g, and rejecting all the offers of mercy; and he trembled
lest he should not escape.

Several times during the day and evening he laid the book aside, and
stole softly into Elsie's room to learn if there had been any change;
but there was none, and at length, quite worn out with fatigue and
sorrow--for he had been several nights without any rest--he threw himself
down on a couch, and fell into a heavy slumber.

About midnight Adelaide came and woke him to say that Elsie had become
calm, the fever had left her, and she had fallen asleep.

"The doctor," she added, "says this is the crisis, and he begins to have
a _little_ hope--very faint, indeed, but still a _hope_--that she may
awake refreshed from this slumber; yet it might be--he is fearful it
is--only the precursor of death."

The last word was almost inaudible.

Mr. Dinsmore trembled with excitement.

"I will go to her," he said in an agitated tone. "She will not know of
my presence, now that she is sleeping, and I may at least have the sad
satisfaction of looking at her dear little face."

But Adelaide shook her head.

"No, no," she replied, "that will never do; for we know not at what
moment she may awake, and the agitation she would probably feel at the
sight of you would be almost certain to prove fatal. Had you not better
remain here? and I will call you the moment she wakes."

Mr. Dinsmore acquiesced with a deep sigh, and she went back to her post.

Hour after hour they sat there--Mrs. Travilla, Adelaide, the doctor, and
poor old Chloe--silent and still as statues, watching that quiet slumber,
straining their ears to catch the faint sound of the gentle breathing--a
sound so low that ever and anon their hearts thrilled with the sudden
fear that it had ceased forever; and one or another, rising noiselessly,
would bend over the little form in speechless alarm, until again they
caught the low, fitful sound.

The first faint streak of dawn was beginning in the eastern sky when
the doctor, who had been bending over her for several minutes, suddenly
laid his finger on her pulse for an instant; then turned to his
fellow-watchers with a look that there was no mistaking.

There was weeping and wailing then in that room, where death-like
stillness had reigned so long.

"Precious, precious child! dear lamb safely gathered into the Saviour's
fold," said Mrs. Travilla in quivering tones, as she gently laid her hand
upon the closed eyes, and straightened the l