Oh! meet him cheerily,
As thy true friend
And all thy fears shall cease,
And In eternal peace
Thy penance end.

'In eternal peace,' repeated Guy; 'I did not think it would have been so
soon. I can't think where the battle has been. I never thought my life
could be so bright. It was a foolish longing, when first I was ill, for
the cool waves of Redclyffe bay and that shipwreck excitement, if I was
to die. This is far better. Read me a psalm, Amy, "Out of the deep."'

There was something in his perfect happiness that would not let her
grieve, though a dull heavy sense of consternation was growing on her.
So it went on through the night--not a long, nor a dreary one--but more
like a dream. He dozed and woke, said a few tranquil words, and listened
to some prayer, psalm, or verse, then slept again, apparently without
suffering, except when he tried to take the cordials, and this he did
with such increasing difficulty, that she hardly knew how to bear to
cause him so much pain, though it was the last lingering hope. He strove
to swallow them, each time with the mechanical 'Thank you,' so affecting
when thus spoken; but at last he came to, 'It is of no use; I cannot.'

Then she knew all hope was gone, and sat still, watching him. The
darkness lessened, and twilight came. He slept, but his breath grew
short, and unequal; and as she wiped the moisture on his brow, she knew
it was the death-damp.

Morning light came on--the church bell rang out matins--the white hills
were tipped with rosy light. His pulse was almost gone--his hand was
cold. At last he opened his eyes. 'Amy! he said, as if bewildered, or in
pain.

'Here, dearest!'

'I don't see.'

At that moment the sun was rising, and the light streamed in at the open
window, and over the bed; but it was "another dawn than ours" that he
beheld as his most beautiful of all smiles beamed over his face, and he
said, 'Glory in the Highest!--peace--goodwill'--A struggle for breath
gave an instant's look of pain, then he whispered so that she could but
just hear--'The last prayer.' She read the Commendatory Prayer. She knew
not the exact moment, but even as she said 'Amen' she perceived it was
over. The soul was with Him with whom dwell the spirits of just men made
perfect; and there lay the earthly part with a smile on the face. She
closed the dark fringed eyelids--saw him look more beautiful than in
sleep--then, laying her face d