"Dear father, if such be the will of God, may you be spared to us for many
years yet," returned his son with emotion. "And Louise! We do not know her
exact condition, but let us hope that God will in His great mercy give her
yet more time--months or years--in which to prepare for eternity. We will
cry earnestly for her, and in the name of Christ, to Him who hath said, 'I
have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth,' but bids them 'Turn
yourselves and live ye.'"

"Yes; and whose promise is, 'If two of you shall agree on earth, as
touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven!'"

Silence fell between them for a moment, then the old gentleman asked,
"What arrangements have the boys made? She will hardly be able to drive
home in a carriage."

"Oh no! they will meet her at the depôt with an ambulance, and I shall be
there with the carriage for Mr. Allison, Adelaide, and Virginia."

"Virginia is coming too?"

"We do not know certainly, but expect to see her with the others."

"I cannot say that I hope you will. I never saw a more useless person; she
will be only in the way; and--I cannot banish a suspicion that she has
brought this attack upon her poor mother. I strongly suspect that
Virginia's match has turned out a very bad one, and that she has heaped
reproaches upon her mother for the hand she had in bringing it about."