being buried there, of being so covered that you
never could get out. She decided that she would not so much mind if the
world did come to an end.

"Margaret," she said, "was it dreadful for Miss Lois to die?"

"No, dear," returned her sister gently. "If we were all in another
country, the beautiful heaven, and you were here all alone, would you
not like to come to us? That was the way Miss Lois felt. It is so much
better than living on here alone. And then when one gets old--no, dear,
it was a pleasant journey to her. She had thought a great deal about it,
and had loved and served God. This is what we all must do."

"Margaret, what must I do to serve Him?"

"I think trying to make people happier is one service. Being helpful and
obedient, and taking up the little trials cheerfully, when we have to do
the things we don't quite like."

"I wish you would tell me something hard that I do not like to do."

"Suppose I said I would not go out and play with the girls this
afternoon."

"I'd rather not of myself," said Hanny. "I feel like being still and
thinking."

Margaret smiled down in the sweet, serious face. There was no trial she
could impose.

"Then think of the beautiful land where Miss Lois has gone, where no one
will be sick or tired or lonely, where the flowers are always blooming
and there is no winter, where all is peace and love."

"But I don't understand--how you get to heaven," said the puzzled child.

"No one knows until the time comes. Then God shows us the way, and
because He is there we do not have any terror. We just go to Him. It is
a great mystery. No one can quite explain it."

Elsie Hay came for her, but she said she was not going out, that she did
not feel like playing. She brought her sewing, and in her mind wandered
about heaven, seeing Miss Lois in her new body.

They did not take her to the funeral. She went over to Daisy Jasper's
and read to her, wondering a little if Daisy would be glad to go where
she would be well and strong and have no more pain. But then