perhaps, in connection
with the remembrance of his little cousins, the thought of their kind,
quiet nurse had come back to him. And yet she had never in all that
time forgotten to ask for him what seemed to her to be the best of all
blessings.

"And do you do that for all your friends?" he said. "How came you to
think of doing this for me?"

"You did not seem very happy, I thought. You seemed like one searching
for something that you could not find; and so I asked that your eyes
might be opened."

"Well, some day you must tell me how your eyes were opened, and perhaps
that may help me."

"Oh, no. I have nothing to tell, only I was very miserable often and
discontented and troublesome. Afterwards it was all changed, and I was
at peace."

She lay quite still, as if she were weary, and when Mr Sherwood spoke
again it was only to say good-bye.

But afterwards, at different times, she told him of the great happiness
that had come to her through the grace of God, and he listened with an
interest which sometimes increased to wonder. He mused on the simple
recitals of the young girl with an earnestness which he could not
explain to himself, and read the chapters which she pointed out as
having done her good, partly for the pleasure of talking them over with
her, and partly, too, because he began to see in God's Word what he had
never seen in it before.

But I had no thought of saying all this about Mr Sherwood. It was of
the sad, yet happy days that Christie passed in the hospital that I
wished to write, and they were drawing to a close now. But let me say
just one word more about her friend. It all came to pass as Christie
had been sure it would. The day came when, earnestly as blind
Bartimeus, he prayed, `Lord, that mine eyes may be opened!' And He who
had compassion on the wayside beggar had compassion on him, and called
him out of darkness into His marvellous light. I dare say she knows the
glad tidings now. If she does not, she will know them soon, on the
happy day when the friends shall meet "on the other side of the river."

One day when Mr Sherwood came, he brought Gertrude with him. She had
been prepared to find Christie very ill, but she had no thought of
finding her so greatly changed. She was scarcely able to restrain her
emotion at the sight of the pale, suffering face that told so sad a
tale, and she was so much excited that Mr Sherwood did not like to go
away and leave them together, as