littering ice, under the trees, leafless now, which
overshadowed its ceaseless ripple in the warm summer days. The young
party had pleasant sleigh-rides to see old favourite spots in their
winter aspect, and Fred joined the younger children in their skating
and snowballing, though he enjoyed much more the walks in which he
accompanied his sister and her friend. Mary and he got on as well as
Lucy had expected, although she was disappointed that, after their
visit was over, she could not draw from him any enthusiastic praise
of Miss Eastwood; at which she would have been a little vexed, but for
the reflection that Fred, unlike most people, never said the half of
what he thought. He did not, however, leave Oakvale without a promise
to renew his visit during the summer vacation.

Lucy, on her return home, found her little cousin evidently sinking
fast. Her strength was almost exhausted, and she suffered a good deal
from pain and restlessness; but scarcely a complaint ever escaped her
lips. She often talked now about going to Jesus, the thought on which
her mind seemed most to dwell. Mrs. Brooke, seeing this, at last sent
for the minister whose church the family usually attended on Sundays,
that being the extent of their connection with it. But he was a
stranger to Amy,--for his ministerial visits had never been desired or
encouraged,--and though she was grateful to him for coming to see her
and praying beside her bed, she could not speak to him, as she could
to Lucy, about her willingness to go to the happy home which her
Saviour was preparing for her. Still her visitor could see enough of
the change God had wrought in her heart, to make him marvel, as he
took his leave, at the wonderful way in which God sometimes raises up
to Himself a witness in the most worldly homes, and perfects praise
"out of the mouth of babes and sucklings."

The little invalid was sometimes slightly delirious when the hectic
fever was at its height, but her wandering fancies were always of
gentle and pleasant things. She would ask if they did not hear the
sweet singing in her room; and when Lucy would ask what was sung,
would say, "Jerusalem," meaning "Jerusalem the Golden," her favourite
hymn next to the one she loved best of all, "I lay my sins on Jesus."

One night, when she had been asleep for some time, with Lucy only
watching beside her, she suddenly awoke, a flash of joy lighting up
her face. "Lucy," she murmured faintly; but when Lucy ben