er the old man's face as they entered the room
where he was lying. It was Constance's room, which she had gladly
given up to the patient.

"Laddie, laddie!" he said. "I'm so glad to see ye. I knowed ye'd come
back."

"How are you feeling now, Pete?" asked Keith, as he grasped the hand
which was extended in welcome.

"Not very well. I've a bad pain in my chist, but I'm a-thinkin' it'll
go away soon."

"We will do all we can to help you, Pete, never forget that."

"I don't mean that, laddie, fer an army of doctors couldn't help me
now. I guess it's only the good Lord who will give me any relief."

"Pete, Pete, don't say that!" cried Constance. "We can't spare you
yet. What will we do without you?"

"It's the good Lord's will, lassie, an' though I'd like to stay wid yez
a while longer, still when He calls I must be a-goin'. An' yit I
wonner," he continued after a pause, "what He wants the likes of me up
yon fer anyway."

"He wants you, perhaps," replied Keith softly, "for the same reason
that we want you here, because He loves you."

"Loves me! Loves me! What is thar in me to love? an' what have I ever
done that He should love me?"

"'I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat,'" quoted Constance, "'I was
thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in.'
That is what you did to us at Siwash Creek, and I am sure Christ won't
forget that."

"Oh, that's nothin', lassie. I jist done it 'cause I couldn't see yez
suffer, that's all."

"I think it very much. And didn't Christ say that a cup of cold water
given in His name will not lose its reward?"

"'In His name!' Ah, lassie, that's jist whar the stick comes. I
didn't think much about 'Im when I was a-doin' them things. Thar
wasn't the burnin' love in my heart for 'Im that I should have had, an'
it's never been very strong in my heart at any time."

"I think the Master will judge differently," said Keith. "Did He not
say, 'That greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his
life for his friends?' Isn't that what you did for me last night?"

"Did He say them words, laddie; are ye sure?" and the old man looked
his eagerness.

"Yes, that's just what He said. I will read them to you," and Keith
opened his Bible and read the beautiful scene, recorded by St. John, of
the true vine and the branches.

For a while Pete remained very still, with his eyes closed, to all
appearance asleep.

"Laddie," he suddenly remarked,