ke badly hurt. Condition critical. Come at
once. Will meet the last train at King's Cross.'

CHAPTER XLVI

'INASMUCH'

'He, being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long
time.'--WISDOM OF SOLOMON.

All her life long Audrey never forgot that long weary journey. The
lateness of the hour compelled her to take a circuitous route to London.
Dr. Ross accompanied her part of the way, and did not leave her until he
placed her under the care of the guard, who promised to keep the
compartment for her.

'You will be all right now, Audrey,' he said, with a poor attempt at
cheerfulness. 'I have tipped the guard half-a-crown--a piece of
extravagance on my part, I believe, as you only stop once between this
and King's Cross, and Michael will meet you at the other end. God bless
you, my child!' he continued, with deeper feeling, as the train began to
move. 'Give my love to Cyril, and try and trust him to his Heavenly
Father.'

'I will try, dear father,' was Audrey's answer.

And then she leant back on her seat and attempted to pray; but she only
found herself repeating over and over again the same petition--that she
might be in time; for Michael's message, so carefully worded, had read
to her like Cyril's death-warrant. 'He will die,' she had said with
tearless eyes to her father, as she had carried him the telegram.

It was eleven o'clock before she reached King's Cross; but before the
train stopped she could see Michael standing alone under a gas-lamp, and
before he discerned her she was beside him.

'Am I in time, Michael?'

Then he started, and drew her hand through his arm.

'Quite in time, dear; he has still a few hours to live.'

For he saw at once that she was prepared for the worst.

'That is well,' she replied calmly; 'let us go.'

And then Michael handed her into the hansom.

How pale she was, he thought, and how sad those dear gray eyes looked,
as she turned to him and asked that question that he so dreaded to hear!

'We are out of the station now, and I can hear better. What was the
accident, Michael? How did it all happen? Tell me everything, please.'

Then, as far as he was able, he told her all, and she heard him very
quietly, though once he felt the shudder that passed through her when
she first understood the nature of the terrible thing that had happened.

'Abercrombie saw it all from the first,' he went on; 'he said he never
saw anything so splendidly done. Not a m