when I am there--there--I will go to God and say, 'O Lord! my little
girl whom I have left behind, she is. . . . You would never think, O
Lord, how many things may happen to one like her. Let me go--only let me
watch over her--O Lord, let me be her guar--'"

Her weakness had conquered her, and she was quiet at last. Israel sat in
silence by the post of the bed. His heart was surging itself out of his
choking breast. The black woman stood somewhere by the wall. After a
time Ruth seemed to awake as from sleep. She was in great excitement.

"Israel, Israel!" she cried in a voice of joy, "I have seen a vision. It
was Naomi. She was no longer deaf and blind and dumb. She was grown to
be a woman, but I knew her instantly. Not a woman either, but a young
maiden, and so beautiful, so beautiful! Yes, and she could see and hear
and speak."

Israel thought Ruth had become delirious, and he tried to soothe her,
but her agitation was not to be overcome. "The Lord hath seen our
tears at last," she cried. "He has put our sin beneath His feet. We are
forgiven. It will be well with the child yet."

Israel did not try to gainsay her, and at sight and sound of her joy,
seeing it so beautiful, yet thinking it so vain, he could not help at
last but weep. Presently she became quiet again, and then again, after a
little while, she woke as from a sleep.

"I am ready now," she said in a whisper, "quite ready, sweet Heaven,
quite, quite ready now."

Then with her one free hand she felt in the darkness for Israel, where