.
Faith pressed her lips and cheek lightly to Johnny's brow, in a rush of
sorrow and joy; then began again some sweet Bible story for his tired
little spirit.

Mr. Linden did not long keep even his resting position, though perhaps
longer than he would but for the murmuring talk which he did not want
to interrupt. But when that ceased, he came back to his former seat,
leaning his arm on Faith's chair in a silence that was very
uninterrupted. There were plenty of comers and goers in the outer
room,--Miss Bezac, and Mrs. Stoutenburgh, and Mrs. Derrick, and Mrs.
Somers, were all there with offers of assistance; but Mr. Linden knew
well that little Johnny had all he could have, and his orders to Reuben
had been very strict that no one should come in. So except the various
tones of different voices--which made their way once in a while--the
two watchers had nothing to break the still quiet in which they sat.
Their own words only made the quiet deeper, as they watched the little
feet which they had first guided in the heavenward path, now passing on
before them.

"We were permitted to shew him the way at first, Faith," Mr. Linden
said, "but he is shewing it to us now! But 'suffer them to come'! in
death as in life."

Much of the time the child slumbered--or lay in a half stupor, though
often this was uneasy unless Mr. Linden walked with him up and down the
room. Then he would revive a little, and look and speak quite brightly,
asking for singing or reading or talk,--letting Faith smooth his hair,
or bathe his face and hands, or give him a spoonful or two from one of
her little cups; his face keeping its fair quiet look, even though the
mortal began to give way before the immortal.

In one of these times of greater strength and refreshment, when he was
in Mr. Linden's arms, he looked up at him and said,

"Read about heaven--what you used to."

Mr. Linden took his little Bible--remembering but too readily what that
"used" to be, and read softly and clearly the verses in Revelation--

"'And he shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem.--And the city
had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the
glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the
nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the
kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it. And the
gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no
night there. And there shall