d."

"Children!"

"Ay, there were eight children with us."

"One minds one's manners when one has the angels in company, or else
maybe I should speak my mind a bit straight. And what was it for,
child?"

"They said we were heretics."

"I'll be bound they did! But what had you done?"

"My brother and some others had preached the Gospel of Christ in the
villages round, and further away."

"What mean you by that, now?"

"The good news that men are sinners, and that Jesus died for sinners."

"Ah! I used to know all about that once. But now--He's forgotten me."

"No, never, never, Mother Haldane! It is thou who hast forgotten Him.
He sent me to thee to-night to tell thee so."

"Gently now, my dear! Keep still. Don't you use up your bit of
strength for a worthless old woman, no good to any body. There ain't
nobody in the world as cares for me, child. No, there ain't nobody!"

"Mother Haldane, I think Christ cared for you on His cross; and He cares
for you now in Heaven. He wanted somebody to come and tell you so; and
nobody did, so he drove me here. You'll let me tell you all about it,
won't you?"

"Softly, my dear--you'll harm yourself! Ay, you shall tell me any thing
you will, my snow-bird, when you're fit to do it; but you must rest a
while first."

There was no sleep that night for Mother Haldane. All the long winter
night she sat beside Ermine, feeding her at short intervals, laying her
herb poultices on the poor brow, covering up the chilled body from which
it seemed as if the shivering would never depart. More and more silent
grew the old woman as time went on, only now and then muttering a
compassionate exclamation as she saw more clearly all the ill that had
been done. She kept up the fire all night, and made a straw bed, as she
had promised, behind the screen, where the invalid would be sheltered
from the draught, and yet warm, the fire being just on the other side of
the screen. To this safe refuge Ermine was able to drag herself when
the morning broke.

"You'll be a fine cure, dearie!" said the old woman, looking on her with
satisfaction. "You'll run like a hare yet, and be as rosy as
Robin-run-by-the-hedge."

"I wonder why I am saved," said Ermine in a low voice. "I suppose all
the rest are with God now. I thought I should have been there too by
this time. Perhaps He has some work for me to do:--it may be that He
has chosen you, and I am to tell you of His goodness and mer