The old woman--for she was now gray--set before him an ample supper.
The children had grown to be young men and women.

The cuckoo clock struck the hour of nine.

The collier altered the musical glasses.

"Will you join with us in singing?" asked he of the traveler.

The family sang as before the old German hymn:

"Now the woods are all sleeping,
Guard us we pray."


"Let us pray now," said the collier.

They knelt; the merchant by his portmanteau as before.

He watched the storm-door. It did not open. But he became conscious of
light overhead. He looked up. A star was forming there. Then a face of
light on whose forehead gleamed the star.

Then wings of pure light were outstretched above the family.

"Amen," said the collier.

The light over him vanished.