me.

He seemed scarcely able to lift his eyes from the ground as Mr. Travilla
led him into the veranda where the whole family were gathered eagerly
awaiting their coming; but in a moment Sally's arms were round his neck,
her kisses and tears warm on his cheek, as she sobbed out in excess of
joy, "O Tom, dear Tom, I'm so glad to see you!"

Then Mrs. Travilla's soft white hand grasped his in cordial greeting, and
her low sweet voice bade him welcome; and the children echoed her words,
apparently with no other thought of him than that he was Sally's brother
and it was perfectly natural he should be there with her.

So he was soon at ease among them; but felt very humble, kept close by
Sally and used his eyes and ears far more than his tongue.

His kind entertainers exerted themselves to keep him out of the way of
temptation and help him to conquer the thirst for intoxicating drink, Mrs.
Travilla giving Sally carte blanche to go into the kitchen and prepare him
a cup of strong coffee whenever she would.

"Sally," he said to his sister, one evening when they sat alone together
on the veranda, "what a place this is to be in! It's like a little heaven
below; there is so much of peace and love; the moral atmosphere is so
sweet and pure: I feel as though I had no business here, such a fallen
wretch as I am!" he concluded with a groan, hiding his face in his hands.

"Don't, Tom, dear Tom!" she whispered, putting her arms about his neck and
laying her head on his shoulder. "You've given up that dreadful habit?
you're never going back to it?"

"I don't want to! God knows I don't!" he cried as in an agony of fear,
"but that awful thirst--you don't know what it is! and I--I'm weak as
water. Oh if there was none of the accursed thing on the face of the
earth, I might hope for salvation! Sally, I'm afraid of myself, of the
demon that is in me!"

"O, Tom, fly to Jesus!" she said, clinging to him. "He says, 'In me is
thine help.' 'Fear not; I will help thee,' and he never yet turned a deaf
ear to any poor sinner that cried to him for help. Cast yourself wholly on
him and he will give you strength; for 'every one that asketh, receiveth;
and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be
opened.'"

There was a moment of silence, in which Sally's heart was going up in
earnest prayer for him; then Mr. Travilla joined them and addressing Tom
said, "My wife and I have been talking about your future; indeed Sally's
als