e more?" he asked. "Just one; it's my favourite."

"Why, certainly. What is it?"

"The Ninety and Nine. It's number seven-seventy-nine. And won't you
sing it, miss? I haven't heard it sung for a long time, though I read
it most every day."

Having played the air, Nell began to sing, and as her clear, sweet
voice welled forth, Joe leaned eagerly forward so as not to miss a
word. There were tears in his eyes, but his face was beaming with joy
and peace. Nell sang the hymn through, and when she finished and the
last throbbing notes of the organ ceased, a sobbing moan drifted up the
aisle of the old church. Both Nell and Joe turned quickly around, and
to their surprise they saw a woman kneeling upon the floor with her
face buried in her hands.

"Jean, my Jean!" Joe cried, as he sprang from his seat, hurried down
the aisle and caught his daughter in his arms. Then there was silence,
broken only by the sobs of the kneeling girl.

Nell stood near and watched them, uncertain what to do. She was deeply
affected by this scene, and thought it best that the two should be
alone. Softly she moved toward the door, and had almost reached it,
when Jean sprang after her and caught her by the arm.

"Don't go, Nell," she cried, "until you have forgiven me. Tell me you
forgive me," and once more Jean fell upon her knees and seized Nell's
hand in hers, and held it with a firm grip.

Stooping, Nell placed her disengaged arm lovingly about the girl's
body, and kissed her on the cheek.

"I forgive you all, Jean," she said. "So get up. Why should you kneel
to me?"

"And you know? You understand?" Jean asked, lifting up her pale face.

"Yes, I think I know everything, and you have always had my sincere
sympathy. But how did you happen to come here?"

"I wanted to see the old church once more, where I used to worship, and
was so happy in the years now gone forever. I did not expect to find
any one here, and was greatly surprised when I heard you singing. It
was that old hymn which affected me so much, and broke me down
completely."

"I am so glad that you came just when you did," Nell replied. "You
have been in my thoughts day and night, and I knew that you would come
to see me some day. You will come, will you not?"

But Jean shook her head and looked longingly around the church, as if
taking a final farewell of all the objects which were so dear and
familiar to her.

"I am going away," she quietly said, "and