rl; I have something
to tell her."

"I'll see her for you, dear," said Mrs. Lomax, "and tell her anything
you say."

But Patty, who had been so reasonable and obedient, did not seem able to
listen to reason. She wept, and entreated to be carried to the hospital,
until at last her mother consented to let her go in a closed carriage
with her father to lift her in and out, and carry her every step up and
down the halls and stairway. "Only father," she said: "I'd rather have
only father."

After all, the drive did not seem to hurt Patty at all; when she had
taken off her wraps in the waiting room, and was being carried up to the
ward, she whispered a little nervously: "Can I see the little girl all
by myself, father?"

Mr. Lomax felt troubled at this almost stubborn secrecy. "I think not,
daughter," he said gravely; "the nurse would hardly leave her patient in
the hands of such a little girl as you. Why is it that you can't trust
me to hear what you have to say?"

Patty hesitated a minute, and then said, "I'm so afraid that you might
laugh at it, or say it was just a fancy; and, oh, I couldn't stand
anybody's laughing, because it helped me so."

"Dear little girl," he said to himself. Then he answered Patty in a very
gentle voice: "You need have no fear of that, darling. Now that I know
how you feel about it, whatever you have to say will be very precious to
me."

[Illustration: "_Will you ask for me? I don't know Him very well._"]

Nothing more was said, but the little arms tightened about his neck, and
he heard a little sigh of content.

Laugh at her! No listener could have smiled at Patty's secret, except as
one might smile in glad surprise if an angel spoke.

In very simple speech, as one child uses to another, Patty told this
little hospital patient of her long time of suffering and disease; how
she had felt that she could not stand the surgeon's table, the knife,
the stitches and all the horrors of an operation.

"But the night before it was to happen," said Patty, "after I had prayed
with all my might to our Saviour to help me bear the pain I fell asleep,
and dreamed that I saw Him.

"Oh, I wish you could know how He looked! Just as if He was all our
mothers and fathers in one person. I did not hear Him speak, but I knew
from His smile that He was going to be with me. And then I waked up and
remembered what He said when He was going back to heaven, 'Lo, I am with
you alway,' and I wasn't afraid any mo