ce; and may
Heaven bless a sister so devoted, and a friend so true."

The Governor was not so well when Mr. Wharton and Agnes called the next
morning; but Ruth. appeared, her face radiant with joy, and, throwing
her arms around Agnes' neck, she put into her hand a _sealed paper_.

XX.

Twice Free.

"Oh liberty!

Thou choicest gift of Heaven, and wanting which
Life is as nothing."--KNOWLES.

Oh! the sunshine, and the glad earth, and the singing of the birds of
early spring, to the prisoner, sick, and worn, and weary! How the feeble
pulse already begins to throb with pleasure, and life which had seemed
so valueless before, looks lovely and much to be desired now.

The official announcement of the pardon reached Hillsdale almost as soon
as Agnes herself, and the friends of the young prisoner lost no time in
removing him as gently and as comfortably as possible, to his uncle's
kind home at Brook Farm. Here nothing was left undone by his devoted
friends to soothe his declining days; and with a heart overflowing with
gratitude and love, Lewie sank quietly towards the grave.

He was very gentle now, and the change in him was so great, that his
sister doubted not that repentance and faith had done their work. His
own doubts and fears were many, though sometimes a glimmering of hope
would beam through the clouds which seemed to have gathered about him.
One day, after a long conversation with Agnes upon the love and mercy of
God, he said:

"Well Agnes, it may be, there is hope for me too; I know He is
all-powerful and all-merciful; why, as you say, should not his mercy
extend even to me?"

"He is _able_ and _willing_ to save unto the uttermost," said Agnes.

"Unto--the--uttermost! Unto--the--uttermost!" repeated the sick youth
slowly; then looking up with his beautiful eye beaming with
expression;--

"Yes, Agnes," said he, "I will trust him!"

Day by day he grew weaker, and at times his sufferings were intense;
but such a wonderful patience and calmness possessed him, and he seemed
so to forget self in his thought for others, that Mrs. Wharton said, in
speaking of him:

"I never so fully realized the import of the words '_a new creature_.'
Who would think that this could be our impetuous, thoughtless Lewie, of
former times."

"You must make some allowance for the languor of sickness, my dear,"
said Mr. Wharton, who of course did not see so much of the invalid as
those who had the immediate ch